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Considering a Three-Way? Here's What You Need to Know.
Published on 2012-05-24 05:00:00
After Monday's OA post, several people asked via Twitter and comments about the three-way flash brackets. They are super-useful, small, light and cheap. Or not, if you mistakenly buy more capability than you need... Read more » > read more
On Assignment: Reed Quintet
Published on 2012-05-21 07:00:00
I shoot a lot of individual artists for the Howard County Arts Council. But when Bassoonist Eddie Reed (center, above) asked if we could instead shoot his military reed quintet, I jumped at the chance.Really, how often do you get a chance to photograph a reed quintet?One condition: we'd have to do something cool, and with a little attitude… Read more » > read more
SaxonPC Grids: Straddling Store-bought and DIY
Published on 2012-05-17 00:39:00
Like McNally says, if you want to make something more interesting, don't light all of it. And to that end, I use grid spots a lot. In fact, probably just as often as I use umbrellas.My workhorse speedlight grid has long been the HonlPhoto 1/8". But for those looking for a lower entry point (or more extreme beam widths) SaxonPC grids offer a second choice.They are both designed to be used on speedlights, but take very different approaches from there. Today, a head-to-head comparison to help y [..] > read more
Anatomy of a Project: Miller Mobley's Re-enactors
Published on 2012-05-14 10:39:00
When I worked at The Sun, a lot of emphasis was put on always having multiple projects in the hopper. Self-generated projects are the lifeblood of any good paper, and they promote exploration and serendipity.Since I have gone out on my own, I can honestly say projects have the single most important vehicle for developing my photography. I always have at least one on the front burner, with a couple more in the on-deck circle.When my friend Miller Mobley tweeted last week about his series of U.S. [..] > read more
Q&A: C-Stands
Published on 2012-05-10 08:00:00
Several people asked about the C-stand (short for century stand) that I used on the Rosco OA posted on Monday.Long story short, after spending 2 months on the road with McNally and crew last year, I have become a convert. If you have never used a C-stand, and/or are considering getting one, here's what you need to know. Read more » > read more
Always Bring a Model Release
Published on 2012-05-07 08:00:00
I try to be pretty open with this blog. Sometimes I get it right, and sometimes I screw up royally.A recent shoot I did for Rosco is a good example of both. Read more » > read more
Royce Bair's Night-Lit Landscapes
Published on 2012-05-03 08:00:00
There are no AC plugs near Delicate Arch in Grand County, Utah, where Royce Bair made this night landscape shot. So all of his flashes needed to be battery-powered to illuminate the 20-meter tall formation.Two of his light sources were Norman 400B's, weighing in at 6 lbs and from which he needed a total of 48 pops to make the image. But his Big Gun required only two pops to balance with the Normans. That 110,000 lumen light source weighed about a pound, all-in. And it ran off of a 9-volt bat [..] > read more
On Assignment: Trattoria / 360
Published on 2012-04-30 08:00:00
Having eaten at this restaurant often enough to put these guys' kids through college, I recently photographed brothers Gianni (left) and Carlo Morra at one of their three local Italian trattorias. It is a simple picture, but there is much more here than meets the eye.So keeping with last Thursday's talk of photo ecosystems, let's go a little more 360 on this one than just the typical lighting BTS. Read more » > read more
Thinking Out Loud: Creativity
Published on 2012-04-25 23:30:00
As a site that explores photography through the lens of lighting, Strobist is necessarily overweighted in technique. But technique as an end to itself is almost certainly doomed to yield boring, meaningless photos.So today, a short detour to explore the different facets of creativity. Because they are all important, as is recognizing your strengths and weaknesses in each area. Read more » > read more
Shimada Yohei: Close to Home
Published on 2012-04-23 08:00:00
Photos ©Shimada YoheiBy Irwin Wong -- Nara, Japan -based commercial photographer Shimada Yohei’s Workman series involves lit, cinematic portraits of everyday tradesmen at the local level. Today, a look at how he creates the images — and the importance of the self-generated project. Read more » > read more
Control Flare from Sun, Rim Lights with a Shoot-Thru Gobo
Published on 2012-04-19 08:00:00
Just a quickie today on the whys and whens of using a single, small shoot-thru shade to completely control contrast-killing glare when shooting into backlight. Read more » > read more
On Assignment: Night Soprano, Pt. 2
Published on 2012-04-16 08:00:00
Here's the lighting layout from Part 1 of this shoot of mezzo soprano Alexandra Rodrick. The lighting diagram is overlaid on a satellite image of the neighborhood, because the fill light and accent lights are actually two houses away from each other. And one of them is not even outside... Read more » > read more
Okay, So I'm a Little Addicted to This Thing…
Published on 2012-04-13 16:49:00
Who's the creepy bald dude with the soulless eyes staring out at you right now? He's a computer rendering that I lit on the web-based Virtual Lighting Studio. Yeah, he may look a little like a mass murderer. But he's your mass murderer, to light any way you like by playing with knobs and buttons at VLS. On the one hand, I just blew 20 mins playing with this thing. On the other, pretty sure this guy is gonna kill me in my dreams tonight.-30- > read more
On Assignment: Night Soprano, Pt. 1
Published on 2012-04-12 07:25:00
One of my goals over the last year has been to push against the boundaries a little more, both creatively and technically. This portrait of mezzo soprano Alexandra Rodrick is a good example of that, so I thought we'd do a full 360-view with a two-part OA. Today, we'll pre-think the lighting in theory (as before a shoot). In Part 2, we'll walk through the specifics as it was done. Read more » > read more
Ryan Brenizer's Panoramic Portraiture
Published on 2012-04-09 08:00:00
All photos ©Ryan Brenizer. Click on any pic for bigger.New York City-based wedding photographer Ryan Brenizer has so-perfected the art of stitched portraiture that the technique has become associated with his name. You know, kinda like the Heimlich Maneuver.Take this image for example, done quickly on the fly at a wedding with a 35mm lens @f/1.8 and a single small light source. It's a technique that is particularly suited to small-flash photography – and to photographers who like to tote [..] > read more
Hard Light and Soft Glass: The Dirty Diana
Published on 2012-04-05 00:20:00
First, a clarification. That's not Diana above. That's Robin Massie-Jean, a violist I photographed for the Howard County Arts Council. The Diana in this photo is the lens. And really you can't even call it soft glass, because it's, well, plastic. Read more » > read more
Home Depot Homebrew of $643 Profoto Globe Saves You Enough to Buy a Paul Buff Einstein to Put it On
Published on 2012-04-02 20:30:00
For the second time in a week, a Paul Buff mod that is so simple I wonder why I hadn't thought of it earlier. This one is via Houston-based photographer Stephen Hébert.This Home Depot version of the famed Profoto Globe will set you back all of $10. I have seen people hacking these for Profoto lights using SP-systems mounts and/or gaffer's tape. But the fact that they mount right to an AB or Einstein is, like, poetic justice or something.If you are really slick (and handy) you might want to try [..] > read more
The Ambitious April Fool's Joke That Almost Was
Published on 2012-03-31 23:00:00
©David DanielsAs I post this, we are entering into April Fools' 2012 territory. Believe nothing you read on the web today. Personally, I love April Fool's. So much so that I would never post one every single year here on Strobist. Oh, I wanna. But I'd worry that we'd fall into that "it's expected" rut as have Google, NPR and the like. That said, in 2010 I came this close to pulling off a duesy... Read more » > read more
Cold Shoe Your Monoblocs for Better Radio Performance
Published on 2012-03-29 08:00:00
Here's an idea that is so simple I am surprised it did not strike me sooner. It's one of several neat little design improvements in the new Einsteins, but it never occurred to me how cheap and easy it would be to retrofit my old AlienBees. Read more » > read more
A Little Grecco-To-Go for Your Tablet
Published on 2012-03-26 09:00:00
Michael Grecco's Lighting and the Dramatic Portrait has been one of my favorite lighting books since it was released back in late 2006. That was far enough back to where publishers were not yet insisting on all of the e-Rights. So Grecco has done what any smart photographer would do, and has just co-released LatDP as a multi-platform eBook. In fact, just thinking about all of the amazing photo books that were published before e-Anything makes me realize there is a huge i-Library just waiting [..] > read more
The 2012 GPP Shootout Video is In...
Published on 2012-03-25 18:45:00
You've already seen the post mortem and final pics from this year's Gulf Photo Plus shootout. But now the official videotape version of Martin Prihoda and yours truly getting our butts kicked by Mr. Heisler is live, for your entertainment.Oh, and hit the jump for a slideshow of student work from 2012... Read more » > read more
Small, Cheap and Underappreciated: Spill-Kill Reflectors
Published on 2012-03-22 08:00:00
I acquired my first spill-kill reflectors by accident. There were two, included in a set of used Profoto Acutes I bought from a dentist. (One of them is pictured above, at left.)My first thought: These things are useless. Should I throw them away or try to sell them on eBay? But these days, I generally do not stick a studio head into an umbrella without one. Read more » > read more
Non-US Readers: Your New Country-Specific URL for Strobist
Published on 2012-03-22 07:59:00
Canadian reader Eros Peterson tweets: I type in http://www.strobist.com from work, and I get forwarded to http://strobist.blogspot.ca(?) Office firewall blocks says it's an XXX site!Alas, we are still PG-rated here. But you are running into Google's new country-specific redirects, which your company's IT department is misclassifying. (Imagine that.)For foreign readers, here's what's going on -- and an easy workaround if your corporate IT folks are blocking the site. Read more [..] > read more
It's Not a Camera, It's a Visa
Published on 2012-03-18 23:00:00
Of all of the things that I have learned from McNally, I think this is the one has stuck with me the most: Cameras open doors to new experiences and friendships. Or as Joe likes to say, "It's not a camera, it's a visa."A few years ago my camera allowed me to meet two people who would go on to become good friends. Fast forward to last Sunday, when the three of us found ourselves 8,000 miles from home, meeting new people with our cameras all over again. Read more » > read more
Q&A: Lighting Multiple People with Glasses
Published on 2012-03-14 08:00:00
After reading the Lighting 101 post about lighting for glasses, Z9Girl asks:"What if I were photographing an older couple for their 50th wedding anniversary and they both wear glasses? Of course there's always the natural light option, but if it has to be indoors with soft boxes or flash, what to do?" Read more » > read more
Shootout in the Desert, Round Three
Published on 2012-03-10 14:55:00
Some advice is as good as it is self-evident: Don't whittle towards yourself. Don't pee into the wind. Don't enter into a land war in Southeast Asia. And to that I can now add: never, ever enter into a Gulf Photo Plus Shootout against one Mr. Gregory Heisler… Read more » > read more
Today on the Lighting Porn Channel…
Published on 2012-03-08 08:00:00
…photographer Amber Gray shows us how to stop wasting so much time on retouching. All it takes is the right lighting gear. The Broncolor setup will set you back, oh, about twenty gees by the time you are done buying the pack, head and Para reflector. But think of the time you'll save at the retouching station! Read more » > read more
On Assignment: Caleb Vaughn-Jones, Act Two
Published on 2012-03-05 08:00:00
Two years ago I first photographed an outstanding young cellist named Caleb Vaughn-Jones. Caleb is exactly the type of person I partnered up with the Howard County Arts Council to meet, and I was very pleased when he emailed back a few months ago to commission another set of photos.Nothing fosters creativity like collaborating with creative people. He's been doing some amazing work since 2010, and I was excited to get to work with him again. Read more » > read more
Canon 600EX-RT Speedlite and ST-E3-RT Transmitter: Yep, It's Radios
Published on 2012-03-02 06:19:00
Photo © Syl ArenaI'm on the road with spotty 'net (and also a Nikon guy, so there's that). But Syl Arena has been playing around with the just-announced Canon flash and radio transmitter. Here's the five-word version of Syl's review:"Canonistas, hold your heads high."Well, then. Looks like Canon has uncorked a very sophisticated and robust flash system for discerning photographers who like their photos well-lit, if not quite in focus. (Kidding! Mostly!)Check out Syl's evolving coverage of the n [..] > read more
Leap Day Giveth, Delta Taketh Way
Published on 2012-02-29 10:24:00
I had hoped to be landing in Dubai for GPP 2012 right about now, but our mechanically challenged plane yesterday objected. Rather theatrically, I might add.So instead, I'm encamped next to the airport in Atlanta at a hotel sufficiently downmarket to have free wifi. So that's something good, I suppose. To that end, my homage to Andrew Hetherington's ongoing Room With a View series. But cool as those photos are, he never tells you the lighting details. So we can at least accomplish tha [..] > read more
How to Avoid Dealing With the Police When Shooting in Public
Published on 2012-02-27 00:30:00
Are you a photographer in the US? Congratulations. In the eyes of some of your more dimwitted fellow citizens, you are now potentially a member of al Qaida.Thanks to ridiculous government posters like the one above, people are now conditioned to be suspicious of photographers. And photographers using flashes on location are all the more noticeable to people who are predisposed to phone in anything out of the ordinary, just in case.Don't think so? True story: I actually had an interaction wi [..] > read more
Michael Grecco for Psychology Today
Published on 2012-02-23 08:00:00
Here's a cool, ~1-minute time-lapse that offers some neat ideas. Grecco uses an undersized set and some oversized creativity to create a conceptual cover photo for Phychology Today.It's quick, and some details are easy to miss if you don't hit pause. (Watch it full-screen on 1080p for best effect.) But the lighting is one out-of-frame boomed box on the background, a top-of-frame box for key and a ring for fill.Note that after the model is done, he shoots the grass and flowers separately for an e [..] > read more
PocketWizard Plus III's: More Trigger, Less Cash
Published on 2012-02-19 23:01:00
(Click pics for bigger versions.)A couple of years back, as PocketWizard were rolling out increasingly complex remotes featuring wireless TTL and HyperSync and everything else, I sent an e-mail to one of their engineers. Basically, it said that if you want photographers to love you long time, release a stripped-down "cadet" model that is as reliable as a Plus II, but at a lower price. Because in the end, what we want is rock-solid triggering and non-obsolescence -- at a lower entry point (amirit [..] > read more
Richard Avedon: Darkness and Light
Published on 2012-02-16 09:00:00
From the American Masters Series, this outstanding documentary on Richard Avedon was originally aired in 1995. It's an intimate, hour-and-a-half long journey into the mind of one of the most important photographers of the 20th century, and it's brilliant. Read more » > read more
B2B: One Big Top Light
Published on 2012-02-13 08:00:00
We're back to basics today -- looking at working with a single, large source and how to tweak it. Five years ago, I mostly thought of large sources in a "45-degrees-up-and-over" kind of way. Safe? Yes. But now, that kind of stuff all looks the same to me. So I almost never use them that way. Read more » > read more
How the Other Half Lives: George Holz' Beyoncé for Spin
Published on 2012-02-08 23:00:00
Photo © George HolzYou know how people on the Strobist Flickr group like to talk about how it is technically possible to shoot blow-away white with just one flash?Yeah, this is not exactly that.Hit the jump for a walk-thru vid for the (ahem, eight-light) shoot, including a key light combo that you're prolly gonna want to rent rather than buy next time you are assigned to shoot Beyoncé. Read more » > read more
Lighting Inside the Box
Published on 2012-02-06 08:30:00
After 15 years of long-term planning (and saving) Susan and I finally took the plunge with a full kitchen remodel. We were really pleased with the results, and at some point I had promised the contractor a nice photo of the final product.In a room like this you are basically illuminating the inside of a box by using hidden lights, which turned out to be an interesting exercise. And it's something I would recommend for just about any photographer. Read more » > read more
Core Knowledge: Working With Remotes
Published on 2012-02-02 08:00:00
There are two things you should always remember about radio remotes:One, radio can be fickle. This is true whether you are using your time-honored PocketWizards or a brand new Chinese offering.Two, radio waves -- and success with your remotes -- are all about the physics. So a little knowledge can go a long way toward ensuring good range and reliability. Some basics that every lighting photographer should know, inside. Read more » > read more
Tyler Stableford: Dispatches From the Underground
Published on 2012-01-30 08:00:00
Aspen, Colorado-based photographer Tyler Stableford generally shoots action and adventure, most of it aboveground. But this shoot for Timberland PRO would send him a half-mile deep into the earth. That far down, before adding light it is absolutely pitch black. As in, you cannot see your hand in front of your face. And the lights the miners use while extracting coal there aren't much friendlier -- low-level, and a mix of tungsten and fluorescents. So Stableford shot the entire campaign worki [..] > read more
Q&A: Dealing with Glare from Dark Wood Backgrounds
Published on 2012-01-26 08:00:00
Reader Jefferson, from California in the US, asked via Twitter:"How do you deal with glare on dark wood in background for portraits? Is this covered in Lighting 101 or 102?"Actually, it is covered in L102, if a little obliquely. And yes, pretty much any time you light into dark wood as a background you are gonna get some blowback.But rather than look at this as a problem, I prefer to think of it as a feature… Read more » > read more
Ono Shouichi: The Spirit of a Century
Published on 2012-01-23 00:30:00
Photos © Ono ShouichiBy Irwin Wong -- Multi-light setups, gear reviews and lighting tricks are all worthwhile food for thought. But when people are looking back at your life’s work, will you be remembered for your lighting or for what you tried to tell the world with your camera? In a long-spanning portrait series, Tokyo-based editorial photographer Ono Shouichi has (to date) photographed two hundred Japanese centenarians. The lighting, while there, is subordinate to the message. As it should [..] > read more
QA: Down the Phase One Rabbit Hole
Published on 2012-01-19 12:10:00
There were a few misconceptions (and a LOT of questions) that popped up in the comments after I wrote about ditching the D4 for a used Phase One camera and back. Videos, answers to Q's and some specific things that convinced me to make the jump, inside. Read more » > read more
Kodak Files for Bankruptcy
Published on 2012-01-19 09:27:00
On the day when just about every photographer over 30 pauses to consider Kodak's filing for bankruptcy, a poignant video. The once-dominant company obviously knew it was already in trouble at this point, but still came out swinging in a refreshing appeal to the future.Considering this was made in 2006 (and how quickly things have happened since) the video was pretty darn prescient. In the end, all of these things did happen. Just without the need for Kodak.-30- > read more
On Assignment: Inside the Soft Box
Published on 2011-07-03 23:00:00
Shooting locavore and farm-to-table photos for a HoCo project took me to nearby Triadelphia Lake View Farm, where I photographed raised lettuce beds. They literally grow the lettuce in terraced roof gutters on tables, which extends the growing season > read more
Gear Basics: Choosing and Using Soft Light Modifiers
Published on 2011-06-29 07:00:00
With the gazillion or so soft light mods out there, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the choices available. And while I have probably shot with more of them that I would care to admit, there are four soft mods that I go back to again and again.As it h > read more
BC3 Assignment #1: Profile
Published on 2011-06-27 07:19:00
Welcome to the first assignment of Boot Camp 3. While this is of course a lighting boot camp, the light itself will be secondary to the photos. And the photos will be secondary to the purpose.The purpose for BC3 will be to force you out into you comm > read more
Brad Trent for Barron's
Published on 2011-06-23 11:00:00
Brad Trent shot the mid-year Barron's roundtable issue, this time with a global investing theme. He shot the montage separately, using segmented backgrounds from … Ikea? It gets the full On Assignment treatment, with lighting setups, etc. on his bl > read more
Finn O'Hara: Wayne Gretzky's First Skates
Published on 2011-06-22 08:00:00
Toronto-based photographer Finn O'Hara was assigned to shoot The Great One's first skates for ESPN The Magazine, and his take included this shot on pure white.O'Hara used light rather than a Photoshop cutout to get the pure white background in-camera > read more
BC3: Introduction
Published on 2011-06-20 11:37:26
Welcome to Boot Camp III. It has been two years since the last boot camp, so I thought a little background and intro was in order before the first assignment drops next week.If you are thinking of participating (and I encourage you to do so) keep rea > read more
Air Profoto
Published on 2011-06-17 10:57:00
©Claes AxstålNo, not Profoto's proprietary Air-sync remote system. But rather photographer Claes Axstål's using twin 7b's with Magnum reflectors to shoot air-to-air photos of planes in flight. Just a little 2400 watt-second Friday fun, courtesy Ro > read more
A Flash in the Pan: Bare-Bulb DIY Beauty Dish
Published on 2011-06-16 07:30:00
From the south of India comes a new take on the DIY speedlight beauty dish, courtesy Strobist reader Sinu Kumar. Unlike studio flashes, most speedlights have a tiny, captive flash tube with a reflector already built into the housing. And if you want > read more
On Assignment: Mathieu Young, Moonlighting in Cambodia
Published on 2011-06-13 07:30:00
When I first saw Mathieu Young's photos of rechargeable Moonlights from Cambodia, I admired both the photos and the lighting. And then I thought, how exactly does a commercial/advertising photographer from L.A. end up in a fishing village with no ele > read more
Robert Caplin's Light Fare
Published on 2011-06-09 08:00:00
So this is turning out to be a foodie-themed week. What a great idea, above, from NYC-based photog Robert Caplin. I am so stealing this, like, right now.I'm eating my way through Howard County, shooting as I go (somebody's gotta do it) and it doesn't > read more
On Assignment: Hi-Def Asparagus
Published on 2011-06-05 23:10:00
If you ever get to Barcelona, you owe it to yourself to go to the Picasso Museum. I never really understood the guy's work until I visited there in 1996. I wish every major artist had a museum like Pablo's.As a photographer, it resonated with me beca > read more
Wanted: EU and Asia Correspondents
Published on 2011-06-05 22:59:00
Strobist's readership is worldwide. But its coverage is … too Americentric. That's going to change.Strobist.com is looking for two enterprising correspondents, one each in Europe and Asia, to find and profile/BTS photographers doing kickass light. > read more
Today's Lunch Special: Refired Beams*
Published on 2011-06-02 11:00:00
Just a little out of the box thinking for your Thursday lunch break.Hollywood-based photographer David Myrick [website|twitter] had a pretty cool idea when shooting stills for the electronic group, The Glitch Mob: Strobe them on white, then dress the > read more
Rethinking the Freelance Model
Published on 2011-06-01 13:33:00
I'm guest posting on over on Scott Kelby's blog today, about evolving the traditional freelance model into one that is more proactive and entrepreneurial. For those of you interested in that sort of thing, it is here.-30-__________ New! Watch the > read more
Lighting in Layers Update: Wider Availability, Download Version and a Trailer
Published on 2011-05-31 07:59:00
First, thanks for the kind words from many of you who already have purchased Lighting in Layers. We worked very hard on the project; the notes, comments and reviews are much appreciated. A trailer has now been posted to give people a better idea of w > read more
Announcing: BC3:2L
Published on 2011-05-31 07:58:00
It's been a while since our last lighting Boot Camp, so what the hell. Let's dust off the speedlights and give them a little workout.As with previous bootcamps, there will be assignments, reviews, people complaining that they can't figure out how to > read more
Sidewalk Art
Published on 2011-05-26 08:00:00
Food for thought: Next time you clamp up a few speedlights on a public street, it could lead you all the way to the state Supreme Court. Got your attention? Keep reading...__________Earlier this week, my friend JoeyL tweeted about NYC photographer Ph > read more
Lighting 101 Update: Evolving Umbrellas
Published on 2011-05-23 08:00:00
One long-overdue item on my To-Do list has been to add more current info to some of the Lighting 101 posts that have become a little dated.High on that list was the post on umbrellas. My thinking on the cheap, portable light sources has changed drast > read more
Two Speedlight Grid Spot Systems: Flashpoint and Rogue
Published on 2011-05-19 08:00:00
If you need to create a tight beam of light, it's as easy as wrapping a little cardboard around your flash head. Bam -- instant cheapo snoot, to go.But what you'll find with a snoot is that the edges of the beam can be a little abrupt. If you want a > read more
Q&A: Thomas Hunter
Published on 2011-05-15 23:00:00
Lotsa good questions popped up in the comments section of last week's On Assignment: Thomas Hunter post. Fair enough. Hit the jump for the A's to your Q's__________Q: The kicker on his face - is that coming from the 'photoshopped' light, or the one a > read more
If Ikea Made a Ring Flash
Published on 2011-05-11 08:56:00
Is there a hole in your life that only a light with a hole in it can fill?Are you pining for a ring flash but have neither the money for an Orbis nor the DIY skills to roll your own?You may be in luck. The folks over at DIY Photography have just come > read more
On Assignment: Concert Pianist
Published on 2011-05-09 00:21:00
Shooting in big, dimly lit rooms used to scare the heck out of me. I'd bring out all of my big flashes -- and borrow whatever others I could get my hands on. But still, I never seemed to have enough light to do what I wanted.What I didn't know then w > read more
Brad Trent's Ocean Master Session, Pt. 2
Published on 2011-05-03 23:29:00
ED. NOTE: This is the final in a series of guest posts, which were so helpful during a very hectic spring. Many thanks to Miller Mobley, Finn O'Hara, John Keatley, Chris Crisman and Brad Trent for the assist. -DH__________When last we left Brad (in P > read more
What China Doesn't Understand
Published on 2011-04-28 00:50:00
Earlier this week, Chinese manufacturer YongNuo announced a new flash: the YN-565EX.It's got full manual mode, a built-in slave, a PC jack, a modeling light -- and is compatible with both Nikon and Canon's proprietary light-based TTL triggering syste > read more
Guest Post: Brad Trent's Ocean Master Session
Published on 2011-04-25 20:15:00
I'm back in Maryland, decompressing from a 12,531-mile road trip and getting my next few shoots lined up. Fortunately (and to give me a few days to get back into the swing of things) we have one more guest blogger: Brad Trent, who is pictured at left > read more
Threadless T-Shirts BTS
Published on 2011-04-21 12:18:00
Grover over at Photoshelter did a cool behind-the-scenes look into the one-man photo department at Threadless Tees, AKA Strobist reader Sean Dorgan.Sean is self-taught and does all of the cool, better-than-they-have-to-be T-shirt shots for the site. > read more
Chris Crisman on Self-Investment, Reinvention and Reductive Lighting
Published on 2011-04-17 23:00:00
It's Monday, and that means another guest post while I'm out on the road. This week's entry is from Philly-based photog Chris Crisman, whom I finally got to meet a few days ago during our stop there.Kinda psyched, as Chris is writing not only about g > read more
Detailed DIY Ring Flash Tutorial
Published on 2011-04-13 23:00:00
If you are one of those people with more hours than dollars (we've all been there) you are gonna like this DIY ring flash video courtesy Roy at Motley Pixel. It's a variant of the design I first saw done by David Tejada. But the video (two, actually) > read more
Winters on APE
Published on 2011-04-13 11:31:00
If you are a fan of Dan Winters (big fan here) make sure to check out Rob's interview with him on A Photo Editor. In Part 1, they cover Dan's early career as a newspaper shooter and a fateful trip to the very first Eddie Adams Workshop. Very much wor > read more
John Keatley's "Best in Show" Christmas Card
Published on 2011-04-10 23:00:00
Ed. note: Today's guest post is from Seattle-based photographer John Keatley, who will shortly suggest you give yourself permission to blow $50 building your own set...__________I know by now many of you are missing David while he’s off driving aro > read more
How To: DIY eBay Beauty Dish Speedlight Mount
Published on 2011-04-06 23:00:00
As noted last week, the 16" eBay beauty dish kit I got has seen much more time on a speedlight than on a big flash. It is small, and thus ideally suited to lighting from in close -- especially when using the included grid spots.Today, how to securely > read more
Flash The Bus
Published on 2011-04-04 13:01:00
So we find out a few days before the TFB_Austin stop that we might actually be able to park the bus inside the venue if we were interested.(Um, heck yeah, we're interested…)Within about 5 seconds, it was decided that McNally would light and shoot i > read more
GPP Shootout, Part Deux
Published on 2011-03-31 08:52:00
We interrupt today's regular programming, as the 2011 Gulf Photo Plus Shootout video featuring Zack Arias, JoeyL and Photographic Zenmaster Gregory Heisler (not shown) has just dropped into Vimeo.Confession time: Working in front of 300+ people? Been > read more
What to Expect When You're Expecting... an eBay Beauty Dish
Published on 2011-03-30 23:00:00
I'm a mod slut.Which is not to say that I am both promiscuous and a snazzy dresser, because I am neither. But rather, I am a sucker for new and different light modifiers. Lots of 'em. Just like Imelda Marcos and shoes. And especially when they are ch > read more
On Assignment: Mixing Light with Finn O'Hara
Published on 2011-03-27 23:00:00
Ed. note: I'm living on a bus for a bit. Please welcome today's guest poster, Finn O'Hara.__________Good afternoon Strobistors. My name is Finn O'Hara, and I'll be your guest blogging pilot for the day. I'm thrilled that David asked me to guest blog > read more
Not Your Average Joe
Published on 2011-03-25 23:00:00
Quick note from the road, where the Flash Bus crew is working our way east after coming down the west coast. Q: What's the coolest (among many) thing about touring the US for 13k miles in this 55-foot rolling dutch oven?A: Getting to watch McNally ex > read more
OT: Manage Your Funnels
Published on 2011-03-23 23:00:00
Editor's note: We are stepping outside of the box today.As photographers, we are more likely to be hired as creatives than to hire a creative. But recently I was involved in choosing a print designer, a video production house and an illustrator.Seein > read more
On Assignment: Miller Mobley's Birmingham Chaplain
Published on 2011-03-20 23:00:00
Ed. Note: Today's guest post is the second of two, from NYC-based photographer Miller Mobley.__________Back in December I was commissioned by a local magazine in Birmingham to do a series of portraits on hospital Chaplains. To be honest, I had not be > read more
Cut One Light Off, Three More Grow Back
Published on 2011-03-16 23:00:00
Macro shooters take note: For not a lot of money and a little DIY work, you might not have to buy a second flash to do some cool, multi-light photos.Marcell Nikolausz, of Leipzig, Germany has been experimenting with fiber optics and the same Loc-line > read more
Unavailable Light in San Jose
Published on 2011-03-16 18:34:00
Since starting in Seattle, we have now worked our way down the entire west coast of the US and are in San Diego enjoying our first day off.Me: "Sure is a beautiful day today."Anyone from San Diego: "Yeah, um, it's beautiful here *every* day…"Had an > read more
Miller Mobley on Making Work for Your Portfolio
Published on 2011-03-13 23:00:00
Editor's note: Please welcome New York-based photographer Miller Mobley as our guest poster today. Miller specializes in advertising, editorial and portrait photography.__________I'm from a small town in Alabama known for it's college and more import > read more
Nikon's D7000 Sync Dial Goes To Eleven
Published on 2011-03-10 23:01:00
I'm just getting familiar a new Nikon D7000, which we are using to get some video on the Flash Bus tour. The camera gives some good files -- both stills and 1080HD video. Just out of curiosity, I taped over the back two contacts tonight to see if I c > read more
Lighting in Layers is Here
Published on 2011-03-10 23:00:00
If you pre-ordered your copy of Lighting in Layers (first of all, thank you!) they are in stock and shipping. They are also available for purchase now at Midwest and Adorama.You can find out more about the 6-DVD lighting set here.-30- > read more
Smack Talk and Pelican Cases in Dubai
Published on 2011-03-09 08:25:00
Oh, look, it's Zack Arias and Polaroid Boy JoeyL talkin' smack ahead of this year's Gulf Photo Plus Shootout in Dubai. This is the kind of thing done for the local market (make it Suntori Time...) but naturally, I thought we should run it here, too.I > read more
Q&A: Bleeding Power from Big Lights with Big Mods
Published on 2011-03-06 23:00:00
Manila-based Diego Lorenzo Jose asks:Could you share how you use the ND gel sheets on your big lights? I'm wondering how I could maybe use them on my monolights with big modifiers like a giant octa or softbox.The good news is that's actually pretty e > read more
BOLO Alert: The Flash Bus Has Escaped
Published on 2011-03-04 23:00:00
SATURDAY, MARCH 5 -- BE ON THE LOOKOUT: The Flash Bus has just departed from a secret location en route to Seattle, Washington. __________If you happen to glance over your shoulder and see a billboard on wheels featuring two grotesquely distorted, mi > read more
Field Trip: Mumbai, India with Martin Prihoda
Published on 2011-03-02 23:00:00
It's not often we get to point to something really cool in such a complete and illuminating way.Not so long ago, photographer Martin Prihoda left the relative safety of a comfortable life in Vancouver (seriously, who leaves Vancouver?) to transplant > read more
Plain and Simple Light: Athar
Published on 2011-02-27 19:40:00
Athar Khan is sort of a local legend in Howard County, MD. Many people know him as "the Columbia Bike Guy." He is always out on the roads, biking. He sometimes wears wild hats, or dresses unusually, etc. Lots of people honk and wave, but few people r > read more
Compared to These, Rosco Gels Taste Like Crap
Published on 2011-02-24 23:00:00
Outdoor photographer John B. Crane was hiking in the Colorado back country when he found himself in need of a green gel for funky-lit shot of an ice cave.None of the official variety was on hand. But they were not short on imagination -- or tasty sna > read more
Oh Look. Yuri is Doing a Studio Conversion, Too
Published on 2011-02-22 23:00:00
Wow! I'm building a studio, King of Microstock Yuri Arcurs is building a studio -- it's like we have this parallel mind thing going on. It's like we are doing the exact same thing at the exact same time.But just between you and me, I think my $130 pr > read more
I Want to Love You Madly
Published on 2011-02-21 21:36:00
Okay, so photographer Nick Fancher might be onto something here with this "Mad Men" themed engagement shoot. I can totally see this kind of thing making the rounds. And besides, it's only the engagement photo. Even if Mad Men jumps the shark (if it h > read more
Light Remodeling, Pt. 2
Published on 2011-02-20 23:00:00
NOTE: This is the second post in what will now probably be an ongoing series on making my garage useable as a studio.Here is the first lesson I have learned: $200 will not get you very far when prepping a garage to be a convertible studio. But it's p > read more
Found: $30 LED Modeling Light for Your AlienBees
Published on 2011-02-17 00:53:00
When the Elinchrom Ranger Quadras came out a couple of years ago, one of their groundbreaking features was the inclusion of a low-drain, LED modeling lamp. Pure genius. Especially since traditional modeling lights usually drain your batts faster than > read more
Flash Bus Update and Schwag Bag Extravaganza
Published on 2011-02-17 00:29:15
First, the bad news. If you live in Seattle, Portland, Chicago, NYC, DC, Boston, San Francisco or Buffalo -- those Flash Bus cities are now sold out. In fact, the whole tour is over 3/4 sold out. So if you are looking to grab a seat at a remaining ci > read more
Light Remodeling, Pt. 1
Published on 2011-02-13 22:30:00
When we moved into our house nearly two years ago, it came with something I had never had before -- a garage.In theory, two cars are supposed to go in there. In practice, ours has remained an junk pile staging area since the move-in. We generally hav > read more
Please Pardon the Craziness
Published on 2011-02-13 22:00:00
If things look a little different around the blog lately, that's only because they are. The last few months have been probably the busiest I have even been -- it's just that not all of those efforts have been pointed directly at Strobist. __________B > read more
A Master Class in Multi-Faceted Project Design
Published on 2011-02-09 17:41:00
Too good not to repost: A 45-minute talk by Andrew Zuckerman, perhaps the best conjurer of photographic projects in the business today. A few BTS lighting tidbits to be gleaned, but that is not the point. I just love getting a peek into this guy's mi > read more
Must Be Some Kinda…
Published on 2011-02-06 23:00:00
Turns out I had a photo from a Wednesday night shoot pop up in Flickr Explore. And who was right next to me (at the time I checked, at least) but Strobist reader Matthew Coughlin, with this trippy homage to one of my favorite recent sophomoric movies > read more
Stealing Your Flash
Published on 2011-02-03 15:10:00
Not as in, "Hey, we are both on the same PW channel" type of stealing your flashes. Today, we are talking about someone actually walking away with your frickin' gear after you have placed a remote flash somewhere, well, remote.'Tis the season, after > read more
The Flash Bus & DVDs are Now Live
Published on 2011-01-31 08:00:00
Thanks so much for your patience over the last few days. As you can imagine, it has been quite the madhouse around here lately. Fun fact: I was scheduled to turn 46 years old yesterday, but that has been postposed until next week. No time. (Plus, I j > read more
Introducing: Strobist Lighting in Layers (DVD Boxed Set)
Published on 2011-01-29 06:20:00
This is the second of two big announcements this week. The first is here. In May of 2008, this site introduced its first commercial offering, the Strobist Lighting Seminar on DVD. It was a start-from-zero tutorial, complete with a newb discussion, a > read more
Road Trip.
Published on 2011-01-25 07:32:00
NOTE: This is one of two big announcements coming within a few days' span on Strobist. (Number two will follow shortly.)I don't really know how to set this up rather than just to come right out and say it: Dude, I'm going on a 13,000+ mile teaching > read more
Watch this Space
Published on 2011-01-24 08:14:00
Big news coming tomorrow.-30-__________ > read more
Rosco CalColor: The "Whatever You Want it to Be" Gels
Published on 2011-01-20 14:01:00
At this point, most of us are probably pretty familiar with the gel fixes for fluorescent and tungsten ambient light situations. And for the trickier sources, you can check Rosco's free FIlter Facts booklet to learn what filter combinations can be us > read more
On Assignment: Inside the Black Box
Published on 2011-01-17 07:50:00
Normally, a "black box" is a metaphor for the part of a process during which you cannot see what is going on. Much like the "show your work" section in my math tests in high school.But any long-term reader of this site will know that we do not take k > read more
NiZn Batteries: Long-Term Update
Published on 2011-01-13 09:54:00
Remember those nickel-zinc batteries-on-steroids that came out a few months ago? Long-term usage reports are starting to come in. The short version: When you send your SB-800 in to get its fried PC board(s) replaced, you might not wanna mention your > read more
Mini-Rant: Screw the Critics
Published on 2011-01-09 23:00:00
It's a new year, and I have been thinking a lot about this. There was even a long, rambling rant all written up, but I just spiked it. I'll save you the reading time by condensing it down to this:__________Don't try to please everyone. The more worri > read more
New Chinese Remote Claims 500m Range, Immunity From Copyright
Published on 2011-01-07 09:12:00
Need to place that speedlight five football fields away? No problem. Or, at least no problem 90% of the time, according to the specs on the "iShoot Sniper" remote transceiver from the Chinese company McLovin' Photoloving.Highlights include...• 500m > read more
Hack Your Grid II
Published on 2011-01-05 23:00:00
Here is a quick-but-cool little hack inspired by the permanent way I altered my Honl grids a little earlier.Using a piece of elastic and two hooks (tiny bungee cord, hair band and two paper clips, etc.) you can mount any grid to any smaller sized fla > read more
So, I Got Published in TechCrunch Today…
Published on 2011-01-05 16:42:00
UPDATE: I answered some of the folks who found multiple other publications of this photo via a Tineye search below, in the comments. #WelcomeToMyLife__________I was trolling my RSS reader today during a break and saw a post containing one of my photo > read more
On Assignment: Stephanie Yezek
Published on 2011-01-02 22:45:00
My ongoing partnership with the Howard County Arts Council has yielded a steady stream of talented, interesting people to stick in front of my camera. And dancer Stephanie Yezek, above, is a great example. She can pretty much disobey the laws of grav > read more
New Year, New Bookshelf
Published on 2011-01-02 22:29:00
Three brand new additions to the recommended reading list include a book of DIY photo projects, a must-read for anyone selling their home and a long-awaited 500+ page manual aimed at Canon Speedlite users. :: Strobist Bookshelf ::-30-__________ > read more