Taming Harsh Sunlight with a Scrim

Tags

california sunbounce, CT Headshot Photographer, Expoimaging, Expoimaging 2-in-1 reflector, Headshot, natural light, Natural Light Headshot, Nikon, NYC Headshot Photographer, Rogue, Scrim, Shower Curtain, Shower Curtain Scrim, Sony, Sony A 7II, Unique Photo, Unique Photo Camera Show, Unique University

Hi and welcome back.

Last Saturday’s workshop at Unique Photo dealt with taming hard sunlight.  As photographers, we need to learn how to use every light source at our disposal.  If we shoot in hard light, then we need to see and use hard light or know how to diffuse it to get the best result for our client.

I like to use my scrim to control hard sunlight.  Some clients have crazy schedules, so shooting at noon on a sunny day is the only time they have.  So we need to understand how to get the shot “in the can” and please our client.

I have the California Sunbounce 4×6 frame and Zebra/White reflector.  Coming in at $334.00, this is not a system for the faint of heart.  As part of a sponsorship with California Sunbounce, I received the frame and textile for free a few years back.

But I wanted to use my CS frame as a scrim, or light diffuser.  When I saw the cost of a 1 stop scrim textile, at $158.00, I cringed.  So I headed to my local Marshall’s and got a Shower Curtain for $5.99 and strung it across the CS frame.

But, just Google DIY Scrims and you’ll come across a bunch of online tutorials on how to build portable scrims of all sizes on-the-cheap using PVC Pipe and fabric from a craft store for anywhere from $20-$50.00 depending on size.  This is the move.  Don’t spend more than you have to!!

Using scrims is easy, simply place the diffusion in between the sun or light source and your subject.

Here is an image from Saturday using the scrim and the Rogue 2-in-1 reflector only:

And here’s the setup.  As this was only a headshot, I used a piece of white masonite from my local home center as the background.  The sun is directly overhead for a hair and separation light, the scrim is overhead blocking the sun, and the white reflector is directly underneath our model, Shaza:

Used in this set up, the CS scrim is unwieldy, so I used my Matthews C-Stands, Avenger Boom arm, and 3 15 pd weight bags to keep it all steady.  A slight breeze picked up during the shoot, so the weight bags kept everything stable.

Here is another shot from the workshop.

The scrim is one of the most simple yet versatile tools in your kit.  They can be built cheaply and used all over.  You can harness the power of the sun or just shoot a light through it.  Whatever the case, scrims are a great and simple way to control your light.

Many thanks to Shaza Lauren for modeling at the workshop and to Unique Photo for having me in to teach at their annual Camera Show.

Tomorrow, Keep Your Mistakes!!

Till then, happy scrimming!

 

Unique Photo last Saturday

Tags

Expoimaging, Female Model, Model, natural light, Nikon, NJ, OCF, OCF Workshops, off camera flash, Rogue Flashbenders, Small Flash, Sony, Sony A7II, Unique Photo, Workshops

Hi and welcome back.

I was at Unique Photo last Saturday running two lighting workshops.

I’ll dissect the shoot for you as the week goes on with other posts, but for a quickie post today I’ll give you a few proof images from the two shoots.

From the front of the building: Taming Hard Sunlight

From the second workshop: Industrial Fashion

I’ll put together individual posts on lighting technique and setups throughout the week.

I’ll be planning a Beauty Headshot Workshop for July 9 and heading to Boston to Theia Studios on July 16 for “The Headshot” Workshop.  More on that this week too!

Till then, Happy Monday!

Unique Photo this Saturday

Tags

Expoimaging, Nikon, Rogue 2-in01 Reflecor, Rogue Flashbenders, Rogue XL Pro, Sony, Speedlighting for Beauty, Speedlighting for Glamour, Unique Photo, Unique Photo Show, Unique University

Hi and welcome back.

Sorry for the delay in posting, but it has been a bit crazy.

This Saturday, I’ll be at Unique Photo’s Camera Show running two lighting workshops.

Registration Link: Unique Photo

Taming Harsh Sunlight

I’ll be teaching how to tame hard light and also how to fall in love and use it to you advantage.

1:30-3:00

Front of the store

I’ll be using scrims, reflectors, and some fill flash to get great results.  I’ll also show you how to build the outdoor studio.

Industrial Fashion

We’ll be shooting at the rear of the building on the loading dock and going for Industrial Fashion looks.

3:30-5:00

All small flashes with Rogue Flashbenders, including the new Silver-Lined XL Pro

Bring your Camera!

I’ll be supplying all the gear for you to shoot 3 models in 3 stations in both locations.

Don’t miss out on this wonderful event put on by Unique Photo.

Hope to see you there!

 

 

A Quick BTS of the Matthews Road Rags II Reflector

Tags

beauty, Beauty headshots, CT headshot potographer, Matthews Road Rags II, Nikon, NYC Beauty Headshot Photographer, OCF, OCF Workshops, Sony, Unique Photo, Unique Photo University

Hi and welcome back.

I am currently smitten with my Matthews Road Rags II Silver/White reflector.

Link: Matthews Road Rags II

Link: Photek Umbrella Bracket

It breaks down literally to fit in your back pocket and then assembles into a full 24″ x 36″ silver/white reflector.  What can be better than that?

Plus, the attachment pin fits right into a Photek or Lumopro Umbrella Bracket: no more purchasing crazy brackets or arms to attach your reflector to a lightstand:

Here is is in use on a corporate job.  I went to this job on 4/20 and 2/25 and used the same setup for simple shots:

Here it is attached to a short Manfrotto background stand.  

This is a great and simple reflector that I’m happy to have found, although I wished I had found it years ago!

Here I am using it at a workshop with the awesome Jada Stoudemire:

That’s it for now.  There are still a few spots left for Saturday’s workshop, where I’ll be showcasing and using this reflector system.

Here’s the reg link, so join in the fun: Unique Photo

Till next time, happy reflecting!

Saturday’s Headshot Workshop at Unique Photo, NJ

Tags

40's Hollywood Glamour, Bowens, Expoimaging, Model, Model Photographer, Nikon, NJ OCF Workshops, OCF, Off camera flash workshop, Phottix, Rogue Flashbender, Sony, Unique Photo

Hi and welcome back.

I’m in prep mode today for Saturday’s Headshot Workshop at Unique Photo.

Here is the registration link: Unique Photo

This is a long workshop, coming in at 5 hours and with a pizza break somewhere in the day.  With this much time, I’ll be able to comfortably cover 9 different headshot looks, going from simple one light to multi-light setups.

I’ll cover:

Corporate

Actor

Model

Beauty

Dark Beauty

Gels

Glamour

Creative Lighting

And 40’s Hollywood Glamour to cap it all off!

If you are looking to gain insight into the different headshot styles, build a portfolio, and see just how much you can do with a few speed lights and commercial modifiers, then join in the fun!

We’ll have 3 models at 3 stations.  I’ll rotate looks and models through each station so everyone gets images.

Don’t forget your camera, lenses, batteries and cards!  This is a shooting event, so everyone gets to shoot the looks.

Here are some samples that we’ll be shooting:

 

Workshop Updates

Tags

Anomaly Models, BH Photo, Crossfit Expressions, Nikon, Nissin, OCF, OCF Workshops, off camera flash, Photo Uno, Rogue Flashbenders, Rogue gels, Rogue Grids, Sony, Sony A7 II, Space 4 Shoots, Speedlights, Unique Photo

Hi and welcome back.

I’m going to give you the current workshop list for the next month or two to get them out there.

Interested in learning lighting?  Then don’t miss out as all my workshops are shooting events, bring your camera and lenses and shoot the looks I shoot and teach.

Here’s what is up for now:

Photo Uno Sponsored Presentation

March 29

6:30-8:30 pm

Join me at Photo Uno in Manhattan for an Expoimaging sponsored presentation on shooting small flashes.  I’ll go from simple to complex lighting setups to show you how to get amazing results with small flashes and Rogue Flashbenders

Registration Link: Photo Uno

Our model is Laura Dewey:

 

Fitness Photography Workshop at Crossfit Expressions

Crossfit, 1341 West Broad St, Stratford, CT

April 2

1-4 pm

Cost: $160.00, use Paypal link above to register

Join in as I teach lighting the commercial high key shot for fitness, commercial on color, bodyscaping, and the P90X Style of high contrast black and white for fitness.

Our model is the Amazing Rachael Anders:

 

BH Photo Event Space

April 4

1-3 pm

Creative lighting presentation to bring your work to the next level using small flash modifiers and gels.  Don’t miss this free event at BH Photo.

Our model is Tina Scariano:

 

The Advanced Speedlight Workshop in NYC

Space 4 Shoots, 25 W 31sr St, Manhattan

April 9

1-5 pm

Cost: $260.00, use paypal link above to register

I’ll show you how to light effectively and creatively using techniques from fashion to get amazing results from your flashes and simple modifiers.  The last NYC Headshot workshop was a raging success, don’t miss this one as headshots will be included.

Our model is NYC professional Daria Bardola from Anomaly Models.

 

Unique Photo: The Headshot

April 30

1-4

Unique Photo, Fairfield, NJ

Link to follow.

I’ll be teaching the headshot.  We’ll have 3 models and 3 stations to run through multiple lighting setups and looks for the Headshot.  Can’t afford Kino Flo’s or the new Westcott headshot setup for $5,000.00?  Let me show you how to achieve the same results with portable speed light gear.

 

That’s about it for now.  I’m stacking up the travel and the workshops for Spring, so join in the fun and don’t miss a moment of shoot time!

Remember, all my workshops, except for Photo Uno, are shooting workshops.  I set it up, teach the look, and we all shoot for our portfolios!

Hope to see you there!

Unique Camera Show December 11-13

Tags

NJ OCF Workshop, OCF, off camera flash, Unique Photo, Unique Photo Camera Show, Workshop

Hi and welcome back.

I’m super excited to be among an amazing cast at the Unique Photo Camera show December 11-13.

I’m only in on Saturday, December 12 for a workshop and then a floor demo/presentation, but look at the crowd I’m among:

Joe McNally

Bobbi Lane and Lee Varis

Neil Van Niekirk

Erik Valind

Joel Grimes

Roman Kurywczk

And more!  Hope to see you there!!

Make sure you stop by on Saturday to say hello or take a great class from one of these amazing photogs.

Till then, happy shooting!!

 

BH Photo and the Camera Club of NY

Tags

BH Photo, Camera Club of New York, CCNY, CT Actor Headshot Photographer, CT Headshot Photographer, CT Wedding photographer, Nikon, OCF, off camera flash, Unique Photo, Westcott, Workshops

Hi and welcome back.

This past weekend I had two workshops that were just spectacular.

In the studio, we shot beauty and glamour with Julie.  She was awesome and I love the high contrast b/w head shots:

Nikon D3, 105 f/2 DC Lens

SB910

Phottix Ares Triggers

Westcott 43″ Orb

 

Then I headed to Unique Photo in Fairfield, NJ on Sunday for a full day workshop on fashion, beauty, and glamour.

We got great shots during this Westcott sponsored event and used the:

28 Apollo

43″ Orb

Strip

Rapid Box

 

Tomorrow I head to BH Photo for 40’s Hollywood glamour and then to the Camera Club of NY to run a short shooting event.  I’m bringing my speed lights and join in the fun to shoot with a great model a few different lighting looks.

CCNY Link

Don’t miss out on this great and fun shooting and portfolio building event with a seasoned pro, Richelle, who is represented by Ford and MSA.

Hope to see you there!

Till next time, happy Spring!

One Last Post on Unique Photo

Tags

40's Glamour, CT Commercial Photographer, CT Editorial Photographer, CT Headshot Photographer, CT Photographer, CT Workshops, Expoimaging, Rogue Flashbenders, Rogue Grid, Speedlight Workshops, Speedlights, Unique Photo

Hi and welcome back.

Before I get to the last post on the workshops and demos at Unique Photo, I wanted to say something about the digital world.

Through my various events and workshops and the like, I’ve come into contact with photographers from all around the globe: and it is great!  The web is such a great way to get the word out and meet new people like:

Martin from the UK, Alican from Istanbul, and Ibrahim from Saudi Arabia.

Being able to speak to so many across such long distances is such a great pleasure!

Now on to the post.

This is the final post on Unique Photo.  I was so busy and shot so much there that I’m now just wrapping up all the techniques I showed.

For this technique, it’s 40’s Glamour.  One of my favorites with speed lights.

Rae modeled for me and looked so much like Audrey Hepburn it was just amazing!

Ok, this is a tough one to do.  You need to aim your lights precisely and then adjust exposure as you go.  I don’t use diffusion domes on my speed lights so the light is hard and fast and similar to the hotlights used in the original style photos of Joan Crawford, etc.

The key light modifier is a Small Rogue Flashbender rolled into a snoot.  Hair is a Large Rogue Flashbender rolled into a snoot.  Background is usually a Rogue 25 degree grid, but I change that up as needed.

Here’s the BTS:

 

I often shoot this look and adjust everything as I go.  I also set my lighting and then move around the subject, turning the subject into and out of the light so as to create dramatic shadows and hard loop lighting.

I usually finish my images in Totally Rad Actions Portrait Retouch V2, then go to B/W with Totally Rad Bitchen B/W, and then add a glamour glow in Nik Color Effex Pro.

This is a fun and dramatic lighting technique that I highly recommend you try.

Here’s a final of Rae.

 

That’s it for now.  Till next time, if you live in the way of Snowstorm Hercules, have fun digging out!!

Unique Photo Again

Tags

CT Commercial Photographer, CT Headshot Photographer, CT Photograher, Hensel, One lIght high key, One light portrait, Strobe Light Workshops, Unique Photo

Hi and welcome back.

In the previous post I used a two light setup, now let’s look at a one light commercial style setup.

You can do this with speedlight or strobe light.  Here I used a Hensel Integra.  If you use speedlight, be careful of exposure as the light is a bit harsher than strobe especially when shooting bare head.

Here is the BTS diagram:

Here are a few proofs from the shoot.

If you look closely, you’ll see how the shadows drop on the right for Melanie and to the left for Claire (the redhead).  I kept the light in the same position but moved to either side of it to create different shadow effects.  The closer your subject is to the backdrop, the shorter the shadow; the further from the backdrop, the longer the shadow.  Swap sides, and it falls on different sides.

These shots are straight out of the camera, no retouching at all.  At this point I’d select my final and get to work in Photoshop.

This is a fun commercial look that is easy to execute with a barehead speedlight or strobe.  I prefer strobes as the light quality seems to be a bit softer.

Till next time, learn to shoot on white!!