In this video, I’ll show you the power of using a grid to further modify the light on a softbox. It creates mood and makes it simple to control the light completely. From the course: Improving Your Photography and Portraits with Lighting Modifiers Modifying a softbox with a grid from Improving
I created this photograph at WPPI in Las Vegas. I was at the ClickProps Studio Backdrops booth. This company makes over 500 backdrops in various designs and sizes, and we got to test out a number of them. This photograph was shot against the “Brick Natural” backdrop. Our shooting “studio”
The other day, I found myself in Monument Valley photographing a bunch of dancers. Of course, I was there at sunrise, which lasted for two hours and bathed the entire valley in beautiful light so I could leisurely make artful pictures to my heart’s content. Psych! We actually arrived on
I have long said that if I had to choose one light to use for the rest of my life, it’d be a huge white umbrella, like the Paul C. Buff 86″ PLM (parabolic light modifier). I’ve made a living with that modifier for the last several years. It’s been
Fractals are the new must-haves in my camera bag. I was introduced to Fractals a few years back at WPPI. My friend and fellow photographer, Kathy Mukhopadhyay, bought a set and mentioned that they were doing live demos throughout the trade show if I wanted to check them out. I sneaked
What is a snoot? A snoot is just a funny name for a piece of equipment — generally a tube or similar object such as a conical, cylindrical or rectangular shape — that fits over a studio light or portable flash. It allows you to control the direction or area
Light and color are the only things your camera records, so those things should be a the top of your mind for every photo you make. Last week I was making headshots and the background had to be the building we were in, not just a backdrop. The trouble is
I recently said that if I were allowed only one light for the rest of my life I’d choose a huge white umbrella. But if you’re just getting started with off-camera flash, I highly recommend a small collapsible white shoot-through umbrella. OCF with an umbrella is forgiving and highly versatile.
I made this portrait the other day at the Out of Oregon Photography Conference. I was teaching a class on portraiture, and I had a picture like this in my mind as soon as I found out Maygen would be helping as the model. She was a surfer and I
Making marketing pictures at schools is one of my favorites activities. There’s endless variety in subjects and every classroom offers unique challenges in lighting. Last week I was making pictures in Oregon for a longtime client, the schools foundation. They raise money to hire teachers for science, art, music, etc.
It doesn’t really take too much imagination when you have a muscleman in front of your lens to picture him as a green mass with purple highlights. It’s either because I’m a male, or because I have a three-year-old son. Anyhow, this just had to happen when I was making
Dread: That’s the feeling that happens when you know you’re in over your head but you have to perform anyway. Dread started weighing on me and pulling my stomach into my shoes when I arrived for this photoshoot. I was on assignment with my assistant to several places in rural
