Yeah…yeah…I know. Been forever since I posted on here. Just have had little to no motivation to sit and write as of late. But a few new posts in the works coming soon. Actually the next couple of posts will be some insights on event photography as I will be covering the annual History Uncorked event at the Heinz History Center once again this year.
For this post though I thought I would share a recent experience from a photo shoot. Perhaps you would call it a startling revelation…but probably more accurately would be a “well duh!” moment. I am doing a photo shoot in the studio that I have access to with a young model in vintage wardrobe. I have a vision for a shot next to a window with her vintage-looking gloves against the glass and using the nice white vintage looking walls with wood slats as a nice compliment. Model is in position. Lighting is set up (Alien Bee 800…my go to lighting in studio). And BLAH! Lighting looks flat and bright and terrible. Everything is looking like…well…like it is lit with a big powerful flash. No moodiness. No drama. Nothing special about the photo.
No problem, shoot it through a big piece of translucent paper that is hanging there from a past shoot. BLAH! Feather the light. BLAH! Shoot through a soft box. BLAH! Change the angle. BLAH BLAH! Nothing is working. I am getting frustrated. Model probably impatient. Deep breath. Walk around. Clear the mind. Think. And then a small voice in the back of my head whispers these words of wisdon, “sometimes less is more!” Turn off the light, set to aperture priority, just use the natural light streaming through the window. BINGO!! Here’s the results (click on a photo to see more photos from this shoot).
