Continuous lighting for studio portraits

New in the studio – these white posing blocks. I know I am late to the game on these, but maaaan, do I love the look of these portraits. This time I decided to use continuous lighting for this photo session. The obvious advantage is that you immediately see the results with any adjustments you make to the lighting. Another advantage of using continuous lights in the studio, is that you can shoot at any tempo without having to consider the recycle time of a flash. There is a disadvantage though in that these lights have less power than studio flashes. So you need to work at a higher ISO and / or wider aperture.

These white posing blocks are from Denny Manufacturing. They are kinda spend, but I couldn’t be bothered making these in my basement.

I lit these portraits with two Amaran 300c LED lights, and Profoto softboxes. I bought Newell mounting adapters (B&H), so that the Bowens mount lights can take any of the numerous Profoto light modifiers in my studio. Scroll down for the behind the scenes / pull-back shot that will show how the lights were placed.

The background is obviously white paper backdrop, but I didn’t specifically light the background. It was just the spill light from the main light, which then means the background went to a gentle grey instead of white.

Camera settings, and camera gear used

• 1/160  @  f/5.6  @ 1250 ISO
• Sony A1  (B&H / Amazon)
• Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM ii  (B&H / Amazon)

The lighting setup is quite straightforward. The main light (on camera right), is a 3ft x 4 ft Profoto softbox with the Amaran 300c LED light (B&H).

The fill light behind her, which is feathered away from her, was set to 25% of full output.  The light modifier on that rim light is a 1×4 Profoto softbox.

The two Amaran LED lights use a Bowens mount, but since I have a boat load of Profoto gear in the studio, I have Newell mounting adapters (B&H) to mount the Profoto softboxes to the Amaran lights.

Related articles

• New Jersey / NJ photo studio rental
• New Jersey / NJ portrait photographer
• Off-camera lighting – continuous light or flash?  (model: Lisa)
• Colorful, dramatic portraits in the studio with continuous / LED lights  (band: Uncured)
• Creative studio portraits with continuous lighting  (two perspectives)

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My favorite infrared B&W photo … so far

This might perhaps turn out to be one of my all-time favorite B&W infrared photos that I have taken. Walking to a restaurant in Manhattan – we were on the shadow side of the buildings, and the light was blue. In other words, “cold” … except for the lights under this awning outside the Metropolitan Club. I immediately noticed these were incandescent lights, and I knew that this would show up as a much brighter splash of light in the frame with the infrared camera.

To the human eye, the entire scene was fairly flat lighting … but the incandescent light allowed the blue-ish tones to fall into darkness because of the lack of infrared light ther

A first photo, with no one in the frame, looked really good. Like a still life shot of this scene in Manhattan. However, when we left the restaurant an hour later, there was a doorman, and a bunch of people walking along the sidewalk. I got this one photo before cars cluttered up the street again.

I love everything about this photo — the composition with that splash of brighter tones, and everything falling into relative darkness because of the infrared sensor of the camera.

Camera settings and photo gear used

• Sony A7ii  – deep infrared / 830nm conversion by Lifepixel)

• Sony 24mm f/2.8 G  (B&H / Amazon)  – no dreaded IR hotspot!

Over the  years I have used a number of different cameras and lenses for infrared – Canon and Fuji, and now Sony. There is one persistent problem with shooting infrared photos – the dreaded infrared hotspot, from how the light reflects internally in the lens. In the past I have had to edit the RAW file and reduce this obnoxious brighter spot in the center of the frame.  But there are lenses that does NOT show that infrared hotspot — and I finally settled on that dream lens for any Sony photographer that shoots infrared. The Sony 24mm f/2.8 G  (B&H / Amazon)

Related articles

• Mirrorless cameras and B&W infrared photography
• New York cityscapes – B&W infrared photographs
• B&W infrared photography – Urban landscapes
• Other examples of digital B&W infrared photography
• Gallery: Infra-Red B&W Photos of New York City

Converting your camera for infrared capture

If the look of infrared photography appeals to you, then you can have your camera converted by Life Pixel. On their website they list all the options, as well as which cameras are suitable, and which lenses might be a problem. There’s a ton of useful information on infrared photography! Check them out.

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The glamorous life as a photographer

While crawling on my hands and knees for nearly 200 ft underneath this platform to run electricity for several timelapse cameras … I had some time to reflect on my life as a photographer. I immediately thought back to a comment my wife made a few years ago. We were huddled under a canopy in the cold rain … where I had cameras set up to do a timelapse of the final event of that year’s New York Fashion Week. The event was on a stage they built for Tommy Hilfiger … and there were a bunch of celebrities around … and on paper this all sounds quite wonderful in a way to be involved in all this … and she turned to me and said, “Working as a photographer isn’t very glamorous, is it?”

Huddled up on the cold rainy night, I had to agree. The results of what we do may all look great in the end, and what is shown on social media and our websites — but the actual *doing* of the work is often well, yes, not that glamorous.

But then, this is what I really wanted to do all along – work as a photographer. But man, I could use a smattering of glitz in my life some days.

For interest’s sake, here is the New York Fashion Week timelapse project that I was involved with.

Other essays and discussions

• Finding your niche in photography … or not
• Having fun with personal photography, to learn and grow
• Inspiration: Be cool, be prepared, be professional
• Photography as meditation
• Posing with your camera?

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How to decide on settings for high-speed flash sync

A sequence of dance photos where I collaborated with Anna Russel, aka PoppySeedDancer. Anna is incredibly athletic in her explosive movements. Amazing experience to work with her. To freeze movement, I was in high-speed flash with the 1/800 shutter speed. Since HSS reduces flash output by 1-2 stops, and with the softbox attached, the flash output was reduced a lot to the point where it was just enough of a fill-flash.

Scroll through the images to get to the last two photos which are the test shots with which I confirmed that I was still getting useful fill-flash at those camera settings.

Camera settings: 1/800 @ f/4 @ 800 ISO

Flash settings: full power (to help overcome the limitation of HSS)

I knew that going in to HSS would limit the amount of light from my flash. Adding to this problem was that I wanted to use a softbox.  So I immediately went to full power on my flash … and then only had to figure out the distance from my flash to the dancer.  Remember, flash exposure is calculated with this acronym: PAID.  Power, aperture, ISO, distance.

When going in to HSS mode with your flash, remember that the shutter speed now becomes a linear control of your flash power, just like aperture and ISO.

In retrospect, I could therefore have bumped my shutter speed to 1/1000 @ f/3.5 … or any similar combination of settings while using a high shutter speed to help freeze her movement.

Please check out this video tutorial about high-speed flash sync (HSS), and why you lose 1-2 stops of light immediately when you go into HSS.

Equipment used (or equivalents)

• Nikon D5 (B&H / Amazon)
• Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8E VR  (B&H / Amazon)

• Nikon SB-5000 flash  (B&H / Amazon)
• Manfrotto 24″ Ezybox collapsible softbox  (B&H / Amazon)

The pullback shots to show the position of the softbox with the speedlight. It is aimed up high for where Anna would approximately be when she leaps.

Two photos to show the effect of the flash – just enough fill flash to lift shadow details where necessary.

Related articles

• Camera & flash settings : high-speed flash sync & off-camera lighting
• Compact, portable off-camera lighting : Profoto A2 flash
• How to position off-camera flash
• Photographing with available light only
• Dance photographer in NYC, New York 

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Using tilt-shift lenses for greater depth-of-field

When you can’t get enough depth-of-field (DoF) with a small aperture, and your subject is more or less on a single plane, (ie, 2D), and focus stacking isn’t entirely feasible, then using a Tilt-Shit lens to control your depth-of-field .might be the solution. This video will show you how that work.

In this video, I used the Canon 50mm f/2.8 tilt-shift lens  (B&H /Amazon) on a Sony A7RivA via a Sigma MC-11 adapter. In the video I also discuss the limitations of using a small aperture for maximum depth-of-field. Here is (in my estimation) the best tutorial on depth-of-field – something we as photographers need to be au fait with. It affects much of our decisions in terms of camera setting. It is also key in understanding what is so magical about a tilt-shift lens when you tilt it to get perfect focus across an entire plane leading away from the camera, whether it is something you photograph as a product photographer, or whether it is a landscape that you are photographing. For such a specialized lens, it has a fairly surprising wide range of application.

Photo gear shown in the video

• Canon 50mm f/2.8 T/S macro lens  (B&H /Amazon)
• Sigma MC-11 lens adapter  (B&H / Amazon)

Related articles

• The best tutorial on depth-of-field  (Cambridge in Color)
• Wikipedia: Scheimpflug Principle 
• Tilt-shift lens vs perspective correction in Photoshop / Lightroom

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When I was contacted by Judge Caposela’s daughter about possibly doing a portrait of him, I knew I would have to create a portrait that has some visual weight. It would have to show the dignity and character associated with his standing. Even more pressure when she told me that a B&W version would be framed and all hang in the entrance of the rotunda in the Passaic County courthouse.

The days preceding this photo session, I worked out in my mind what I would do for the lighting. I wanted somewhat dramatic lighting, but also very flattering. I wanted the lighting to show the gravitas, but still keep it so that the final portrait looks appealing. I took some time in the studio beforehand to figure out a lighting setup and settings for the lights that would create a portrait that would show all this. (There is a description and pull-back shot below.) This is the image that was picked. And I really do like the final result.

There is a story about this specific book. It is a rare collector’s item – a book written by Clarence Darrow, the principal defense attorney in the infamous Scopes trial. (Check out the relevance of this in the Wikipedia article.)

What was it like working with him in the studio? He was one of the nicest people I have met, and it was a real honor to have photographed him.

Camera settings, and camera gear used

• 1/160  @  f/8  @ 100 ISO
• Sony A1  (B&H / Amazon) … because, you know pixels and responsiveness.
• Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM ii  (B&H / Amazon) … because of general awesomeness.

• The main light was Profoto D2 and a gridded Profoto 3-ft RFI Octa Softbox  (B&H / Amazon).  The gridded softbox was at an angle where I liked how contrasty the light was. This light being only a 3-ft softbox, and gridded, meant the light fall-off out be controlled. You’ll notice how the light falls off naturally lower down on the robe. That’s because of this specific light.
• Then, the overall contrast was controlled by the fill light via Profoto D2 – diffused with the huge Profoto 5.0′ RFi Octa Softbox  (B&H / Amazon) to the right and behind me.
• Two rim lights in the back were both with a Profoto RFi 1’×4′ softbox (B&H / Amazon)
• The background light was a bare Profoto B1 flash  (B&H / Amazon) … because I didn’t want to deal with another power cable.

• For videos, follow me on Vimeo / YouTube

Related articles

• Portrait photographer New Jersey
• Studio photography – Working with a large Octa Softbox
• Creating dramatic studio lighting with Profoto A2 flashes

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Crazy, fun New York photo session!

I finally have permission from the client to post this. The photos are of a comedic duo named Ganbareruya, who apparantly is (and I quote) super-famous in Japan. We even had Japanese tourists on the street recognize them.

Their management team (?) found me via Instagram, and was drawn to use me because of the dance photography I regularly posted on Instagram.

The premise was this comedic team, Ganbareruya, would be visiting New York, and meet up with a famous dance photographer (moi?!) who would show them dance moves (again, me, of all people!), and they would try to copy me.

Now if you have ever seen Japanese television — the humor is quite surreal. So these two women would hilariously copy my dance instructions, and I would photograph them … while they purposely misinterpret my instructions … and their team of 5 videographers would do video of this debacle. This would eventually be shown on Japanese TV.

This was a wild event. At some points I was literally shaking with laughter while taking the photos.

What I found interesting in a way, is that despite the craziness of this photo shoot, the photos are somehow still recognizably my style when you look at the use of off-camera lighting, and looking at the composition and framing.

Anyway, here’s to the crazy ones amongst us. Good to have met you!

For cameras, I used two Sony A9ii bodies, each with a dedicated lens on it:

• camera: Sony A9ii  (B&H / Amazon)

Lenses:

• Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM ii  (B&H / Amazon)
• Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM ii  (B&H / Amazon)

For off-camera lighting, the combination of the Profoto B10x and the collapsible Profoto 3ft softbox were instrumental in allowing us to move quickly and be ready quickly. It was also useful when we had to move amongst the crowd in Times Square.

• Profoto B10x flash  (B&H / Amazon) and
• Profoto 3ft octabox (the collapsible one.) (B&H / Amazon)

Related articles

• Times Square NYC photo session – off-camera flash
• Lighting for on-location headshot photography
• Flash photography tip – Start with the ambient exposure  (model: Rozalinda)
• Best camera settings for off-camera flash  (model: Rozalinda)
• Checklist for portrait photography on location  (model: Anastasiya Ana)

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Studio lighting example for pet portraits

Rosa who I have photographed before as model, also lives out her love for cats as a catsitter.  (Check out her Instagram page).  She brought her cat, Happy, in to the studio for a few portraits … but Happy had definite opinions about that! My career as a photographer of cats seems to be off to a somewhat shaky start! He was just being a typical cat – adorable, but with a mind of his own.

In setting up the lights, one of my main considerations, just like it would be when shooting on location, is to make sure I have a background that complements the intended photo. So in this case, I also started with the background splash of light. I took some time to get it at just the right angle, at the right height, with a color that I like.  (I gelled the flash for that orange color.)

Lighting details:

I used (3x) Profoto A2 flash  (B&H / Amazon) for this photo session. Even though I have a number of larger studio flashes, I wanted to see for myself if I could do a really nice portrait lighting setup with these remarkably portable flashes.

There’s a Profoto 2ft Clic Octabox  (B&H / Amazon) on camera-left as main light; and a Profoto 2ft Clic Octabox  (B&H / Amazon) as rim light on camera right. The splash of light on the grey wall in the back, is from the third A2 flash with a gel, angled towards the wall via a boom-arm. I lifted the exposure in the RAW file for that spot so that you can more clearly see that flash.

Camera settings and camera gear used for this sequence of photos

• 1/200 @ f/8 @ 200 ISO

• Sony A1  (B&H / Amazon)
• Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM ii  (B&H / Amazon)

• Profoto A2 flash  (B&H / Amazon)
• Profoto 2ft Clic Octabox  (B&H / Amazon)
• Profoto 2.7 ft Clic Octabox  (B&H / Amazon)
• Clic Creative Gel kit  (B&H / Amazon)

Summary

The Clic system and the flashes are a nice, thorough and portable system, which will see a lot of use.

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Having fun with personal photography, to learn and grow

Having fun photographing people and their crazy hats during the Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival on 5th Ave, Manhattan.

This year I challenged myself in photographing portraits at f/2 only, using the Sony 28-70mm f/2 lens (B&H / Amazon) … and I purposely looking for compositions that worked with the bright overhead sun … still taking care to not lose important elements in the blown highlights. Those constraints did limit who and what I photographed, but I do like the results. I feel that doing this – setting some artificial limitation on the gear I use (or techniques I use), stretches me a bit, and I have to think more about how I approach the topic, and how I photograph any subject. Doing this regularly, helps the entire creative process as a photographer.

I often do this when I have the luxury of not shooting for a professional reason – where I don’t have to deliver to a client’s spec or brief. Where I don’t have to photograph “everything”. For example, two years ago I photographed this same event – the Easter Bonnet Parade, but with only a fish-eye lens.  It makes me look for photo opportunities in a different way.

Camera gear used during this photo session

• Sony A9ii
• Sony 28-70mm f/2 lens (B&H / Amazon)

Related articles

• Photography as meditation
• Photographing with available light only
• Inspiration: Be cool, be prepared, be professional
• Photographer friends, we have work to do, and art to create!

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Dance photography – studio lighting setup

Before we even start discussing this specific studio lighting setup, I might need to quality if by saying this is but one lighting setup of many, many possibilities. The consistent idea behind this (and other lighting setups), is that the lighting should be dynamic — and have that interplay between light and shade that really flatters the dancer, and enhances the mood of what you are trying to capture as the photographer. Ideally you don’t want your lighting to be flat – for me, there has to be at least a little bit of drama to the lighting.

In this photo is Arya, a young ballet dancer, photographed in my studio. She was wonderful to work with, and so athletic. It was one of those times where I got the sense that the person I am photographing will be quite prominent one day.

We used several different lighting setups, to offer her variety in the final images she could select from. I changed the lighting for every outfit she changed.

The lighting setup

Four Profoto D1 flashes (B&H / Amazon) in gridded softboxes, as well as a Profoto A2 and Clickbox on a boom arm above her for, you know, more light.

• The light on camera-right, is a gridded Profoto 1’x6’ gridded strip-box  (B&H / Amazon), set at an angle from above.

• Two Profoto 1’x4’ gridded strip-boxes  (B&H / Amazon) from the side behind, for rim lighting.

• The light on camera-left is a gridded Profoto 3ft Octa Softbox  (B&H / Amazon), on a boom arm.

• The light from above, which was quite necessary even with all the other lights going on, is a Profoto A2 flash  (B&H / Amazon) with a Profoto 2.7 ft Clic Octabox  (B&H / Amazon)

The grids on the softboxes help contain the light so it just hits our subject in a controlled way, and doesn’t spill everywhere.

Something to note — even though we shot on a white paper backdrop, because there is no direct light on the background, it drops to grey. That is something that newcomers to studio photography don’t immediately (and intuitively) grasp — that white background can be all the way from white to white, and every shade of gray in-between … depending on how much light you throw on it.

Camera settings, and camera gear used

• 1/200  @  f/5.6  @ 200 ISO
• Sony A1  (B&H / Amazon) … because, you know pixels and responsiveness.
• Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM ii  (B&H / Amazon) … because of general awesomeness.

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