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Checklist for portrait photography on location

November 24, 2016 Neil vN 10 Comments

Checklist for portrait photography on location

There's that algorithm that I most often use when shooting on-location portraits - find an interesting or complementary background, that also has good light on my subject. If there isn't good ambient light, then I add light. Then, my subject's positioning and pose is adjusted so that the photograph comes together. Find an interesting or complementary background, that also has good light on my subject. If there isn't good ambient light, then I add light. Then, my subject's positioning and pose is adjusted so that the photograph  Read more inside...

Photo shoot: On-location lighting problem solving

May 13, 2016 Neil vN 11 Comments

Photo shoot: On-location lighting problem solving (with Profoto)

When I photograph on location, many of my decisions on the technical stuff like camera settings and lighting, are based on common sense algorithms. Max flash sync speed, choice of aperture, and direction of light. That forms the basis of decisions, but just as often we, as photographers, have to adapt and go into problem-solving mode. Here's an example during a photo shoot where I had to come up with a different way of using my off-camera lights. It was a big deal for me when I was asked by the management of Home  Read more inside...

Themes & context in Boudoir Photography

June 26, 2015 Neil vN 7 Comments

urban boudoir photography, NYC

Themes & context in Boudoir Photography - on the streets of NYC

The model in this striking image is my friend, Jessica, a boudoir photographer. Her pose is intentionally this strong and assertive. The concept here is part of an on-going project she had planned for a long while now. She had asked me to collaborate with her in taking the photos. The main idea behind the project (and these are my words and interpretation of what we had discussed) - women are objectified in society, but there is a disconnect in how people respond (or don't) to provocative posters and images of  Read more inside...

On-location corporate headshots – Efficiency and speed

September 16, 2013 Neil vN 29 Comments

On-location corporate headshots - Efficiency and speed

That's me, all set up for on-location corporate headshots last week. Five speed light & Softbox set ups, to be placed in a different area each, to efficiently give 5 different looks. My client wanted head-shots of a list of people, with varying backgrounds around their offices. And also with different sets of clothes. We decided that 5 different looks would work best, and give them variety. I considered the options I had. Two of them amounted to too much disruption: - dragging one light around, and setting it up every  Read more inside...

Photo session – Modern Gypsies – Silver Birds

May 7, 2013 Neil vN 8 Comments

Photo session - Modern Gypsies - Silver Birds

Regular followers of Tangents, and everyone who has a copy of my book, off-camera flash, should be familiar with the Modern Gypsies. They are a performance group in Brooklyn and I count myself fortunate that I sometimes get to collaborate with them on promotional photos for them. It's always exciting to work with inspiringly creative people. At the start of the month, we got together for another series of photo shoots, of which this is the first of the four. I'll post the other sections in follow-up articles. The theme here - Silver  Read more inside...

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