• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Oben CTM-2500 5-Section Carbon Fiber Monopod
  • Datacolor SpyderX Elite review and installation guide
  • BenQ SW271 monitor offers perfect color and resolution
  • Cecilia Humboldt 14L backpack offers stylish, customizable storage
  • Stacking up ProGrade Digital’s SDXC card and reader with SanDisk

Photofocus

Education and inspiration for visual storytellers

Menu
  • Blog
  • Photo
    • Shooting
    • Gear
    • Lighting
    • Reviews
    • Close
  • Video
    • Shooting
    • Gear
    • Lighting
    • Reviews
    • Close
  • Learn
    • Maximize Lightroom
    • HDR
    • Video
    • Lightroom
    • Photoshop
    • Close
  • Gear Guides
    • The Ultimate GoPro Kit
    • Architectural Photography
    • Close
  • Business
  • Drones
    • Stills
    • Video
    • Gear
    • Post-Processing
    • Close
  • Inspiration
  • News
  • Software
    • Adobe
    • Apple
    • Mobile
    • Skylum
    • Windows
    • Close
  • Podcasts
    • Audio Podcasts
    • Video Podcasts
    • Close
  • Contests

No Excuses! Making Photos No Matter What

Vanelli 06/13/2018 0

After a long couple of days of teaching at Photoshop World, my good friends Ray and Kim insisted I join them for dinner and a quick shoot.  Exhausted, I tried every excuse not to go but they are the type of friends you can’t say no to—and I’m glad I didn’t. Here’s what went through my mind when we created the Sports Grit Look using a cross-light setup with continuous light.  

Not My Normal Lighting Gear

Normally I use a 3-light setup using studio strobes or speedlights attached to strip boxes and a beauty dish. For this setup, I had one Westcott Solix LED Light continuous light and a narrow Westcott Ice Light 2 LED Light. Both had barn doors attached to them. This was helpful in controlling and feathering the light. Since they were lower power continuous lights, I had to up my ISO to 800, causing a grainy portrait—but a grainy photo is better than no photo at all of my buddy, Ray.

Solix
Ice Light

Instead of a beauty dish straight on, I cross lit the shot—positioning the lights directly across from each other. I used the barn doors to feather the light across the subject, plus it help kept the light from spilling onto the black background.  

This is a reference shot. The back light was higher during the shoot.
This is a reference shot. The back light was higher during the shoot.

Not My Normal Lens

Ray handed me a Nikon D810 camera—the same camera I use, but this one had an older wide-angle lens attached. The Sigma 85mm f/1.4 is my go-to portrait lens. It offers me the right amount of compression and is tack sharp. Instead, Ray had a wide-angle 15mm-30mm variable f/stop—f/3.5 to f/5.6—lens. A wide-angle isn’t usually good for portraits and the lens itself is on the soft side. To cut down on distortion, I shot from a low position and kept the camera straight and cropped in post. I used structure in Luminar to bring back clarity.

Hand Held the Black Backdrop

Ray was traveling in from Seattle and was limited on the amount of gear he could bring. He did have a black backdrop but didn’t have anything to mount it to. I let out a loud sigh and said I’ll use the curtains in the room for the backdrop and edit it in post. Kim immediately said she and Samara could stand on chairs and hold the black backdrop. I felt bad at first but knew this would make a better photo of Ray.

Noticed the handheld backdrop in the background. I'm sure it wasn't comfortable for the ladies.
Noticed the handheld backdrop in the background. I’m sure it wasn’t comfortable for the ladies.

Getting the Shot

Out of everything I “complained’ about, getting the shot isn’t going to be one of them. Once the technical side of photography is figured out, the easy and fun part is working with the subject to get the shot. I knew my limitations with the current setup, so I made sure to pose Ray in different positions that stayed within the parameters of the lighting setup. At one point, he wanted to demonstrate a kick and I guided him away from it knowing the slow lens and the low power of continuous light wouldn’t capture our vision.

Ray Kusumi-7348
Ray Kusumi-7349
Ray Kusumi-7355

When Not to Say, “Just Do It”

So why not just have him do it? Because I knew there were other shots we could get and my time was limited. To create an action shot in the conditions we were in would require us to go down an experimental rabbit hole that I knew I didn’t have in me. Remember, I was still exhausted from teaching the past few days. If I just sucked it up and said “Just Do It,’ I know I wouldn’t have had fun doing the shoot and wouldn’t reflect back on the experience with a favorable memory. Know your strengths and recognize your weaknesses.

Overall, I’m glad my friends pushed me into doing the shoot. My good friend Ray has several images of himself. Kim and Samara got to have a mini lesson on cross lighting and working with a subject. Surround yourself with friends that help you muster the energy to accomplish projects when you feel you have nothing left to give. It makes for a great bonding experience.

Ray Kusumi-
Ray Kusumi--6
Ray Kusumi--7
  • About
  • Latest Posts

Vanelli

Robert Vanelli (Vanelli to his friends) is a working photographer, educator and author living in Florida. After a successful career as a three-time, Triple Crown Karate champion, Vanelli turned his attention to teaching the visual arts. As an experienced educator, Vanelli has created several photography and digital workflow programs including Click for Kids.

Currently he is teaching workshops, writing for Photofocus and creating tutorials for various plug-in companies and for the Vanelli and Friends series.

You can find out more about Vanelli at www.VanelliandFriends.com

Latest posts by Vanelli (see all)

  • Blurry pictures: What causes them and how to get sharp photos - February 9, 2019
  • Quick Tip: Create your own Actions, Presets & Luminar Looks - February 8, 2019
  • Would you pay 3.5 million dollars for this photo? - February 4, 2019

Categories: Lighting Photography Tags: Cross Lighting Get the shot How to get the shot motivation photography sports

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
 

You May Also Like:

Please support our partners:

Adobe Stock – The marketplace where videographers and photographers make money with their video footage and still photographs. Become a contributor today!

Lume Cube – Proudly known as the World's Most Versatile Light™, Lume Cube represents the future of LED Lighting.

ACDSee – Experience ultimate creative freedom with the world's first digital asset manager and RAW editor with layers. ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2019 is the answer to your creative graphic and photography needs.

Illuminati Instruments – Maker of the Illuminati meter that measures flash & ambient, color temperature and chromaticity in a compact case that links to a smartphone.

B&H – B&H is a world renowned supplier of all the gear photographers, videographers, and cinematographers need and want to create their very best work.

Skylum – Your photos, more beautiful in minutes. Makers of Luminar, Aurora and Photolemur, Skylum adapts to your style and skill level. Check out the new Luminar 3, now available.

Perfectly Clear Complete – Built for precision. Made for beauty. Perfectly Clear has mastered the science of intelligent image correction - creating superior quality photos in record time, so you can get back to doing what you really love...in no time. Special Photofocus deal here.

V-Flat World – Lightweight and easy to transport, the Foldable V-Flat from V-Flat World makes it easy to travel, collapsing down to 40 x 40 x 2 inches. Learn more at vflatworld.com.

Adobe Creative Cloud – Creative Cloud gives you the world's best apps and services for video, design, photography and the web, whether you're a beginner or a pro! Plans start at $9.99/mo. at adobe.com.

Viewbug – Learn and improve your photography with over 500 videos. Trusted by millions around the world, join over 2 million photographers who already use Viewbug.

HDR Learning Center – Check out new ways to use High Dynamic Range photography to make compelling images. Free tutorials and posts to get results. Produced in partnership with HDRsoft.

ThinkTAP – New online education for photographers by working professionals. Be one of the first 50 people to buy our new time-lapse training for only $99 (that’s 60% off); use the code TL50.

Reader Interactions

Comment Policy: Vigorous discussion is welcome. Please use your real names and respect one another.

Share your thoughts Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Our eBooks

  • Develop Great Images in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom (Scribd | iBooks)
  • The Basic Beginner’s Guide to Photography Light & Exposure (iBooks)
  • Secrets of HDR (iBooks)
  • 72 Essays on Photography (iBooks | Amazon)

Footer

Photofocus

Regardless of the type of photography you focus on, Photofocus is here as a helpful and educational resource for the aspiring and professional photographer. Our goal is to assist in your success as an artist.

Advertise on Photofocus

Our eBooks

  • Develop Great Images in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom (Scribd | iBooks)
  • The Basic Beginner’s Guide to Photography Light & Exposure (iBooks)
  • Secrets of HDR (iBooks)
  • 72 Essays on Photography (iBooks | Amazon)

Follow Us On Twitter

Follow @photofocus
Follow @rhedpixel
Follow @amesphoto
Follow @bryanesler
Follow @PhotoLevi
Follow @vanelli
Follow @chamirastudios
Follow @HahnNaturePhoto
Follow @LauriNovakPhoto
Follow @lightroomers
Follow @michaelmuraz
Follow @MikeJHagen
Follow @rodharlan
Follow @scottwyden
Follow @TracieJeanPhoto
Follow @Matthew_JordanS
© 2019 Photofocus · All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Advertise
    • Marketing Kit
  • Authors
    • The Publisher
  • Contact Us
  • Legal
    • Contests
    • FTC Disclosures
    • Review Guidelines
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.