The Prince of Light

Flash On-Location… Whats the big deal?

In the wild-wild world of photography, going from studio to outdoors sometimes is considered a downgrade. Why, limited options: subtractive-lighting, evening shooting, reliance on heavy grip gear, reliance on assistants…the works! Its crazy what untrained photographer think. For example, I consider one of the best commercial photographers today Frank Doorhof. From what I’ve seen, nearly...

Innovatronix Tronix Explorer Mini: Power to Go

THE INNOVATRONIX TRONIX EXPLORER MINI: Power to Go! As a professional photographer (if you stay long enough) you find yourself one day having amassed hundreds of lbs of gear over time. Then you find yourself dreading going out and doing the thing you love to do the most! You realize that it’s not creating the image that’s gotten too you, but, it’s the things you do that lead up to that one click...

Great Models Need Great Light!

Mobile Blogging… don’t you love it? Here’s a brief quick-start lesson. Take your model outside on the hottest – brightest day you can… Put the sun behind her/him…. Put a diffuser between the sun and the model… Place about 160 watts worth of flash in an umbrella or softbox outfront…boom! Instant “POTATES: Of Lighting Greatness!” (NOTE: If...

Shooting For Money Means Your Better… Or Does It?

Someone today said something special to me. “…I don’t want to make money, I just want to shoot really good.” I love that statement? Photographers? How many of you have said that? I once did. Problem is… my thinking evolved after 6 consecutively great shoots! What had happened too me? I got a little good. Or at least I had found my comfort zone. I could shoot any kid!...

My Little Girls, a Large Light and a little time!

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CLICKED THE SHUTTER BECAUSE YOU REALLY WANTED TOO AND DIDNT HAVE TO? A few Sundays ago I spent a moment (about 10 of them to be exact shooting my little darlings. My daughters. I saw that after church they looked exceptionally pretty. I couldn’t resist… what father with the know how could? Told both my little girls to sit on the couch on there knees and bend there...

Is Constant Lighting Valuable?

I’ve spent some quality time blogging, posting, and showing why I like constant light. Am I over it yet? Hell no! It has VERY useful applications. As long as you fully understand its limitations! For example… if your trying to capture fast moving children, pets, a snake in the middle of a lunging bite, a hummingbird… forget about it! Its light isnt delivered in the flashing instant...

“Power Image” Pt.I

Mr. Hollywood As a photographer one of the things I look for in my subjects is there strongest feature and I try to turn the volume up on that as far as I possibly can. In my eyes, that method seems to make any of my subjects flaws (or in some cases inabilities seem low priority). Its the way an artist spends time highlighting a particular area of a painting. I do this with either: lighting, posing,...

Mobile Blogging… Get with it PHOTOGRAPHERS!

Photographers… use mobile blogging to show cool stuff on the road! - – - - For example…. “Junegloom” – Blessing or Curse? Blessing! If your skilled enough to see the dynamic range! Crow shots anyone?

TO PHOTOGRAPHERS: Creative Sessions Keep You Sharp!

Here I photographed Leeia Monroe, at Linco Studio with the help of world class makeup artist Eva Smith on a simple “loose” creative shoot just too keep the rust off. Here I walked through my thought process on simple beauty lighting as well as shooting with several lighting setups using fluorescent light. It was fun and the images we came away with were cool. Check out the short video we...

FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS: A Video Visual on Gridding Light

How do I contain light spill in my small studio? One small simple tool does it… its not the only one… but the one made specifically for this challenge!