Evolution of a Studio Photo Shoot

Image and Post by Rick Sammon – Follow Rick Sammon on Twitter

Here are a few photographs that one of my studio lighting expert friends, Vered Koshlano (http://www.byvk.com), took of me in her NYC studio. We took these shots (adding a light source as we moved along) to illustrate several different lighting techniques.

Here is what we did for the four smaller pictures: (clockwise from top left):

• one strobe light (soft box with egg crate panel) placed at a 45 degree angle to the subject;

• background light added (but too bright);

• reflector added and background light output reduced (with a neutral density gel that does not affect colors) by one f-stop;

• and finally, reflector moved back two feet from the subject and background light output reduced by two f-stops.

The bottom larger picture of yours truly is my personal favorite shot from the shoot: one light with me looking at the light (as opposed to me looking at the camera in the other shots).

The behind-the-scenes shot shows the placement of the lights and reflector. I’m holding a flash meter, which measures the light from the flash and gives an accurate exposure readout.

Like lighting lessons like this? Drop me/Scott a note. We are planning a 10-city lighting workshop/seminar in Spring 2010.

P.S. There is another reason why I like the second-from-the-bottom photograph: It looks as though I am actually playing the guitar, which I am!