I first met Bob and Dawn Davis at Photo Plus Expo in New York when I was asked to look at an album they shot for Oprah. They were hired to document Oprah’s recognition of African-American Women Who Changed the World. The event took place at Oprah’s estate outside Chicago.  The images were incredible and the way they told the story of the day in the album was even more impressive.  Over the years the friendship just naturally grew. We’d see each other at various conventions, were involved in some of the same charity events and then Bob joined us last summer, teaching at Skip’s Summer School. 

Okay, so admit it, it was the “WTF” that got you reading this morning, so I’m turning this over to Bob…

The goal: Shoot a twilight portrait in a snowstorm using Speedlights.

The challenge: Photograph Kelly during a winter storm with blistering wind chills and huge snowflakes falling at the rate of one inch per hour.  Who’s crazy enough to do this?  I knew the storm was coming, the weatherman was right this time, called my buddy Ed Weiland, he’s always up for my crazy ideas, we loaded up our gear and headed out into the tundra. 

The Gear: Camera: EOS 1D Mark IV

Lenses: 16 – 35 F/2.8 L & 70 – 200 F/2.8 II L

Lighting: 3 Canon 580 EXII Speedlights & STE2 Wireless Speedlight Transmitter in combination with Radiopopper transmitter & receivers.  Calumet 9′ Light Stands, large Rogue FlashBender & Rogue Diffusion Panel and Westcott Apollo Strip & Orb along with a few plastic bags to keep the Speedlights and Radiopoppers protected from the elements.

The Settings: Manual mode on camera, ETTL mode and forced manual mode on the Speedlights,

ISO ranged from 200 to 1600 as the night grew darker, Aperture f/4, shutter speed varied from 1/160^th to 1/8^th, slowing as the night grew darker to allow for some ambient light.

Note for Canon users: I have found a way to combine ETTL mode and Manual flash mode.  With the Speedlight in slave mode, hold the mode button on the rear of any Canon Speedlight for a good long second, say to yourself “one thousand and one thousand and two”!  Magically the flash drops out of ETTL mode and into Manual mode.  The Speedlight is still dedicated to you, can’t control it from camera, you have to manually dial in the power you want.  I usually start around ¼ power and go from there. 

Remember! Shutter Speed = ambient light     Aperture = flash output

Kelly, our adventurous model, was brave enough to go along with this craziness and keep smiling during the shoot all while the wind chill dipped below zero.  In-between shots she would run to the car to warm up.  It was so cold the rear command dial on Ed’s Mark IV froze from him breathing on it.  I learned a long time during my photojournalism days to hold your breath when your eye is to the viewfinder in extreme cold.  Once while covering a fire I fogged the viewfinder and it frosted over with ice and froze the controls on back of my camera, boy that camera was cold!  I tucked it inside my coat next to my body to thaw it out.

I always say to myself, slow down, breathe and think!  This always helps me during a tough shooting situation.  If I were to use on camera or direct flash (on axis) the light would reflect off of the white snowflakes preventing a clean shot.  This is known as the angel of reflectance.  Getting the flash off camera will sidelight the snowflakes allowing for a clean view of Kelly. 

Using one off camera flash either camera right or left would make a nice portrait, always be careful where that shadow falls, you don’t a long unflattering shadow across your subject’s face.  Good lighting will have the shadow fall right into the crease where the nose meets the cheek.  I chose to use two Speedlights.  One as a back light to separate Kelly from the background and highlight the snow, creating depth and one off camera right, (see lighting diagram). 

Since we were shooting in an open field and the wind was blowing I choose to use small light modifiers.  I didn’t want my Speedlights sailing away like Auntie Em’s house in the Wizard of Oz.  Toto we’re not in Kansas anymore, this feels like the Arctic.  The Light modifiers on this shot were the Rogue FlashBender large as a snoot for the back light and the RogueFlash Bender large with the new Rogue Diffusion Panel for the main light. 

I always like to say the right tool for the right job; in this situation anything bigger would need a team of circus carneys to keep them grounded.  I was totally impressed with the quality of light from the Rogue Diffusion Panel.

In this first image you can see how direct flash, with a back light, lights the snowflakes, very distracting.  The direct flash is on axis with the lens causing the light to reflect off the snowflakes.

Settings: ISO 1250 f/4 @ 1/30^th sec, lens @200mm, main light in ETTL mode, rim light in forced manual 1/16^th power.

Off camera flash, camera right, using large Rogue FlashBender and Diffusion Panel.Settings: ISO 200 f/4 @1/80^th sec, lens @75mm, main in ETTL mode.

There are only a handful of photographers in our industry who really understand how to use light and today Matthew is taking us outside. In just eight minutes, if you really pay attention, you’ll pick up more information than in many of the platform programs you’ve attended at the various conventions! It’s not that there’s anything wrong with live workshops, in fact, I’m a huge fan, but it’s not the same as you being able to just watch, listen and learn in the privacy of your home, studio or office right now.

This video is from the full length DVD, Inspiring Beauty. If you think there’s a lot of great content here, now picture what’s on the 2.5 hour feature. Nobody does it better than Matthew.

Okay gang, there’s a theme here this week. This is about expanding your skill set and fine-tuning your craft and I don’t own stock in Software Cinema or Photoshop Cafe.  There is absolutely no bounce back to me if you make any purchases. I just love what they’re doing and the educational resource they’re building for photographers! 

Software Cinema and Photoshop Cafe have worked hard to give all my readers a special discount code. Enter “nov20″ for 20% off  on all your purchases on both the Software Cinema and PhotoshopCAFE web sites.

“Sklooty” is one of the best instructors in the country.  There’s a reason why he’s a Canon Explorer of Light and a regular instructor in the Canon booth at so many different conventions.  It’s one thing to understand lighting, but another to be able to help photographers understand the importance of being able to visualize each step in creating outstanding images.

And if you’re looking for more great “how to” videos on virtually every aspect of professional photography, check out the rest of Software-Cinema’s lineup!

Here’s the background behind the photograph. Nick wanted to make the equipment look the way articles of antiquity show up at a museum. He wanted to instill a little mystery along with value and intrigue. The image he created says it all and remember, this is all before Photoshop.  This was done in the studio and on film.

There’s a reason why so many of us consider Nick one of the finest commercial photographers in the country. There’s nobody who knows photography better.  In order to create this image he had to understand every aspect of lighting, composition and exposure. Last on the list was his ability to interpret a concept and take his idea and turn it into reality.

But the support for the program and charity didn’t end with Nick. It had actually started thanks to Rod Dresser, who returned the gear to Hasselblad. Rod’s work is pretty remarkable. He had been an assistant to Ansel, when the equipment, originally on loan, was given to him by Ansel to use. Well, Victor Hasselblad passed away, Ansel passed away and the consignment was pretty much forgotten. Rod helped us promote the gear, Ansel’s images and was a big part of this small chapter in photographic history.

All of the magazines came through with publicity about the story. Virtually every editor ran something on the sale of the gear and the history behind it. PPE, then known as PhotoEast, helped us exhibit the gear in NYC that year, again adding to the promotion.

Last but absolutely not least, Don Imus put it all on the map in front of fourteen million listeners when he announced his bid of $100,000. Even better was the way he described the gear. “This is like finding Babe Ruth’s bat!”

So, the next time you attend a great workshop, see some terrific images or watch a great webcast – whoever is the “star” of the show deserves lots of credit, but don’t forget to notice all the people in the star’s network who have worked to create that moment for you. You’ll always find an incredible team behind every great event!

There’s an incredible amount of material out today and so much of it is free. Best of all, you can take it in small doses, watching, listening and then practicing on your own.  The are so many techniques you can pick up from Internet, this morning from my long time friend Cliff Mautner.  Cliff and I have been friends going back to my early WPPI days, but that great friendship all started with my respect for his talent as a teacher as well as a photographer.

This clip came from YouTube and ties together Nikon and Pocket Wizard. It’s a terrific five minute tutorial that can help you expand your skills and help you create better images for minimal cost and virtually no extra time.  This is about the most important aspect of succeeding as a professional photographer, exceeding the expectations of your clients!

Cliff Mautner should definitely be on your list of photographers to follow. Add his blog to your list and if you’re really up for a terrific workshop, while his October program is already sold out, check out what he’s got coming up November 8-10. If you’re not a wedding photographer, don’t let it stop you from developing your skills and a better understanding of the craft. Cliff can shoot anything and diversity, especially in a tough economy, trumps being a specialist.

Think about your images and the quality in your final presentation to each client. It’s the army’s slogan, but I’m stealing it today…”Are you all you can be?”

One of the traits of a great instructor is the willingness to share the ingredients of any terrific recipe. Here’s what went into the final image in the video.

Exposure Info:

102mm lens setting

f3.2 at 1/60 sec. ISO 250

Exposure comp. +/–0                                                                                                                      

 

Tools Used:

Nikon D3s

70-200mm f2.8 zoom Nikkor Lens

2 – AlienBees B800 monolights

Tamrac MicroSync wireless trigger system

2 – large Calumet frames with diffusion fabric

Interested in seeing more? Check out the link to the Lighting Notebook. As I said last week, this is definitely going to become one of the best resources for photographers on lighting in our industry!

Robert Brault wrote:

“The average teacher explains complexity; the gifted teacher reveals simplicity.” 

Understanding lighting might be out of your comfort zone today, but Kevin has always had the ability to break things down to a level of simplicity, one step at a time!

Here’s the mark of a great photographer and educator, great content…watch the demo video and as you’re watching pay attention to the final images on each set. In just over two minutes I counted 24 different scenarios. I’m convinced this is going to become one of the very best resource books for photographers in our industry.

And, if you really want to appreciate the book even more, make it a point to take any workshop that Kevin is teaching any place on planet earth! Kevin is one of those been-there-done-that and always-willing-to-share-that photographers.  From his blog to his workshops to a phone call, you’ll consistenly find him willing to help. 

Understanding lighting is so often out of a photographer’s comfort zone, especially when you’re just starting out.  You’ve got to make your work better than Uncle Harry’s. You’ve got to create images that exceed every client’s expectations and set yourself apart from the competition. You need to make sure you’re never compromising on the quality of your images.

Kevin’s been shooting for over twenty years and he’s brought so much of his experiences to the pages of this book. This is a book you’ll want to immediately start to use to practice and fine-tune your skills. As another good friend, Roberto Valenzuela has said so many times, “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect!” The Lighting Notebook will take you through all the steps to make sure your efforts in practicing aren’t wasted. This is all about perfect practice!

I found a great quote recently that I love, which might seem obscure at first.

Produce great pumpkins, the pies will follow later.

Another little known piece of totally useless trivia – the first Hasselblad University was a dismal failure, but the logo won an award! Designed by Kalmar Ad/Marketing,  Sweden liked it so much it became the trademark for all of their educational programs around the world. In the 90’s, Tony, along with a few different people from the company, were all over the U.S. doing some incredible educational tours with great photographers like Nick Vedros, Chris Ranier, Ralph Romaguera, Larry Peters, Bambi Cantrell, Lisa Jane and Roy Madearis, just to name a few.

Since we ran one light and two lights yesterday, it sure makes sense to bring in three and four light setups. That’s four different setups in the last two days and a great resource for you to reference. 

One of the reasons Tony is such a great instructor when it comes to lighting is simply he’s to the point. In less than two minutes he builds the shot, shows you the components and the effect of each different light and why.  Now it’s your turn to practive and develop the skill set to the point that it becomes second nature. Again, nobody does it better than Tony! A big thanks to Profoto and the MAC Group for creating and posting the videos.

Okay, this is just a bonus and everyone who knows Tony needs to watch this! It’s from the Texas School and when I found it on YouTube, I had to share it. Every year they do a tribute to something or someone from the entertainment world. That’s Tony playing drums with Joe Glyda and Walter Eagleton - I don’t need to say anymore, but I promise it’ll make you smile! (The fun starts at 30 seconds!)

The secret to success in this industry is twofold – being multi-talented and having a great sense of humor!

I’ve written a few posts about the experiences of having both Tony and Dean as incredible friends in my life. In all honesty, they’ve both made a huge contribution to our industry. Tony simply never slows down. As a photographer, teacher, judge and artist there are few people who maintain this diverse a skill set who are such a kick to hang out with. 

Most of my favorite stories from the “far side” of this industry always involve Tony, Dean and too often mutual buddy Nick Vedros.  Sadly most of the stories aren’t suitable for a blog post, but just trust me that we’ve laughed far more times than any of them combined ever clicked a shutter!

e.e. cummings wrote: “The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.”   These guys have never wasted a day in their lives!  

It might seem strange to drop a head shot of Tony in with these videos, but I did the same thing a month ago with another post that featured his philosophy. Tony lost 130+ pounds over the last couple of years and there are so many of us proud to not only have him as a friend, but know his health is in great shape and we’re going to have him around for years more to abuse!

They might be infommercials, but what a great educational experience – thanks to Profoto. For the past two Summer School sessions, lighting has been the top request for help from everybody. Once you understand how to control the light, regardless of whether or not you’re in the studio environment or not, you’ll find yourself a better photographer in all aspects of the craft. This is all about your control over your environment.

Tune in tomorrow and I’ll post the three light and four light video.