BEAUTY IS IN THE LIGHT

New design of Beauty is in the Light blog

2017-07-19T06:16:00.000-04:00

I am super exited to announce my blog has a brand new design and address! I love the new look and organization of the new blog and I hope you guys love it too.
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Estou super entusiasmado de anunciar que o meu blog tem um novo design e morada! Adoro o novo visual e a organização do novo blog e espero que voçes tambem gostem.

This will be the last post on this address, I had this blog running here since 2008 and I think its the right time to give it a better home. You can go take a look at the new blog here and subscribe, your feedback is welcome!
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Este vai ser o ultimo post aqui, desde 2008 que o blog se encontrava nesta morada e parece-me a altura perfeita para lhe dar uma nova casa. Podem ir ver o novo blog aqui e subscrever, a vossa opinião é bem vinda!

Beauty is in the light Martinique Masterclass Workshop the Portrait

2017-06-08T10:03:00.001-04:00

I've been in Martinique recently to give a four day workshop for AFMI with the photographer Olivier Merzoug. Martinique is an gorgeous island filled with open and amazing people, I can't wait to go back there. I took place in a amazing resort, we kept mornings to have presentations, talks and learn more theoretical aspects and in the afternoon we when out shooting with models, wardrobe and styling. This amazing trip has inspired me and I made sure to inspire the people in this workshop.

The workshop focused on portrait, beauty, fashion and swimwear photography and we also got to teach some post production techniques.

We dedicated the second day to portrait, and since the harder portraits to take is of the photographers themselves I had this class posing to understand light Technics and how to better work with the models.

We used a simple two light set-up, one SMDV BRiHT-360 with a SMDV BR-40 Snoot with grid adapter to light the background and a SMDV BRiHT-360 with a SMDV Speedbox-70 to light the subject with a Omega reflector to shape the light.

Gear list

Thinktank Shoulder Bag
Fujifilm X-T1 Silver Edition
Fujinon XF Super EBC 56mm f/1.2
Fujifilm extra battery
Fujifilm flash
Sandisk extreme pro SD cards
3 Legged Thing Tripod
Fujifilm microfiber lens cloth
G-Drive ev 1 Tb
SMDV BRiHT-360 Flash

2 Li-on batteries

Standard Reflector BR-120

SMDV Carrying case

Thinktank Citywalker 10

BR-40 Snoot with grid adapter

SMDV Speedbox-70

Omega reflector by Westcott

POST CARDS FROM LISBON IN JUDAS MAGAZINE FIRST TEST WITH SMDV BRiHT-360

2017-06-06T09:51:00.000-04:00

I am super excited to share this editorial I made for the second issue of Judas Magazine.

"Postcards from Lisbon" is a satire of the world dominated by social media and virtual following.

To make this idea work we transformed Vera Cardoso from Karacter agency into a Urban princess, Mauro Goncalves styled her to have bold and extravagant looks while Sara Marques de Oliveira did her make;up magic using bright colors and harsh lines. We searched some back allays of Lisbon to find some spots that gave us a decadent look.

It was the fist time I used the SMDV Brith-360 and decided to take a simple two light kit but later decides to use just one strobe on a boon with the BR 300 Beautydish.

I shoot it all with the Fuji X-T2.

You can by your copy of Judas Magazine #2 in Lisbon at Under the Cover or at their website.

For the fist time I worked with the SMDV Brith-360 I was really impressed with it. It is very light weighting around 1 kg and comes with a carrying case that makes it really easy to transport and keep safe, this make it ideal for photographers on the go.

The batteries last a long time, we shot a whole afternoon with just one battery . . Each battery comes with a lcd display that show the percentage of charge it has. The charging time is fast, in under two hours the batteries were fully charged.

The SMDV Brith-360 turned out to be a very intuitive and fast strobe to set up. This is ideal to save time while photographing or changing light settings.

Crew

Photographer: João Carlos
Stylist : Mauro Goncalves
Photo Assistent: João Gonçalves
Model: Vera Cardoso from Karacter Agency
Hair: Andreia Mendes
Make-up: Sara Marque de Oliveira
Post production: Noora Manty

Gear List

Retrospective Leather 30 by Thinktank
Fujifilm X-T2
Fujinon XF Super EBC 14mm f/2.8
Fujinon XF Super EBC 27mm f/2.8
Fujinon XF Super EBC 35mm f/1.4
Fujinon XF Super EBC 56mm f/1.2
Fujifilm extra battery
Sandisk extreme pro SD cards
3 Legged Thing Tripod
G-Drive ev 1 Tb
SMDV Brith-360 Flash

2 Li-on batteries

SMDV Carrying case

Thinktank Citywalker 10

BR-300 Beautydish with grid adapter

On Location with SMDV Briht-360 AND BANDIT GARAGE.

2017-05-18T12:53:00.003-04:00

SMDV Motas from JOAOCARLOSMEDIA on Vimeo.

This post is about two things I really love, shooting on location in Oporto, Portugal and shooting for one of my coolest clients, Bandit Motorcycles. They are a custom bike shop, Beautiful stylish Cafe-racers are their speciality.

The City of Porto was one if the gorgeous backgrounds we shot in, I wanted to catch the light at the end of day and the city seen from Porto of Gaia in the background. I used a three light set up, for this series.

For this shoot I used three SMDV Briht-360, one on a pole to better light the models face and another one with the SMDV BR-300 Beautydish just to light the motorcycle. The last one was really close to de ground just to give some light to the back tire and give it more detail.

For this second image I let the sun light my model and used a SMDV Briht-360 as rim light and a SMDV Briht-360 on a boom with the SMDV BR-300 Beautydish to light the bike.

Let me tell you a little bit about this fascinating windmill in the background. It is placed on the hill of Montedor in Carreço, Viana do Castelo. This is one of three windmills that were built during the XIX century and this one in particular is believed to be the only one with trapezoidal wooden sails still working in Portugal.

SMDV Briht-360 with SMDV BR-300 Silver Beauty Dish

For this shoot of the motorcycle alone I let the sun in the clear sky light this amazing location and the bike with a SMDV Briht-360 as a rim light from the right and another SMDV Briht-360 on the left with SMDV BR-170 Tele/reflecter. To finish this setup I used a SMDV Brith-360 on a boom with the SMDV BR-300 Beautydish.

Even after the sun had set we found a nice place to finish this project and create a outside studio. For this I placed a SMDV Briht-360 on each side to light the background and as rim light and used a SMDV Briht-360 on a boom with the SMDV BR-300 Beautydish to light the model.

For the last shoot I used a four light setup, two SMDV Briht-360 as rim light on the left, a SMDV Briht-360 on a boom at the center to light the bike and a SMDV Briht-360 on the right with a Giant Silver reflector from FJWestcott.

Client: Bandit Garage

Director & Executive Producer - João Carlos

Camera - Pedro Davim, João Abel
Camera assistent - Pedro Davim, João Abel

Photo Assistance - Pedro Davim, João Abel

Model - Nuno Oliveira

Video Editor - Rita Karayianni, Pedro Davim, João Carlos

Gear list

Thinktank Airport TakeOff Rolling Camera Bag
Canon 5D Mark III
Canon 5D Mark II
Canon EF 24mm f/1.4 L II USM
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM
Canon EF 85mm f/1.2 L II USM
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L macro IS USM
Canon EF 70-200 mm f/2.8 L IS II USM
G-Drive ev 1 Tb
2x BlackRapid Strap
ThinkTank ProSpeed Belt
Thinktank Citywalker 10
3 Legged Thing tripod
Thinktank DSLR Battery Holder 4
Thinktank Pixel Pocket Holder
Thinktank Lens changer 15 V 2.0
Thinktank Lens changer 25 V 2.0
Thinktank Lens changer 35 V 2.0
Thinktank Lens changer 50 V 2.0
Sandisk Extreme Pro CF cards
Sandisk card case
Sandisk microfiber lens cleaning cloth
Hoodman HoodLoupe3 LCD Loupe
Canon Remote Cable
Canon Wireless Shutter Release
3x Canon battery charger

3x SMDV Briht-360 KIT

SMDV Briht-360 Flash

2 Li-on batteries

Standard Reflector BR-120

SMDV Carrying case

BR-170 Tele/reflecter

BR-300 Beautydish with grid adapter

BR-40 Snoot with grid adapter

SMDV Speedbox-70

Difuser fabric

7 Silver Umbrella
Giant Silver reflector from FJWestcott

SMDV Lost Brides with a BRiHT-360

2017-05-08T07:38:00.000-04:00

For many their wedding day is one of the most special days in their life, but for some it turns out a tragedy. In this project I created three different brides each with her own story and went to the gorgeous woods of Peninha, Sintra to share their story.

SMDV from JOAOCARLOSMEDIA on Vimeo.

Our model for this project was the talented Kiia from Best Models and the make-up was done by my friend and partner Alex Me.

To help bring this story to life I used SMDV BRiHT-360 of camera flash with a SMDV speedbox-70 and a SMDV BR-300 beautydish with and without honeycomb and shot everything with Canon 5D Mark III.

For this first shot we found a nice spot to create this flower bed an lit it up with SMDV BRiHT-360 of camera flash with a SMDV speedbox-70 and SMDV BRiHT-360 of camera flash with SMDV BR-300 beautydish both on a boomstick.

I used a SMDV BRiHT-360 of camera flash with a SMDV speedbox-70 on a boompole and a SMDV BRiHT-360 with SMDV BR-300 beautydish and honey comb

For this second shot I used a SMDV BRiHT-360 of camera flash with a SMDV speedbox-70 on a boompole and a SMDV BRiHT-360 with SMDV BR-300 beautydish and honey comb. I also used a Profoto B2 with a red gel inside the wood hut behind her but the photos with it weren't chosen, still you can see the efect in the last photo.

full panoramic view of the set

For the last set I used one SMDV BRiHT-360 with a BR-300 beautydish as my main light next to me and a SMDV BRiHT-360 with the Speedbox-70 and SMDV BRiHT-360 with difuser to light the background.

The gear we used carfully protected and transported inside Thinktank Airpor Takeoff and the Thinktank Citywalker 10

In the two non edited example images below you can see the difference between shooting with or without the Strobe.

Client: SMDV KOREA

Director & Executive Producer - Joao Carlos

Camera - Pedro Davim, João Carlos and Rita Karayianni

Photo Assistance - Samuel Félix and João Abel

Makeup - Alex Me

Model - Kiia from Best Models

Styling - Susana Agostinho

Video Editor - Rita Karayianni, Pedro Davim
Special thanks to Parques de Sintra

Gear list

Thinktank Airport TakeOff Rolling Camera Bag
Canon 5D Mark III
Canon 5D Mark II
Canon EF 24mm f/1.4 L II USM
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM
Canon EF 85mm f/1.2 L II USM
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L macro IS USM
Canon EF 70-200 mm f/2.8 L IS II USM
G-Drive ev 1 Tb
2x BlackRapid Strap
3 Legged Thing tripod
Thinktank DSLR Battery Holder 4
Thinktank Pixel Pocket Holder
Sandisk Extreme Pro CF cards
Thinktank Lens changer 15 V 2.0
Thinktank Lens changer 25 V 2.0
Thinktank Lens changer 35 V 2.0
Thinktank Lens changer 50 V 2.0
Hoodman HoodLoupe3 LCD Loupe
3x Canon battery charger
3 SMDV BRiHT-360
SMDV Speedbox-70
BR-300 beautydish

Canon C100

Scim Jim by Westcott

SMDV LIGHT & DARK BRIHT 360 TTL

2017-04-27T18:16:00.000-04:00

I was recently invited by SMDV, a lighting brand based out of South Korea, to test their lights, create a series of videos showcasing their gear in action and also some cool interesting imagery. This is the first of a number of videos I will be showcasing on the blog over the next couple of weeks.

I have never really shot in the village of Óbidos and since I grew up so close I knew that the time had finally arrived to create some high impact conceptual images in this gorgeous medieval city.

SMDV Obidos from JOAOCARLOSMEDIA on Vimeo.

I wanted to create a dramatic epic fantasy video with rich layers of symbolism in-between, focusing on darkness and light and how that is a continuous battle fought by the artist in search of finding perfection in the creation of his work.

That perfect light that helps tell a better story. I thought that the epic medieval village of Óbidos for the location would bring our characters to life in their ideal setting. Óbidos has often been patronised by the Queens of Portugal, giving rise to its informal title as Vila das Rainhas (English: town of the Queens).

Our main character, the beautiful warrior Queen dressed in rich ornate gold armor with black and red -- the gold is a reference to the yellow in SMDV logo. It simbolizes light and the overall quality of the BriHT 360. For this look, I collaborated with the amazing Polish designer Agnieszka Osipa .

The Queen holds the Light as if she were Joan of Arc with her sword in hand or Princess Leia holding a ray-gun. Both were strong influences used to create the queen character into our film.

The Plague Doctor symbolises the darkness; life before SMDV. The Darkness is chasing the light all over the Castle and just as he is almost catching the Queen, she turns and creates her spell where we can see her with the BriHt 360 light in her hand to defend herself.

The music chosen was important to add drama, impact and mood to the narrative. That is why we also added the crow effect.

Finally, at the end of the movie I show two behind the scenes frames where you see this huge Castle and the flash popping, so that you automatically feel like you were just there on set where the Queen turns on the light and the music comes to a dramatic finish.

I wanted to create some strong portraits for the model and make up artist , so we set a our mobile studio, with portable back drop from Westcott and one SMDV BRIHT 360 TTL with BR-300 beauty dish .

One advantage of the portabilty of the BRIHT 360 TTL is that you can quickly change your light on location.

Client: SMDV KOREA

Director & Executive Producer - Joao Carlos

Camera - Pedro Davim & João Carlos

Photo Assistance - Diego Veríssimo & João Demitri

Stills Editor - Marta Machado

Makeup - Sara Kruss Taborda

Model - Alina Malai for Fashion Studio Agency

Actor - Médico da Peste

Styling - Agnieszka Osipa

Drone - Diogo Reis

Video Editor - Rita Karayianni, Pedro Davim, João Carlos

Camera Assistant - João Abel

Music - TRI-Tachyon - The Warbird
Thank you to the Villa of Obidos and the Mayors office.

Gear list
We shot 4K video using the Fuji XT-2 and DJI Pro drone.
Some camera movements we used Pro media duo mechanized slider, and for the lighting we used Ice Lights from Westcott.
For storage, we had some SanDisk SD cards and we used 3 Legged Thing tripods to keep everything stable.

For the stills part of the shoot, I used a Fuji XT-2 and Canon 5D Mark III because we wanted to showcase the TTL of the SMDV BRIHT 360 TTL for Canon. I used up to three lights for the shoot with the BR-300 Beauty dish and the Speedbox-70.

Professional Imaging 2017: LIVE Photo Shoot Behind the Scenes Tethered Tools and the Fuji GFX

2017-04-23T22:30:00.000-04:00

From 18th to the 20th March 2017 I was over in the Netherlands presenting at the Professional Imaging show in Nijkerk.

This was actually my first time attending Professional Imaging. I was super excited and a little nervous because I did something that I never, ever do or recommend, but i had to do it, I will tell you what i did soon. Professional Imaging reminded me of a smaller Dutch Photokina, this was also my first time presenting at the show at the LIVE THEATER once a day for all three days of the show. The Live theater is usually allot of fun and always a rewarding experience, I had one hour to talk about Fashion and Beauty photography with a big focus on lighting, I had a gorgeous model to work with ROSA and Nadine was amazing doing make up and styling for all three days of the presentation. SoI changed things up instead of shooting with my XT-2 OR XT-1 cameras I had shot LIVE with before , I was given the opportunity by FUJIFILM Netherlands to test and shoot with a working FUJIFILM GFX 50S. The only other time I had the FUJIFILM GFX 50S was during 3 minutes at PhotoKina and it wasn't a working prototype. Obviously I said yes, but for my first presentation I had about 3 minutes to really go over the cameras menus.

A detail photo of the 3.2 inches, 2.36M-dot LCD monitor of the new FUJIFILM GFX 50S

Eaguer photographic minds watching carfuly for the next piece of information that will help them jump start their carreer to the next level

I conected the FUJIFILM GFX 50S to my laptop which has two Sandisk SSD, that use to better process the images, using Tether Tools gear.

During the three days of the convention I talked about Beauty and Fashion photography, focussing more on the Beauty part. I also made sure to highlight the importance of your makeup artist, hair dresser, stylist, model and assistants working as a well oiled team along side you. Last but not least I talked about how to light the model to create stunning pictures.

For this last topic I gave a live demostration to show how a professional beauty shoot happens in studio even with all the unforseen technical difficulties. All the light I used was gracelessly loaned to me by Profoto and I used a Teather Tools Cable to conect the FujiFilm GFX 50S, that was loaned to me by Fujifilm Netherlands, to my laptop so the attendees could see the light effect live.

Day One

On the first day I was gonna go with super clean natural makeup and after a quick five minute talk with nadine who is an amazing stylist and makeup artist and a last minute check at my saved mood boards on Pinterest she came up with a pretty cool concept with flowers, hair extensions and petals falling on the models face.

I used a Profoto D1 with a Beauty Dish and a reflector on two simple setups.

Day Two

On day two our stylist nadine created a outrageous rose dress and an amazing peacock feather and red rose headpiece and a giant red ribbon altho the second days look was beautiful executed and liked amazing if definitely had its challenges to light.

Me shooting Rosa with the new FUJIFILM GFX 50S mounted on a 3 Legged Thing "Albert"

To light this creation I started with a Profoto D1 with a beauty dish as key light at a 45 degree angle to take advantage of the beauty dish sweet spot. Later I added two rim lights with a Softbox RFI 1x3 each to make the creation pop.

For those who are not familiar with the concept of tethering, it is when you connect your camera to your computer via cable. With this method you can either control your camera through your computer wich is very handy if you are shooting tabletop photography and you have your camera in a complicated position or you can shoot normally via camera viewfinder and have the advantage of having your computer or laptop as a screen giving your clients and team the opportunity of viewing your photos in real time. For this presentation I used the camera on live view and connected to my laptop which was also connected to two large projectors on a live view stage so that attendees could see every light change and every effect live. For this I used a Teather Tools TetherPro USB 2.0 Mini-B 5-Pin Cable.

Day Three

On the last day I was surprised at the amount of attendees who were eager and ready to listen to my presentation at 10 AM. Nadine and Rosa, my creative Stylist and beautiful model made another gorgeous collaboration with some big and funky hair that this time had more focus and impact. For this I had to use more lights to make the look pop.

All the light I used during the three days was gracelessly loaned to us by Profoto

For this set up I used two Profoto D1 with a Softbox RFI 1x3 each as rim lights and kept one Profoto D1 with a beauty dish as key light.

Big Thanks to Kim Schotanus for the behind the scenes photos.

HOLAS SS2017

2017-04-06T12:15:00.001-04:00

Holas Beachwear invited me to shoot their new SS17 collection. It's always a pleasure to be able to work with such a creative and cool brand. This year we changed things up by having two male models instead of only one . The Concept was broken down into three basic Ideas , Dawn in Saint Barth's , Noon in La Paz and Mid Night in Sicily .

SPRING/SUMMER 2017

DAWN IN ST. BARTHS

Lost in the Caribbean turquoise-blue immensity lies the island of St. Barths.
A light and refreshing interpretation of the nautical world, with geometric and abstract patterns oozing sophistication.

Rooted in luxury and Holas's signature dashing aesthetic, Holas fans can look forward to one of the brand´s most iconic collections to date.

MIDNIGHT IN SICILY

Off the southern coast of Italy lies Sicily, home to an ancient culture that with its stark landscapes, glorious coastlines, and extraordinary treasure troves of art and archeology has seduced travelers for centuries.
But at the heart of the island's rare beauty lies a poison that reaches into every corner of Sicilian life.

In an intoxicating mix of black and white flowers, ostentatious marble effects and flawless jacquards, we seductively bring Sicilian culture to life.

NOON IN LA PAZ

Tropical atmosphere, hot and burnt tones reflect the existing deforestation in Bolivia.
Monochrome foliages, animal richness and time worn surfaces are mixed with dense and bright vegetation stories.

The city of La Paz is chosen as the backdrop for this segment full of nostalgia of times gone by.

To see all the photos from this campaign go to Holas Beachwear

Models: Carlos Ferra from Central Models and Fábio Oliveira from Elite Models

Make up: Alex Me
Retouching: Noora Manty

KOY WEEK Master class Andre Boto and Joao Carlos

2017-03-24T12:09:00.000-04:00

From the 2nd to the 5th of March I took part of Koy Week 2017. I was invited to do a Master class alongside with my friend and college André Boto for a danish group called Dansk Fotografisk Forening. Everyone had the chance to experience new techniques and gear.

The small video me and André Boto made to announce our presence on Koy Week

Me, André Boto and Dansk Fotografisk Forening

Some videos of the masterclass

Next you can see some photos that I took during the masterclass

For the first light set we used a single Smdv Brith 360 with a Speedbox 70

And then we added a Eyelighter to the set

For our secind light set we used a Profoto B1 with a Rapid box by Westcott and another Profoto B1 with a Bruce Dorn Assimetric Strip by Westcott all in front of a backdrop by Drop It Modern

For the last set we used two Ice Light on a BIC1 Modular Ball Mounting System in a V shape as a main light and a Flex by Westcott as hair light

This is a overhead shoot of all the gear that was used during Koyweek

F.J. Westcott Icelight Bag
2x Westcott Ice Light
2x Icelights Case
2x Westcott Ice Light Power Pack Battery
2x Westcott Ice Light Tungsten Gel
2x Westcott Barn Doors for Ice Light
2x Westcott Tilter Bracktet with brass spigots
2x Westcott Ice Light Two-Way Connector
2x Batteries Chargers

B1 500 AirTTL Location Kit

2 x B1 Off-Camera Flashes

4 x batteries

1 x Fast Charger 4.5A

1 x Car Charger 1.8A

1x barn doors
1x honeycomb

All photos were taken with my Fujifilm X-T2
3 Legged Thing "Albert"
Flex by Westcott
Sandisk extreme pro SD cards

Smdv Brith 360
Smdv Speedbox 70

Omega reflector by Westcott

Illuminator backgrounds by Westcott

Backdrop by Drop It Modern

Light Stands by Westcott

SMDV BRiHT-360 unboxing

2017-03-10T13:56:00.001-05:00

Unboxing SMDV from JOAOCARLOSMEDIA on Vimeo.

The much anticipated SMDV BRiHT-360, TTL and HSS enabled cordless bare bulb strobe first announced late last year, are already available. Compatible 2.4GHz FlashWave 5 transmitter units for both Canon and Nikon are available as well. SMDV BRiHT-360 The SMDV BRiHT-360 are fully cordless 360Ws strobes. Powered by a 14.4v, 2500mAh, Lithium-ion battery, capable of providing up to 300 full power flashes. All in a simple compact package weighing just 1kg. SMDV, who also market the Godox Witstro AD360 under the SMDV brand, have developed the new BRiHT-360 as a smaller, lighter, and more convenient, dedicated off camera flash alternative, to the Witstro and similar strobes. Unlike the current Witstro, the BRiHT-360 also provide a built in 7W LED modelling lamp, which wraps neatly around the outside of the flash bulb without obstruction. SMDV BRiHT-360.

The BRiHT-360 also feature a large clear full color LCD interface, nicely recessed into the strobes rear panel. SMDV FlashWave 5, 2.4GHz radio receivers are also conveniently built into the flash. SMDV BRiHT-360 New TTL and HSS enabled FlashWave 5 transmitter units for Canon and Nikon, also provide a large clear LCD display interface. With fast group selection buttons for 4 individual Groups, A / B / C /D. Separate FlashWave 5 receiver units will also allow other TTL speedlites, and manual studio strobes etc, to be combined in use with the BRiHT-360. SMDV BRiHT-360 FEATURES: 360Ws GN 72M (ISO 100) (BR-120 Reflector) 7W LED Modelling Light (Full / Auto / AF Assist Modes) Integrated Lightweight Modifier Mount Built in (Removable) 14.4V / 2500mAh Lithium-ion Battery Flash Modes – ETTL / ITTL / M / Multi HSS to 1/8000th FEC (± 0.1-4 Stops) Manual Flash – 1/128 – 1/1 Output (1/10th Increments) SMDV 2.4GHz FlashWave Radio System ETTL & ITTL Radio Slave Modes Range – 70m with FlashWave-5 Transmitter Groups – A / B / C / D 80 Channels Supports FlashWave-5 / 4 / 3, Transmitters S1 & S2 Optic Slave Modes Up to 300 Full Power Pops Per Battery Charge 0.05 – 3.9 Seconds Recycle Time Flash Duration – 1/200s－1/10000s Color Temperature – 5600K +/-200K Large Color LCD Display Auto Memory Function Firing Count Memory Sound Prompt Overheat Display Battery Level Display Removable Handle / Swivel Mount Battery recharge in aprox. 1 hour 40 minutes Mini USB Port for Firmware Upgrades 3.5mm Sync Port. The BRiHT-360 provide their own miniature Bowens style accessory mount, which helps to keep the strobe smaller, and dedicated modifiers lighter weight. Though an additional standard Bowen’s mount adapter should also be available in time as well. SMDV BRiHT-360 Korean manufacturer SMDV (also available in the USA) are also creators of the very clever and convenient Speedbox, pop open, parabolic softboxes. The Speedboxe’s unique speedring design makes them one of the easiest multi rib softboxes to open quickly on location. Though they are also exceptionally light weight. No doubt making an ideal, fast, and easily manageable, combination with compact BRiHT-360 strobes.

SMDV BRiHT-360 Other dedicated accessories currently include – a snoot with grid, standard 12cm reflector, a handy long throw zoom reflector (pictured at the top of the post), and a 30cm beauty dish (with diffuser cover). The BRiHT-360’s removable 14.4V, 2500mAh Lithium-ion battery provides up to 300 full power pops. And a remaining charge level % is even displayed on an LCD screen built into the battery case. The BRiHT-360’s batteries also fully recharge fairly quickly, in approximately 1 hour 40 minutes. So if used near mains power, a second battery can be charging while the other is in use. SMDV BRiHT-360 Another welcome feature of the BRiHT-360 is the built in 7W LED modelling light. Three modes are provide – Full Power, Auto Power (adjusts with the strobes power level), and an Auto Focus Assist Mode. The BRiHT-360’s combined handle and light stand swivel is also quickly removable. So that the strobe can be mounted directly on a monopod or tripod, or any base with a standard 1/4″ screw thread. The BRiHT-360 are also supplied with a nice padded case with space for charger and accessories, which is always helpful. SMDV have had their own FlashWave radio system for a number of years now. And although using 2.4GHz frequency these are not directly compatible with Canon or Nikon’s own RT radio systems. FlashWave 5 receiver units will be available though. So Canon and Nikon TTL speedlites can be mounted on those, and controlled with the FlashWave 5 transmitter unit, alongside BRiHT-360 strobes. There is currently no option to allow a speedlite mounted on the camera hotshoe, to act as a master control unit to the BRiHT-360 off camera though. And that may be an important consideration for many wedding and event photographers, who the BRiHT-360 are otherwise very much aimed towards. The SMDV BRiHT-360 TTL strobes, and FlashWave 5 transmitter units for Canon and Nikon, are now available at MMF-pro.

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“American Circus in Britain” at Gargalhadas na Lua

2017-03-09T06:37:00.000-05:00

Uncle Sam's Great American Circus has been entertaining crowds for over 30 years. It is magic – a vacant lot is transformed into a thriving village of dance and wonder under the Big Top. The circus is an elusive character, rife with complexities and contradictions. My photographs are portraits of the many unique individuals whose paths have converged at this time and place; a period of sixty minutes in the Autumn of 2010 in the town of Ellesmere Port, Northwest Britain.

I will premier my exhibit "American Circus in Britain" on the 16 of March on the comedy event Gargalhadas na Lua on Carnide, Lisbon.

The exhibit will remain there during the three days of the event.

I also published two book with the photos you will see ate the exhibit, you can order your signed limited edition at my store

"American Circus in Britain I"

"American Circus in Britain II"

Both books were printed by Koy Lab

WPC - World Photographic Cup 2017: Portugal strikes again!

2017-03-06T07:55:00.003-05:00

The results are in and Portugal won for the second year in a row the WPC this time with the final taking place in Yokohana, Japan. I was part of the Portuguese team for the third time and it was a amazing and rewarding experience. I would like to thank everyone on the Portuguese team for all the companionship and congratulate those who made our victory possible.

Portugal won gold with 34 points followed by the United States and then Russia.

I like to congratulate Dušan Holovej, Antti Karppinen, Pepe Soho, Eelena Malysheva, Goh Wee Seng and Lee Howell for winning Gold in their respective category.

If you want to see a full list of the winner and runner-ups click here.

This is the photo I submitted.

Pedro Reigoto from Koy Lab, Rui Teixeira president of App Imagem and a member of the Japanese committee holding the cup and the Portuguese flag.

Last but not least I would like to thank all the support that was given to the Portuguese team and the warm welcome that was expecting us back at Portugal. You can see a small video from it here.

"Rui Pires, president of the Portuguese Association of Image Professionals (APPImagem), which selects the team for the event, told Lusa that he was “very proud of our professionals’ work” and that “such a little country as ours” winning the prize “only shows that we are big in what we do”.
Giuseppe Scozzi, the WPC’s executive director, highlighted the international significance of the prize, noting that “there has never before been a programme involving photography in this way.”
The Portuguese team taking part in the six categories of the 2017 WPC was made up of 15 photographers from around the country: Diogo Freitas, José Almeida and João Carlos in Commercial; Carlos Resende, Daniel Rodrigues and Nuno Sá in the Nature category; José Almeida, Diogo Freitas and Diamantino Jesus in Illustrative; Diamantino Jesus, Fernando Branquinho and André Brito in Portraits; José Ferreira, António Tendim and Rui Palha in Reportage; and Miguel Matos, Nelson Marques and Pedro Vilela in the Wedding category.
The US and Russia came second and third respectively in the team
competition.
This year there was just one individual medal for Portugal: a bronze for José Almeida from Lisbon in the Illustration category.
The individual gold medals went to photographers from Finland, Slovakia, the UK, Russia, Mexico and Singapore." TPN/Lusa
Full article here

Behind the scenes of Royale Shapes 4K video with Fujifilm X-T2 and stills shoot

2017-03-03T05:04:00.001-05:00

Royal Hair Salon contacted me to create a promotional video with their salon and some of their unique and creative concepts. For this production we worked with four amazing models from Onway Models dressed by and with jewlary by Portuguese designer Valentim Quaresma. Their creation were so inspiring that I decided to take some shots as well.

Royale Shapes from JOAOCARLOSMEDIA on Vimeo.

Sofia C. from On Way Models

Eva Ribeiro

Ines Almeida from On Way Models

To capture these stunning creations I used a Rapid box beauty dish from Westcott with a Profoto mount on a Profoto B1 off camera flash as main light and a Profoto B1 with a honeycomb and a Profoto B2 as rim light.

Eva Ribeiro posing on set

Rapid box beauty dish by Westcott with a Profoto mount on a Profoto B1 off camera flash

Behind the Scenes - Shapes from JOAOCARLOSMEDIA on Vimeo.

Mr Pedro Davim capturing some details for the video with the Fujifilm X-T2 on a Promedia Duoslider and using Ice Light to light the subject.

Fujifilm X-T2 on a Promedia Duoslider while filming. And used a Westcott Ice Light to set the mood.

Martin Champaloux smiling for camera while we get the gear ready.

Detail of the 3.0 inch, aspect ratio 3:2, approx. 1,040K-dot of the Fujifilm X-T2 while filming.

The setting we used to film the models.

To film the models we used two Ice Light on a BIC1 Modular Ball Mounting System in a V shape in front of the Fujifilm X-T2 as a main light and a Flex by Westcott as hair light

We lit the salon using two Ice Light and a Flex to create a bright and clean look.

Me positioning the Fujifilm X-T2 with a Profoto Air on a Albert from Three Legged Things.

Diego Verissimo, Luis Salzedas, Sara Kruss Taborda, Pedro Davim and I all the work at their salon we went back to my studio to film some additional footage.

I really wanted to hi-light the color and the texture of some of the materials that they use so we use macro photography techniques to create awesome details.

With the help from the Promedia Duoslider we captured details in motion of hair gel, hairspray and some other non related products that added to the overall quality of the film.

Here is the setup we used from a far.

In the image above you can see the Fujifilm X-T2 on the Promedia Duoslider. We used the Metabones adapter to use the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L macro IS USM. The ice light is great in this kind of situation because you can fit it almost anywhere due to its size

Team Royale
Martine Champaloux - Creative Director
Carlos Amorim - Hair Stylist
Ruben Bento - Hair Stylist
Beatriz Ferreira - Assistant
Carla Lopes - Styling

João Carlos - Director
Pedro Davim - Camera
Diego Verissimo - Camera Assistant
Luís Salzedas - Behind the Scenes
Pedro Davim / Rita Karayianni - Edition

Production team
Ira Leite Velho - Production
Sara Kruss Taborda - Make Up
Valentim Quaresma - Waredrobe

Models
Sofia C. - On Way Models
Inês Almeida - On Way Models
Eva Ribeiro
Beatriz Barbosa

Products by
Schwarzkopf

Retrospective Leather 30 by Thinktank
Fujifilm X-T2
Fujifilm X-T1 Silver Edition
Fujinon XF Super EBC 14mm f/2.8
Fujinon XF Super EBC 27mm f/2.8
Fujinon XF Super EBC 35mm f/1.4
Fujinon XF Super EBC 56mm f/1.2
Fujifilm extra battery
Fujifilm flash
Sandisk extreme pro SD cards
3 Legged Thing Tripod
Fujifilm microfiber lens cloth
G-Drive ev 1 Tb

Pelican 1510 case
2x B2 Off-Camera Flash Heads
1x B2 250 AirTTL Battery Pack
2x Li-Ion Batteries
1x Battery Charger
1x Air Remote TTL Transceiver
1x B2 Extension cable 3m
1x OCF Barndoors
1x OCF Snoot
1x 10 Degree OCF Honeycomb Grid
1x 20 Degree OCF Honeycomb Grid
1x 30 Degree OCF Honeycomb Grid

F.J. Westcott Icelight Bag

2x Westcott Ice Light

2x Icelights Case

2x Westcott Ice Light Power Pack Battery

2x Westcott Ice Light Tungsten Gel

2x Westcott Barn Doors for Ice Light

2x Westcott Tilter Bracktet with brass spigots

2x Westcott Ice Light Two-Way Connector

2x Batteries Chargers

B1 500 AirTTL Location Kit

2 x B1 Off-Camera Flashes

4 x batteries

1 x Fast Charger 4.5A

1 x Car Charger 1.8A

1x barn doors
1x honeycomb

Rose Palhares

2017-02-03T11:15:00.003-05:00

One of the things I enjoy most about being a photographer , is that over the years I have had the opportunity to ravel and shoot in some amazing locations all over the world, I have been very blessed , and in this blog post I will talk about how I was fortunate enough to shoot in my Portuguese home town of Caldas Da Rainha .
The Job was to create four singular images that tell the story of designer Rose Palhares .

Designer Rose Palhares has a wonderful smile on camera .

Rose Palhares is a creative , ambitious designer originally from Angola , Africa . Whom has moved to Lisbon , Portugal to create a name for her self on the Global fashion scene, voted Best Angolan Designer 2013 Best International Designer 2015 and Vogue Italy´s Most Interesting Designer 2016, she is definitely on her way to stardom . Although the concept was simple, kinda , there were allot of complications involved . The Producer Pedro Davim also a native to Caldas da Rainha decided on shooting in the beautiful coastal city because it had all the requirements any successful shoot needed a variety of rich , unique and diverse locations in fairly short traveling distance , however photographing in the winter on location out doors with the elements are tricky shoot days, one disadvantage is that there are less day light hours , It was very cloudy , rainy and gloomy day , to be honest I love shooting in days like this usually . Those are the days with best light if you can catch it , days like this its all about being prepared for what ever comes your way ,

Rose and child model Beatriz

Rose Palhares - Behind the Scenes from JOAOCARLOSMEDIA on Vimeo.

The first image of the campaign was to take us back to the designers childhood, and the zungeiras or street vendors, She remembered as a kid seeing all the beautiful colors from the food and flowers being sold but also the colorful clothes the woman would turn into skirts and dresses. The African Cloth Symbolizes the art of living, it makes the connection between ancient times and present generations and is witness to the cultural richness of the diversity of everyday life, It is African Tradition , therefore , the cloth is not a vulgar piece of cloth , it is a vector and testimony of the art of living in Africa, Rose wanted to showcase this in the models dress and head peace, the location , Praca da Fruta, Portugal's oldest fresh fruit market, its has been open to the public since 1883 and would be the perfect setting for this part of our story.

This was technically the second set of the day , I ended up shooting a couple hours later then I would have liked and being a week day at it was raining at this point allot of the venders had already started to pack up and I didn't have ass much color and natural light like I wanted originally.

I used a Profoto B1 off camera flash with Giant Silver reflector from FJWestcott as my main and only light source besides the sun , and considering it was drizzling for most of the shoot , it was like shooting with a huge soft box with grids , and your always under exposed , The Giant reflector brings allot of light onto set . I shot with my Hasselblad HD3-39, I wasn't sure how big the the final images needed to be , I decided to use the maxim resolution camera I have at my disposable.

The second image of the campaign was shot in the Campo da Mata , a huge field filled with beautiful rows of perfect tress , they created a surreal scenery for our shoot . The concept here was Rose personified as the little girl was sowing a hem on a dress and there was a field of blank mannequins that she would soon imagine dresses for , kind of the processor to the designer we know and love so much today , there is also a little element , the rag doll in which the child designer has already created clothing for , because in truth that were it all began for her .

I kept a Profoto B1 off camera flash with Giant Silver reflector from FJWestcott as my main light source and a reflector to reduce unwanted shadows on the models. Also used two Profoto B2 to light the mannequins in the background. I shot with my Hasselblad HD3-39.

Here Rita Camera Operator and Video Editor , setting up with the Canon C100 and 24-70 lens .

I almost always Have a tripod on set its mandatory , I use 3 Legged Thing Albert ,

The third set, my favorite image of the series .

For this shot I used two Profoto B2 to light the background and used Profoto B1 off camera flash with Giant Silver reflector from FJWestcott and a Profoto B2 as main lights to make the model stand out. It was drizzling on and off all morning so I had the model use a 7 Diffusion Umbrella from FJWestcott as a prop because it just looked amazing but also to protect her a little from the elements .

The last set of the day

To create the final image I used a Profoto B1 hiden inside a Fresnel and a Profoto B2 also hidden inside a Ari 1000 as backlight. Since the gear would be in frame I decided to hide them to create a more cinematic feel. For my main light I used a Profoto B1 with a 36 inch Rapidbox by Westcott. I added a secondary Profoto B2 as a extra fill light to give it an extra kick. I also used a reflector to shape the light and erase unwanted shadows.

Photographer
Joao carlos

Designer
Rose Palhares

Producer
Pedro Davim

Make up
Alex Me

Hairstylist
Elsa Elsart

Styling
Vanessa Faria

Models
Filipa Nascimento at Karacter agency
Beatriz child model

Photographer Assistents
Diego Verissimo
Paulo Reis

Photo Editing
Noora Manti

Behind the scenes & Edition
Rita Karayianni

Producao rose palhares
Francisca Pimentel
Rony Romero
Maura

Special thank to
camera municipal das caldas da rainha
junta de freguesia nossa era. do populo
cafe central

Kata Bug-205-PL
Hasselblad HD3-39
Hasselbad Viewfinder
Hasselblad Battery
Hasselblad Battery Charger
Sandisk Extreme Pro CF cards
F-Stop Card holder
2x G-Drive ev 1 Tb
Minolta Flashmeter

Thinktank Airport TakeOff Rolling Camera Bag

Canon C100
Canon EF 24mm f/1.4 L II USM
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM
Canon EF 85mm f/1.2 L II USM
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L macro IS USM
Canon EF 70-200 mm f/2.8 L IS II USM
G-Drive ev 1 Tb
1x BlackRapid Strap
ThinkTank ProSpeed Belt
3 Legged Thing tripod
Thinktank DSLR Battery Holder 4
Thinktank Pixel Pocket Holder
Sandisk Extreme Pro CF cards
Sandisk card case
Sandisk microfiber lens cleaning cloth

Canon Wireless Shutter Release
3x Canon battery charger

B1 500 AirTTL Location Kit

2 x B1 Off-Camera Flashes

4 x batteries

1 x Fast Charger 4.5A

1 x Car Charger 1.8A

1x barn doors
1x honeycomb

Pelican 1510 case
2x B2 Off-Camera Flash Heads
1x B2 250 AirTTL Battery Pack
2x Li-Ion Batteries
1x Battery Charger
1x Air Remote TTL Transceiver
1x B2 Extension cable 3m
1x OCF Barndoors
1x OCF Snoot
1x 10 Degree OCF Honeycomb Grid
1x 20 Degree OCF Honeycomb Grid
1x 30 Degree OCF Honeycomb Grid

The Pelican 1510 Case is my on-location lighting case, because of its sturdiness and ability to take a beating. It's so sturdy in fact that I'm able to stand on it and gain a few inches without fearing for my lighting kit.

Additional Gear
Omega reflector by Westcott
6x standard light stand by Westcott
Giant Silver reflector from FJWestcott

7 Diffusion Umbrella from FJWestcott
36 inch Rapidbox by Westcott
fresnel by elinchrom
Ari 1000

All behind the scenes shoots were created with
Fujifilm X-T1
Fujinon Lens XF 27mm F2.8
Fujinon Lens XF 14mm F2.8
Fujinon Lens XF 35mm F1.4 R
Fujinon Lens XF 56mm F1.2 R

PHOTO PRO EXPO - BEUATY IS IN THE LIGHT - SPEAKER

2017-02-01T17:32:00.000-05:00

I am excited to announce I will bee speaking at PhotoExpo Pro in Cincinnati at the end of January ,

PHOTOKINA 2016 RECAP

2016-11-02T17:40:00.003-04:00

Ok its November and I was at Photkina late September , what can I say , I have been super super busy , thats a good thing , so anyway here is my Photokina 2016 recap of my fav stuff at this years show ... Photokina is the world's largest trade show held in Europe for the photographic and imaging industries. Its a who is who of everything image related , with more then 1000 companies introducing and showcasing state of the art imaging products in Cologne , Germany .

The 2016 photokina was the first taking place under the new slogan "Imaging unlimited" , It saw about 191.000 visitors. There has never been so much to see, experience and photograph at a Photokina. You can try the newest technology; learn from the experts how to improve specific aspects of your photography; and see some amazing image galleries, all at the world’s premier photography event. For this occasion the whole city of Cologne turns into a studio/gallery with photo shoots, events and exhibitions everywhere.

When you walked through the trade show fair grounds , wether photographers , retailers or service providers you got the impression Photokina was a must , Whoever was not there wondering the 9 halls , did not only miss a unique opportunity for networking , but missed out on getting first hands on with some pioneering developments .

I tried FACEBOOK LIVE for the first time at Photokina .

Hanging out with fellow Sandisk Extreme Team member Liz Kreutz

Photokina was all about drone and 360 cameras , the DJI Mavic and the Go Pro Karma caught my attention , im still undecided witch one I want more . The Nikon Mission there new action 360 camera , captures in all directions simultaneously , then you can explore every point of view during playback on your smartphone or tablet .

Getting ready for one of my daily presentations at the Sandisk booth .

My friends know my passion for the Award winning HBO show Game of Thrown's , So when I saw this series from the shows set photographer I had to include it in the post , Helen Sloan has one of the coolest Jobs ever . I loved her work on the Nikon booth , I have also included a link to a great article about her Here .

I have been looking into allot of camera options for shooting video and I think I just found my perfect set up at the Zeiss booth , its RED Dragon , and look whats next to it , G- Technology

FUJI NEW MEDIUM FORMAT CAMERA , COME TO PAPA ..

One other of my favorite announcements was from Fuji , they just created the new mirrorless medium camera system, GFX. The first camera in the series, the GFX 50S, will launch in early 2017 and feature a 51.4-megapixel sensor measuring 43.8 x 32.9 mm. Did I also mentions their full line up of six new lenses ???? .

Another cool camera company was DXO ONE , I have there tiny little amazing camera , i take it everywhere I go , and well know I can also take it under water , DXO just launched a series of new acceesories like the Outdoor Shell , waterproof to a depth of 45 meters .

Add caption

DXO ONE booth was super impressive and big for such a little camera .

Sandisk booth where my self and three other Sandisk Extreme Team members had daily presentations

awesome group shot of the entire Koylab family at Photokina .

KOYLAB is always one of my favorite companies and visiting Photokina and not visiting there booth is just not going to happen ever , I worked very hard this year to make a new advertising portfolio and it was amazing to show it off at there booth .

Koylab just launched a very cool product #Quintessence designed by fellow ambassador Pierre Delaunay. Quintessence is Aa very nice way to present your images if your a portrait or fine art photographer . The Box is made of high quality PVC and comes with 10 images and can go up to 30 Prints 15 x15 cm

Its always amazing to see fellow Koylab ambassadors DDIARTE work , I am huge fan but the size and quality of this print was insane , well done Chromoluxe .

So if you got thirsty or wanted to win some amazing G Technology gear you could visit the Red Bull Photography booth.

Look at all the Gtech goodness .

It was amazing to see where technology is taking us creatively . When we talk about cameras in the future , we could be talking about 360- degrees action camera ,a multicopters , a pocket size 4k drone , a robot eye or even just a image sensor on a lens , Some of the biggest surprises at this years Photokina were allot of new concept cameras, Hasselblad revisits its V-system square-format roots with the V1D 4116 Concept, a prototype design for a modular 75-megapixel camera (presumably 6x6 ).

This amazing Hasselblad below , made it back from the moon , and FYI there are still 12 Hasselblad still on the moon . read about that here .

This was cool , the guys at Fstop camera bags were making bags on site . I also captured Sandisk Extreme Team Member and Fstop Guro and my new bestie Liz kreutz giving away Fstop bags with her images on them .

http://shop.fstopgear.com/us/product.html

look at all the beautiful colors from Savage Backdrops If the rainbows of color doesn't inspire you nothing will .

This is one of the most insane set ups in photography , I love my self a good bullet time , I haven't created any images yet using this technique , find out more here . http://timesplice.com

I was first introduced to Pro Media Gear last year at Imaging USA and again at Visual Nation in Chicago where i was a speaker . There are Chicago based family owned company that are creating some pretty amazing gear , This was the first peace of Kit that spoke to me , its the BIC1 MODULAR BALL MOUNTING system for the ice light . small , versatile and super well made . I had to pick one up , if you have more the one ice light its a must .. I couldn't not have left photokina this year with out bringing back Promedia Gear DUO SLIDER , full post on that soon .

If you're a Pro photographer and you shoot advertising , fashion or portrait work I am sure you are tethering , lucky for us Tether Tools helps make our jibs easier . They launched a series of great stuff at Photokina , I liked seeing this set up with there Tether Table Aero System , 3 Legged Thing tripod i think thats 2 generation Eddie , there new Case Air Wireless tethering system and G -Technology AV portable SSd visit there site to find more cool stuff .

I also had to pick up a new Tri pod Abert to be exact from the great folks at 3 LEGGED THING

RED STATION at the Zeiss booth was packed with G Technology storage .

This set up is at the moment my dream set up for Video , Red camera and Zeis cinema lenses .

It was great to Hang out with my good buddy and awesome talent David Newton .

Celebrity Portraits Joao Paulo Rodrigues

2016-10-27T17:07:00.001-04:00

João Paulo Rodrigues is a portuguese TV personality and I had the pleasure of creating multiple images for his new website, CD cover and numerous print promotion materials.

BEHIND THE SCENES with Portuguese TV presenter Joao Paulo Rodrigues from JOAOCARLOSMEDIA on Vimeo.

Bassanti 2016 videos , Behind the Scenes and Campaign .

2016-10-02T16:02:00.003-04:00

Bassanti is the name of a Portuguese couture brand I have had the pleasure of shooting for the past two years.

Bassanti 2016 SS from JOAOCARLOSMEDIA on Vimeo.

Making_of_Bassanti_2016 from JOAOCARLOSMEDIA on Vimeo.

Like last year, and because the clothes are so detailed, I chose to keep the lighting relatively simple, so the focus would be on Bassanti's pieces and nothing else.

This time, though, we had two different setups at the same time: one for stills and one for video. This would allow us to work faster, setting everything up in advance and not having to change the set during the day.

Above is my photography setup for the day. The camera was my Hasselblad H3D39 on a 3 Legged Thing Tripod. As for lighting, I had two Elinchrom 750 Micro as rim lights, one Broncolor Verso A4 on a Beauty Dish for my key light and a Profoto B2 on a Westcott rapid-box for some detail on the hair.

The video setup was lit with two IceLights and we added some smoke for a more dramatic effect.

Whenever possible, I like to shoot tethered. This allows me and the client to review the images in real time and in a big monitor, instead of relying only on the camera's LCD.

My G-Technology drive also comes in handy, allowing me to backup my files instantly. Being shock-resistant is a plus.

Working with a big team can sometimes be challenging but luckily we had a group of hard working people that were always in a good mood.

Hair and make-up are always important, but on this particular day they created some pretty interesting (and time consuming) looks.

The video setup, despite not being overly complicated in terms of lighting, had a lot of moving parts. A lot of people were involved in the making of the video.

Some more BTS images:

I always shoot with a tripod in the studio , when I am working on catalogues and volume jobs its important to keep your images with a consistent point of view . My 3Legged Thing Tripod helps me achieve that .

When ever I have to stop to make lighting ajustmets for example , I have my make up artist do quick touch ups , saves time on both sides .

My 3Legged Thing and Hasselblad

always keep the models in loop to what you are showing , show them the images , this keeps them motivated .

TEAM:

Client: Bassanti

Photography: João Carlos

Video: Pedro Davim

Make-up: Alex Me

Hair: Martine Royale Lisboa

Assistants: Diego Veríssimo and Rita Karayianni

GEAR:

Canon - http://www.canon.com

SanDisk - http://www.sandisk.com

Broncolor - http://www.bron.ch/broncolor/

3 Legged Thing - http://www.3leggedthing.com

Westcott - http://fjwestcott.com

Think Tank Photo - http://www.thinktankphoto.com

G-Technology - http://www.g-technology.com
Savage Back Drops - http://savageuniversal.com/
Hasselblad - http://www.hasselblad.com

Shooting a campaign for Infiniti Europe

2016-08-23T10:52:00.002-04:00

Some Mondays are more interesting than others. Back in November I received an email from a photo producer at Infiniti Europe. This made for a very interesting Monday.

Infiniti is a luxury automobile brand established in 1989. They have a bold vision that breaks away from convention and that is reflected in their distinctive vehicles Q30, Q50 and QX70. They're also expanding to Europe right now -- and I got to shoot their newest campaign in Cascais, Portugal, on December 4, 5 and 6.

Edit_Infiniti_Making_of_45seg_2 from JOAOCARLOSMEDIA on Vimeo.

Most emails start with the client asking for a quote and sending over some reference images of the overall concept. The advert is called DRIVE ON and it's originally meant for post sales media, brochures and flyers. The concept was pretty straightforward: a variety of subjects driving their new cars. The general look and feel was perfect for my style of work so I was excited about the call.

After multiple emails and phone calls, and once the budget was approved, I scheduled a casting for the main models -- there were six different models in total, including two four-year-old twin sisters that were totally adorable. The lighting for the casting was quite simple: I used a Westcott Giant Umbrella and a Profoto B1 because I wanted a big light source so that I would be able to see the models without any dark shadows. I also used a grey seamless backdrop so that all attention would go to their expressions and not be distracted by anything else. Finally, I had the models at the casting use a steering wheel, to get a better Idea of how each model would drive a car and what their hands would look like. I ended up selecting six models in total and had four backup models. Over a hundred and fifty models came to the casting in total.

Below you can see some of the final images. Originally I was supposed to create ten images but I shot some other minor options and variations and they went with a total of sixteen images.

I don't have a behind the scenes image but I can tell you that I used a single Ice Light suction cupped to the front window screen along with a second Westcott Ice light with a blue gel in the back seat.

Behind the scenes stills:

One of the ways to create movement in the image but still capture my subjects driving and frozen was to set up a rig using tubes and suction cups -- I do this all the time when I am filming. I used a Hasselblad H3D 39 with an 80 mm lens, tethered to my MacBook Pro that has two Sandisk 480 Gb SSD hard drives. I also mounted two Profoto B1 strobes to light the inside of the car; the good thing about the B1 off camera flash is that they don't have any cables or cords, making a set up like this possible.

Different angle showcasing my crazy rig.

This is just another angle showing how the suction cups are placed on the moving vehicle.

Close up shows 3 Legged Thing Air Head mounted to the tubes to make it easy to release from this setup and rapidly move on to the next setup. It also helps to be able to adjust my camera on the spot.

Profoto B1: small, compact and versatile.

Another setup: Hasselblad on my 3 Legged Thing tripod. I used a 6 in 1 reflector to diffuse light and I also used the omega reflector to shoot through it -- this made for some beautiful light control inside of the car.

You can just see my Westcott Scrim Jim 2x4 to my left. I use it to shade the model from the sun and then add light using the Omega Reflector.

On location with my G Technology rugged EV. It integrates perfectly into my workflow from on location to the studio.

Above you see my total digital platform: Macbook Pro, G Technology EV rugged and portable battery. When I am shooting with big clients like this, I will also shoot tethered.

This setup is kinda cool and complex. I used a Scrim Jim Cine 4' x 4' 1/2-Stop Grid Cloth Diffuser above the front of the Q70. Then I added a total of four Profoto B1 on C-stands; two with Halo 45 Rounds and one with a Rapid Box 36" Octa XL on a Profoto Speedring. One of the Profoto strobes was kept raw, which made for a great back light in the rearview mirror. I also use I used a second Scrim Jim Cine 4' x 4' 1/2-Stop Grid Cloth Diffuser to block out the sun to have total control inside the car. Let's not forget I have a woman driver (mom character) and one of the daughters in the back seat.

Another interesting setup: we rigged the tubing to the front of the Q50 with suction cups. Since the idea was to shoot at sunset, I tried to use the most natural beautiful light as possible. I also used two Profoto B1 off camera flash with two Westcott Halo 45 Round.

For this setup I just used a Scrim Jim Cine 4' x 4' 1/2-Stop Grid Cloth Diffuser to make the most of the glowing sunset.

Last but not least, this was an interesting shot to create: I used a Westcott Ice Light suction cupped to the front view window and then a Kick Light mounted on the outside windows in the back seat. The Kicks are great because I can control the color temperature my phone, so I added some cool color effects to create more of a mood.

TEAM

Producer & Photography:

João Carlos

Production Manager:

Pedro Davim

Creative Direction:

Garret Murphy, from G-Wizz Agency

Models:

Dani Yordanova - Central Models
Martina Hrenbenyu - Central Models
José Ferreira - Central Models
Paulo Carotini - Just Models

Make up and hair:

Alex Me

Styling:

Alberto da Silva Mendes

Assistants:

Diego Veríssimo
Rui Rodrigues
Paulo Goulart Reis

Digital Assitant

Marta Machado

Behind the scenes video:

Pedro Davim
Rui Rodrigues

Behind the scenes video edit:

Rita Karayianni

GEAR LIST

F.J. Westcott Icelight Bag
2x Westcott Ice Light
2x Icelights Case
2x Westcott Ice Light Power Pack Battery
2x Westcott Ice Light Tungsten Gel
2x Westcott Barn Doors for Ice Light
2x Westcott Tilter Bracktet with brass spigots
2x Westcott Ice Light Two-Way Connector
2x Batteries Chargers
Thinktank Airport TakeOff Rolling Camera Bag
Canon 5D Mark III
Canon 5D Mark II
Canon EF 24mm f/1.4 L II USM
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM
Canon EF 85mm f/1.2 L II USM
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L macro IS USM
Canon EF 70-200 mm f/2.8 L IS II USM
G-Drive ev 1 Tb
2x BlackRapid Strap
ThinkTank ProSpeed Belt
3 Legged Thing tripod
Thinktank DSLR Battery Holder 4
Thinktank Pixel Pocket Holder
Sandisk Extreme Pro CF cards
Sandisk card case
Sandisk microfiber lens cleaning cloth
Hoodman HoodLoupe3 LCD Loupe
Canon Remote Cable
Canon Wireless Shutter Release
3x Canon battery charger

"SHILIN NIGHT MARKET - DISCOVERY A STREET FOOD PARADISE IN TAIPEI " BY JOAO CARLOS at GAT ROOMS HOTEL

2016-08-21T15:08:00.001-04:00

I am super excited to invite all my friends and followers to an afternoon of drinks and photography , join me Gat Rooms Hotels
I will be showcasing one of my personal projects "SHILIN NIGHT MARKET - DISCOVERY A STREET FOOD PARADISE IN TAIPEI " BY JOAO CARLOS
http://hotelgatrossio.com/es/gat-cube
big thanks to Koy Lab for the support .

20 MINUTES WITH ACTOR MIKE STARR

2016-08-20T09:18:00.001-04:00

With the beautiful city of Lisbon as my back drop I had a little under twenty minutes to create a connection with the unforgettably "Mike" Starr for a feature in UP Inflight Magazine , Mike is an American actor. Notable for his large size, standing 6 ft 3 in, and has typically been typecast as a thug or henchman . Thats interesting because Mike is the nicest , down to earth person you would could ever meet ,We connected automatically, it helped that I mentioned I was a fellow New Yorker , I was born in Yonkers NY and Mike was born in Flushing, Queens, we both come from modest working class familes his mom a retail employe and his dad was a meatpacker . Its always important to research your subjects trey and find a connection point that you can use to leverage your shoot .

Mike has been featured in notable films such as Goodfellas, The Bodyguard, Ed Wood, Miller's Crossing, Jersey Girl, Dumb and Dumber, to name a few .

This Wasn't the typical shoot for Up Mag , for starters my editors weren't exactly sure in which two segmentes the interview would go in , so depending on what part of the magazine it ran , They would decide on the type of images , So I had to get two completely diffent light set ups in about under 20 minutes . I arrived at the hotel , about 15 minutes early to give me time to set up and have a quick briefing with the journalist who would be conducting the interview .

I took the opportunity and started setting set up my portable studio so I would be ready to shoot when Mike arrived on set .

This is the same set up I used for Mikes black back drop images . My back drop is Westcott collapsible 6x7 Black/White its portable , versatile and affordable . I almost always shoot portraits with Camera on 3 Legged Thing tripod , I used my Canon Mark III with 85 1,2 L glass , I used shot a series of images while Mike was giving the interview to my jornalist counter part , I shot those images with My Fuji XT-1 and 56 Mm lens .

L'Eté des Portraits exhibition in Bourbon -Lancy France .

2016-08-11T09:43:00.001-04:00

Here are a few images from my photo exhibit in Bourbon-Lancy France. The exhibit it up until September 25th so if you are in France please visit this charming town. Bourbon-Lancy is three hours south of Paris. I was super exited to be invited to participate in the L'Eté des Portraits
.
I was honored to be member of the Jury and had the oprtunity to review so manny amazing images , there were over 300 photographers participating and around 1000 images , I sent a series of 22 images part of my Bassanti Silver edition series , its amazing to see a panel with one meter tall and 25 meters long .

PX3 Silver for my Bassanti Silver Edition! / Honorable Mention for my work Album Tailoring and QEP

2016-07-27T04:22:00.000-04:00

PX3 Silver for my Bassanti Silver Edition!

I am absolutely delighted to share these news about my recent second prize in the PX3 Competition in Paris, France! Needless to say how honoured I am to be included among the other winners, who all submitted great work!
The "Prix de la Photographie Paris" (Px3) strives to promote the appreciation of photography, to discover emerging talent, and introduce photographers from around the world to the artistic community of Paris. Visit http://px3.fr

NAKED ON YOUR LAP COUTURE SAUVAGE a Wearable Art Project by Bassanti BTS from JOAOCARLOSMEDIA on Vimeo.

I also got an Honorable Mention for my work Album Tailoring, a project created with SanDisk and KOYLAB.

if you'd like to see more of the project, be sure to watch these videos:

4K BTS VIDEO SHOT WITH MOBILE DEVICES from JOAOCARLOSMEDIA on Vimeo.

ALBUM TAILORING from JOAOCARLOSMEDIA on Vimeo.

Qualified European Photographer (QEP)

I'm also excited about being awarded the QEP qualification, which I got after the June 13th QEP judging session in Torun, Poland. The images awarded were a selection of 12 images from the Bassanti Silver Edition series.
Check out my FEP Photographer's page here.
The Qualified European Photographer (QEP) qualification aims to recognize and reward excellence in European Professional Photographers.

BEAUTY IS IN THE LIGHT - FROM PREP TO PRINT PERSONAL PROJECTS & SELF PUBLISHING BOURBON - LANCY

2016-06-14T16:00:00.000-04:00

Join João Carlos in Bourbon-Lancy, Monday 11of July at 14 hours.

BEAUTY IS IN THE LIGHT - FROM PREP TO PRINT

PERSONAL PROJECTS &SELF PUBLISHING

PERSONAL PORTRAIT PROJECTS ARE GREAT WAY TO MOTIVATE YOURSELF TO SHOOT MORE PICTURES,

stretch your creativity, experiment with lightning and discover new editing techniques.

Hasselblad Master João Carlos will show you how during seminar talk and pratical on location experience.

Support the causes that are important to you, but how do you find the right ones?

What do you do with the photos once you’ve found the perfect project?

You will learn:

How to confidently approach a stranger and convince them to participate in a shoot.

How to connect with and pose your subjects naturally

Which lenses, camera settings, and light considerations to keep in mind during a shoot

Inventive ways of lighting on location with and without strobes

A fine art, experimental approach to portraiture

How to compose more dinamic photos

How to edit portraits in non-conventional ways with Macphun

and much more....

FIND OUT MORE FOLLOW THE LINK

Giveaways from:

HOLAS SS16

2016-04-18T20:12:00.000-04:00

I'm always excited to develop an image for a company like Holas and for the third consecutive year I've been invited to shoot for the sexy beachwear brand and every year I am able to decipher the creative vision of the brand's creative director. The images were created in studio this year. The brand had three different looks in mind so I used three different lighting setups -- one of them with projected images. Check the behind the scenes video and the lighting setups for further info:

HOLAS SS16 from JOAOCARLOSMEDIA on Vimeo.

This is the first look I want to tell you about: I used two Broncolor lights for this image -- my key light was on a beauty dish and my fill was on a parabolic umbrella.

The beauty dish gives the image some depth while the parabolic umbrella keeps the shadows in check. Take a look at the lighting diagram below:

For the second series of images, we decided to use a projector with images from the collection. It's a pretty straightforward lighting setup but I think the results are pretty cool.

Here are the images:

And the setup:

For the last image, we had to move outside because we were working with water. Again, the setup isn't crazy but I really like the end result.

I used two Profoto B2s for this shot -- one bare and one with a standard reflector. This gave me a hard light with some strong shadows while also highlighting the water drops.

My team for the day:
Photography & Production: Joao Carlos - www.joaocarlosphoto.com
Model - Carlos (Central Models Agency)
Make-up and hair - Alex Me
Assistants - Bárbara Gomes & Rui Rodrigues
Retouching - Marta Machado

Equipment used in the shoot:

Canon - http://www.canon.com
SanDisk - http://www.sandisk.com
Profoto - http://profoto.com
3 Legged Thing - http://www.3leggedthing.com
Westcott - http://fjwestcott.com
Think Tank Photo - http://www.thinktankphoto.com
G-Technology - http://www.g-technology.com