Busy, But Did 3 Shoots

It's been a busy couple of weeks, so I haven't been able to contribute to my blog as I want.  Anyway, as you know from my earlier post I purchased some upgraded lighting and modifiers for the studio.  I've had a chance to use the new equipment 3 times over the past week.  I did 2 lighting test shoots with models I will be working with again in the near future (at least one of the models), and a full shoot with another model.  Not only did I get a chance to try out my new kit, but also work with 3 models I haven't worked with previously. 

 

I'll make a more formal post ASAP, but bottomline, the new Elinchrom and Rotalux equipment is uber.

 

Teaser photos from the shoots

 

Lighting test with model Cecilia Hernandez - won't be able to shoot with her again as she was just signed by BMG

Lighting test with model Laine Lindsey

Model shoot with Cynthia Cai

 

Shannon Barry Photoshoot

Model Shannon Barry

 Did a photoshoot recently with model Shannon Barry.  The goal was to work on some lighting techniques, but also give a photographer friend a chance to work with me on a model shoot.  I put a call-out for a model and Shannon agreed to work with me.  We agreed to her fee and off we went.

As normal I sent a written summary of the theme, lighting technique I wanted to try, and that I would be working with another photographer.  For this shoot we would be doing 3 sets.  The first in the industrial side of M10 Studio.  A second with spot lighting on a couch and lastly a fashion styled shoot against a Savage Seamless Background Paper fashion grey sweep.  All shots were going to be shot in RAW, but processed in black & white.  Since I didn’t hire a MUA for this session I discussed makeup plans with Shannon along with the clothes to bring.  I shared the same information with my co-photographer so he would know the concept.  Good to go.

Because we were shooting in the industrial space I loaded all of my camera gear, light meter, reflectors, stands, extension cords, etc. onto a studio cart.  Key lighting was from an Elinchrom D-Lite 4 with a softbox on a Manfrotto rolling light stand boom. All shots were taken with my Nikon D600 and either my Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 G-ED VRII or Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.4G prime

We set up in a very gritty part of the building for the first shoot.  The idea was to create a light “trap” for the shoot.  I aimed and metered the light at a specific location.  I then had Shannon walk into the light and when she got into the right spot I fired off 2-3 images.  I wanted the effect of her walking along a gritty back alley.  Got some cool effects.  I couldn’t resist myself and also had her do a few poses in the same location.  While in the back I showed the other photographer what I was doing and let him shoot an equal number of photos.

After about 45 minutes we went back to the studio.  I had originally planned to use a beauty dish on an Elinchrom D-Lite 4 set at the lowest power to give a spotlight effect on Shannon while she was sitting on the couch / on the floor leaning against the couch.  I was going to shoot the images with the studio light off.  This didn’t work.  The light was too diffused so I didn’t get the desired spotlight effect.  No dramas, I switched to a simple Nikon SB-600 speedlight with a HonlPhoto ¼” Speed Grid and a second Nikon SB-600 set at low power hand held aimed in various locations.  Both speedlights were triggered with my Elinchrom EL-Skyports.  This worked great.  I put the gridded speedlight on a boom and moved it around as needed.

I had Shannon switch into black tee, black tights and long black boots along with dark sunglasses.  A cool vibe.  Smoky club meets Terminator. 

Finally, I switched Shannon over to a Fashion Grey sweep and we did directed and free formed posing.  This was done with my Elinchrom D-Lite 4 mounted in an Elinchrom beauty dish.  Taking tips I picked up a few weeks ago I used a number of sheets of black foam core mounted on lightstands to prevent light bouncing back onto Shannon.  I wanted to maximize the lighting contrast.  I light this lighting setup and I think we got solid results.  

During the studio part of the shoot ½ of the time was spent showing my co-photographer how I was shooting, how I was setting my camera settings, how a light meter worked, how to position lighting, etc.  It was fun to talk through what I normally just do in my head from experience.  Overall, a fun shoot with an excellent model.

Tips for my next shoot:

• If you are doing a lighting “trap” make a mark someplace on the ground to watch.  When the subject gets to the mark that’s when you take your photos.  I had a few where I shot too early or too late…thus the value of burst mode,

• Use manual focus set at the “trap” spot.  Because the location was fairly dark – as I wanted – the auto-focus lagged even though I shot with top notch glass.  At the wider aperture that meant I had a few out of focus shots.  Shift in manual and focus on a prearranged location.  Problem solved,

• Play with your lighting.  When I did the couch shots and for the first 15 minutes I thought I wouldn’t be able to get the look I wanted with the Elinchrom even at the lowest power.  I thought, “might as well try a speedlight” and this worked great.  Play with your lighting.

• If you are shooting with studio strobes out of studio and without portable rechargeable batteries make sure you know where the plugs are in advance.  I did this and was glad I did.  Some of the plugs in the industrial space were not hot.  I avoided spending lots of time finding juice.

• If you are shooting with someone else walk them through everything.  This was half the fun.

Model Shoot at M10 Studio - Katie Willock

Model - Katie Willock, MUA - Sasha Star

Had a nice time photographing new model Katie Willock today at M10 Studio.  Got a chance to work with my favorite MUA, Sasha Star for the shoot.  We did 3 different chothing changes, and 3 different backgrounds.  A TV Grey seamless sweep, a black backdrop mounted on a C-Stand, and a group of fashion magazine photos taped to the studio wall.  Lighting consisted of a single Elinchrom D-Lite 4 on each setup with different modifiers and aperture settings.  Metered most shots to f/8 to f/11. 

Stay tuned for a more detailed post!

Nikon D600 & Wendy

Indianapolis model Wendy Pund recently did a photo session with me at M10 Studio.  It was an enjoyable shoot and Wendy is top notch.  Tall with skills.  The goal of the shoot was to work with my new Nikon D600 for the first time in studio under controlled lighting.  As you know from previous posts I’ve used my “trusty” Nikon D300s for several years.  The primary difference is moving to a full frame sensor versus the D300s crop sensor.

Verdict, both Wendy and the D600 are great to work with.  Wendy, well, she’s fun to chat with and is good in front of the camera.  The Nikon D600 is a solid, well priced FX camera.  It has the form factor of the Nikon D7000 which means it’s smaller than the D300s.  It’s going to take time getting use to the button and menu configuration.  On the positive side all of my professional lenses now have the correct focal length in camera.  My AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II is now perfect in studio.  On the D300s the crop factor made the longer focal lengths unusable in studio.  My AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G prime is now a true “nifty fifty”.

The focus on the D600 is extremely fast and precise, and the low light capacity is uber.  This is a good feature for me as I still like to shoot after dark city scenes for fun.
 

Anyway, back to the shoot.  The session with Wendy was primarily portrait work.  No specific theme this time out.  Therefore, the lighting setup was straight forward.  I photographed Wendy against a fashion grey sweep background.  Two Elinchrom D-Lite 4it studio strobes triggered with my Elinchrom SkyPort triggers were the primary lights.  Normally, one D-Lite as a key light and the second as needed for fill.  I also used a Nikon SB-600 speedlight occasionly to add light to the background.  We also did several shots against a black background.
 

In post processing I’ve not yet taken advantage of the larger file size.  Initial testing did prove images can be cropped or magnified more aggressively while maintaining the image quality.  However, the focus of the shoot was not on the post processing, but the ergonomics of the camera and the ease of use.

The following are some key take-aways about the camera: 

·       I’m not use to the smaller camera size.  Understand, I have used a vertical battery grip on all of my Nikon DSLR’s in the past.  I’m going to need to get one for the D600 pronto.  With a long lens (i.e. Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED or Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8) the camera is not balanced.  It feels off front heavy in my hand,

·       The multi-selector dial on the back of the camera is too small, and is not as responsive.  This is a pain,

·       The burst rate is slower than the D300s.  However, for my photography style that really isn't a problem,

·       In manual mode I constantly and accidentally hit the Main Control Dial with my thumb and changed the shutter speed without knowing.  It always seemed I nudged it to a higher shutter speed.  Possibly when I add a vertical grip this will go away.  This was the most annoying issue so far with the D600,

·       I was use to the ISO &WB control being on the Mode Dial on the D300.  Now the buttons are secondary functions on the back buttons.  Strange.

·       I’m still trying to remember how to change the focus point settings,

·       I love FX.  I’ll use my D300s as a backup but, as they say, once you go FX you never go back.  They say that, right?

·       The monitor is big and bright, 

·       I like the modes on the Mode Dial versus the configuration on the D300s via a button / dial setup,

·       I like the larger file size.  The file size is in the Goldie Locks zone, “just right”?

·       The battery drain rate stinks.  The battery is different from my D300s, so I'll either need to get a vertical battery grip or a second battery,

·       I like the higher usable ISO.  I still do lots of low light photography so 6400 is my new best friend.  

Bottomline, I still need to develop my muscle memory with the D600, but so far I like what I see.  Oh yes, props to Wendy for working with me.  She will be hired again.

Dean & Abigail Shoot

I know local photographer, Dean Scott, and I am Facebook friends with a local model, Abigail Duff.  Dean visited our M10 Studio’s First Friday event last month.  During his visit I gave him a tour of the complex where  he expressed an interest in shooting there.  No problems, just let me know.  I like his work / style so I figured it would be a good learning experience for me as well to watch him work.

We caught up at a recent Creative Meet-up in Indianapolis and he said he wanted to shoot.  I said sure, so we had a gig.  My plan for the shoot was to let him use the studio as a place to store his kit / give Abigail a place to change and escort him while in the building.  I also volunteered to handle lighting, help him set-up, but he really didn’t need the assist.

I’ve not photographed Abigail, but have seen her images online and others have said she’s great to work with.  I was therefore excited to work with Dean and meet with Abigail, and even take a few shots.

Dean & Abigail arrived on time and we got going.  Dean had a really interesting setup for his kit.  He does most of his model work outside of studio, so he organized all of his studio lighting, modifiers, camera & accessories packed in a large roller case.  He replaced the case’s small plastic wheels with large “all terrain” wheels.  Quite the setup.  At minimum he had: 

·         Alien Bee B800 studio light

·         Alien Bee B1600 studio light

·         Paul C Buff PLM umbrella

·         35” Octabox with G35 grid

·         Large beauty dish

·         Vagabond mini battery

·         Miscellaneous Pocket Wizards

·         Sekonic L-358 FlashMaster light meter

·         Nikon D7000 

Dean had a portable studio, and it was clear he had worked this kit before.  He was able to set it up and break it down quickly.  Abigail also came prepared with multiple changes of clothes and shoes.  Nice thing the studio has a place to hang clothes!

Dean & Abigail did 4 sets.  One in the middle of a large space with natural light flowing in.  All industrial, all gritty.  The next was against a large unfinished wall with the aluminum stud supports exposed.  I gave Dean a recommendation to move the one Alien Bee B800 with the gridded Octabox camera left and close to Abigail.  The idea was to get some hard shadows.  Worked out great.  I asked if I could take a few shots using the lighting setup (borrowed a PocketWizard) so I stepped in for a few minutes.  I used trusty Nikon D300s my new AF-SNikkor 70-200 f/2.8G VRII.  That lens is AMAZING.

Shadows & Pink Shoes

After a change of clothes the next shoot was in a utility room.  The room was dark, dirty and HOT.  Dean set up one Alien Bee with the grid as the key light and the other with a large blue gel camera right behind Abigail as a modifier.  The idea was to cast a blue color on the industrial panel.  Abigail did a nice job posing and getting in position to maximize both the key light and the reflected blue light.  Once again I stepped in after Dean was finished and took multiple shots of Abigail in the same setting.

Blue Wall & Pick Shoes

Finally, we had Abigail change clothes and we headed upstairs.  It was really dark and Dean wanted to minimize the use of the studio light.  The idea was to shoot from a low vantage point and get some of the empty ceiling tiles in the shot.  Created a very dark / edgy look.   I took a turn in this setting also without the studio light.

Upstairs - available lighting, high ISO, converted to B&W

We were done and headed back down to the studio to cool down and pack up.  Before we wrapped up, Abigail volunteered to let me shoot a few shots of her against a white seamless.  Nice.  

Abigail in studio - shot against white seamless

Overall, I think both Dean and Abigail had a good time, and some good photographs.  I also was able to grab a few images myself, although I was a photographer’s chaperon versus a primary shooter.  A fun times.  Highly recommend Abigail Duff, and if possible I’ll hire her for a normal shoot in the studio.

A few thoughts: 

·         Dean and Abigail really didn’t need me hanging over them, but I was the host so I was at their leisure.  The idea is if you let someone use your studio, even if it’s not in the studio make sure they feel welcome.

·         Bring rags when shooting in an industrial / gritty setting.  Abigail got pretty messy during the shoot in the utility room and luckily I brought a small rag and some water.  She was able to generally clean up after that part of the shoot.

·         Always be prepared to shoot.  I honestly didn’t think I would be taking any photographs, but I was able to, and I’m glad I did.  Abigail is top notch and I really liked to results.

·         Pay close attention to how other photographers shoot.  I spent most of my time watch Dean’s shooting style and lighting setup.  I also watched how he worked with the model.  Some good tips on compact lighting setup.

·         Bring a fast lens.  I had a pro f/2.8 and in some settings I was still shooting wide open.  Dean had a variable aperture lens and he had to crank down his shutter speed and increase his ISO to get tack sharp. Not a problem with the studio lights, but available light was a problem.  A wider aperture gives you more flexibility

·         Get everyone’s contact information – man, I didn’t get Abigail’s.  Wait, that doesn’t sound right, having a guy asking a gal for her number…. 

Shadow Play

Did a “themed” photoshoot with local model Amanda Veldkamp, and local photographer Faith Blackwell at the Stutz Building in Indianapolis.  Great times!  The theme was Shadows.  The idea was to use low light combined with single or multiple speedlights or monolights to create various shadow effects.

I spent hours researching ideas to shoot, lining up the model, planning the makeup (I know, I know sounds silly for a guy to worry about a model’s makeup, but hey got to get the right effect) and arranging the studio.  All came together smoothly, and we started up on time. 

I brought massive amounts of kit with the idea of covering everything.  Once again, as with other shoots I brought way too much equipment.  Oh well, I used to be a Boy Scout, so I wanted to be prepared.  Here was a condensed version of the kit I brought:

• 2 x Nikon SB-600 speedlights
• 2 x LumiQuest Softbox III
• 2 x Elinchrom D-Lite 400 monolights
• 2 x Elinchrom softboxes
• 1 x RPS Studio Softbox RS-4030
• Elinchrom Universal triggers & receivers
• 2 x Manfrotto 5001B lightstands  with the kit for the speedlights
• Various HonlPhoto snoots & flags for the speedlights
• 3 x DIY gobos for the softboxes
• Lastolite Professional TriGrip Reflector
• Nikon D300s
• AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
• AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G prime
• AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G prime
• Tokina AF 12-24mm f/4 AT-X Pro DX
• AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D
• Assorted accessories

I know, I’m exhausted too.  You guessed it I used only a portion of the kit.  I ended up using the speedlights, the RPS Studio Softbox, the snoots & the Elinchrom triggers.  I used my Nikon D300s and the Nikkor 24-70mm almost exclusively.  Now get this people, I also brought an old school Nikon F50 SLR film camera mounted with the 85mm lens.  I shot a roll of B&W film with it.

All shots with the D300s were taken in manual setting.  I started off at 1/160 of a second shutter speed, ISO 400 and aperture set at F/8.  I also set my exposure compensation + 0.3 – 1.0 throughout the shoot.  I found I adjusted the shutter speed and aperture as needed, but kept the ISO fixed throughout the shoot.  We did 4 series, 3 in the studio and 1 in the hallway.  

The first shoot in studio consisted of 1 speedlight with the RPS softbox mounted and a snooted speedlight projecting a light circle behind Amanda against the background.  The background was made of fashion magazine pages taped to the wall.  We moved the softbox around camera right, front and left to get the shadows we liked.  Directing Amanda the entire time.

The next series was the same setup, only without the snooted speedlight but this time against a plain white background.  I won’t go into the details because the light was too bright (very large windows) and I couldn’t get usable shadowing that appealed.

Final studio setup was against a black background which blocked most of the windows.  I used the speedlight/RPS softbox setup camera left.  Again, no kicker or snooted strobe to add any lighting effects. 

The next setup was to move into the bowels of the building and shoot in a VERY dark, long hallway.  It was very industrial, but my type of place.  We had Amanda switch out of a tee-jeans combination into a black dress.  Good choice since it added to the atmosphere.  Also, I didn’t want a pretty girl look, so I asked Amanda to muss up her hair and give me a bit of attitude.  Jackpot people, she was picture perfecto.

All shots in the hall used either the single speedlight / RPS Studio softbox setup, or a single snooted speedlight.  All lighting was off camera with the speedlights mounted on the Manfrotto lightstands.  In ALL of the shots we manually set the speedlights adjusting the power up or down to taste.  We also moved the lighting around to get the desired effect.

The hall shots worked the best for me.  As you might have guessed from earlier posts I like the darker images.  I got a number of great shots in this series.  Also, for the last 30 minutes or so I asked Amanda to get on the floor and prop her legs up against the metal doors, or sit and do various poses.  The floor was cold, but she was a true pro and worked the set very well.  I really liked the shots on the floor.

All-in-all we ended up spending close to 3 ½ hours and took away approximately 500 images.  My shooting partner, Faith, did an equivalent amount.  The entire day was great fun and I ended up with really nice images.  I will definitely do this again.

My after action report:

·         Plan ahead and don’t bring unnecessary kit.  I knew I was going to move around and take different types of shots so I came prepared.  Honestly I could have left ½ of the kit at home

·         Plan your photo style and what you want in advance, but be very flexible.  I had a general idea what I wanted (I bought sketches and sample photos), but after about the 2^nd series I went off script which worked great.

·         Experiment with light.  We tried all types of shadows and I was surprised how hard it was to get the right look. 

·         Plan out the details with your model in advance including time, fee, makeup, clothes, etc.  I wanted to make sure Amanda was prepared.

·         If you don’t have a Nikkor 24-70 F/2.8, do yourself a favor and go get yourself one.  It will set you back, but you will thank me.

Zombies and Beauties Were Everywhere

Playing around today with my camera.  Went to the annual 4-day gamer fest in Indianapolis called Gencon.  Gencon is billed as the largest "gaming" convention in the United States.  It takes over the Indiana Convention Center, and all the hotels, bars and restaurants in downtown Indianapolis.  It's 4 days of non-stop gaming, role playing and dressing up.  It's 24/7 game time.

This year I went to shoot everything in site. Not to worry, zombies, the only weapon I was carrying was my camera.  The good thing about this type of shoot is that it's just for fun.  No thinking, just put your camera to P, mount an on camera flash and shoot away.  I simply wanted to capture the sites of the fun-fest.  Now if only I could get some of these characters to participate in a real photo session...

Enjoy

A Strobist's Night Out

photo credit to Ashley Adcox

In an earlier post I detailed the photoshoot a group of Indianapolis photographers and models did at the Stutz Building. I organized the shoot through the Flickr Indianapolis Strobist group. A great time. Thought I would post the team picture. From left to right are: Faith Blackwell (her studio was our base of operation), Amanda Jo Welch (model), Olivia Ogden (model), Ashley Adcox, Bovary (model), Diablo (model), Steve Griffey, yours truly (in the RAW t-shirt) and Paul D'Andrea.  Photographers Lora and Dave Olive not present for the photo.

I can't wait until we do this again. It's a strobist's dream date.