Tag Archives: lighting

Advice, Assignment, Gear

Using Speedlites for location glamour photography

Maria was lit by 2 Speedlites, one inside my Photoflex Octodome and the other inside The background is lit by a 3rd Speedlite.
Maria was lit by 2 Speedlites, one inside my Photoflex Octodome and the other inside The background is lit by a 3rd Speedlite.

I have always admired photographers who specialized in glamour.

They may be men but they are very in tuned to how makeup works on the variety of skin tones, hair color and  facial features of the women they photograph.

Coordinating all that and wardrobe alone is enough to make my head spin.

 

Having a makeup artists on hand is definitely a god sent.

I recently connected with makeup artist and hair stylist Anna Cameron recently so we when we got together, we collaborated to photograph aspiring model Maria Nuñez.

We worked in the basement of Back to the Grind coffeehouse.

Continue reading Using Speedlites for location glamour photography →

Gear

Creating an on-location 1940 Stylized portrait

I photographed Jodi Newton using 2 Speedlites inside Lake Alice Trading Co Saloon and Eatery in Riverside. The Speedlite behind her was set to give 1-stop more light than the Key light just to the right of the camera. Canon 5DMark2 with a 50mm lens. ISO 400 1/30sec f4.5
I photographed Jodi Newton using 2 Speedlites inside Lake Alice Trading Co Saloon and Eatery in Riverside. The Speedlite behind her was set to give 1-stop more light than the Key light just to the right of the camera. Canon 5DMark2 with a 50mm lens. ISO 400 1/30sec f4.5

I usually have the exposure mode on my cameras set to “Manual”.

Likewise when I use my strobes, Speedlites or flash units.

That doesn’t mean I  fight the technology especially when the results are consistent and predictable.

It’s always a good idea to learn how to work the Speedlites on power ratio or manual settings just in case E-TTL or iTTL goes berserk and no matter what you try, it’s unpredictable. Continue reading Creating an on-location 1940 Stylized portrait →

Gear

Field test Photoflex’s OctoDome XS softbox

Portrait of Dr. Pamela Clute, UCR Mathematics professor
Dr. Pamela Clute photographed with the Photoflex OctoDome extra small. There is one silver reflector placed just out of the frame underneath to provide the catchlight in her eyes. A blue gel was fitted over the 600-EX-RT Speedlite aimed at my gray background for a little accent and contrast.

I generally test my gear thoroughly before heading out and using it on jobs.

In the case of a light modifier like a soft box,  I would be wasting invaluable time assembling and disassembling it at every assignment.

So with my Photoflex Octodome extra small, I keep it assembled.

For my portrait session with UC Riverside Mathematics professor Dr. Pamela Clute, as with most of my portraits, I have some an idea of the kind of lighting I want even before I arrive.

Still, it’s a challenge.

On location, unless the spot I’ll be working is one I’m familiar with, I have to plan for the worst case scenario and then be pleasantly surprise if there’s good ambient light to work with.

For that reason, arriving early to set up and having some idea of the light setup I want to use is important.

There’s nothing worse than having to rush.

Details get overlooked and mistakes start creeping in.

Continue reading Field test Photoflex’s OctoDome XS softbox →

Gear

Review OctoDome Extra Small Kit by Photoflex

Image

 

Assembled with grid attached.
Assembled with grid attached.

When you’re a photographer especially one who does portraiture, there’s no such thing as having too many light modifiers.

They are, after all, the  brushes with which you use to paint your subjects.

If you work primarily on location, these light modifiers tend to take a beating from being set up, taken apart and then moved around.

I could have paid a lot less for a softbox for my Speedlite but experience has thought me if it’s a piece of equipment I use often, I’m better off buying one that is well made. Continue reading Review OctoDome Extra Small Kit by Photoflex →