with Ed Verosky
There’s no doubt that light modifiers are extremely useful for controlling the look and behavior of flash. Manufacturers are constantly coming up with new ways to snoot, spot, diffuse, bounce, color, and ring-light a basic flash unit. It’s gotten to the point where you rarely see anyone use a speedlite (or speedlight) these days [...]
One of the chapters in my new eBook, Taking Your Portraiture to the Next Level II, is about how to approach self-assignments. Self-assigned art projects are a great way to get yourself out of a creative rut and stretch your imagination. If all you’ve been shooting lately are senior portrait sessions or weddings, it might [...]
The look of the old Pictorial photographs from Stieglitz and Gertrude Käsebier and some of the old Hollywood glamour portraits from George Hurrell were the inspiration for the two images below. Actress, Dina Massery dropped by so we could do some creative work together, and we decided to head out to the craft shop nearby [...]
This combines a silhouette and translucent screen shot. It’s interesting because the model is not only backlit, but partially illuminated from the front, via the bounce back lighting off the material between the her and the camera. This gives us an unusual combination of detail in some areas, and “floating” silhouette in others. I hung [...]
Whether it’s boudoir or glamour, an editorial shoot, a band publicity photo, or a product shot, when it comes down to it, it’s all really just portraiture to me. When I shot the promotional photos for Andrea Marie & The Magnolia Band, it was probably no surprise to them when I asked the members to [...]
Some time ago a local vintage clothing shop asked me to shoot a few fun, colorful shots for some postcard promos announcing a change in ownership. One of the ideas was to use the actual storefront in the background. I’d have to contend with the bright Texas sunlight. Instead of my typical umbrella setup, I [...]
I recently received a question from a reader asking about some advice I give in 100% Reliable Flash Photography. In the sections covering outdoor work, I suggest Aperture Priority Mode (Av) for most shooting situations. He wondered if I always shoot that way, my being a professional and all, since he’s read that “real photographers [...]
Editorial shoots can be lots of fun. Especially when your subjects are willing to have fun with the process. Because time and budgets are generally limited, I try to go in with as little gear as possible and get as many different shots as I can in 15-30 mins. One assignment was to photograph Randall [...]
A friend of mine was on her way out to celebrate her birthday when I asked her to pose for a quick portrait. She sat on her bed and I used one of the techniques I detail in my ebook, 100% Reliable Flash Photography. In just a couple of minutes we got a variety of [...]
This is a shot I do in about one-third of my boudoir sessions. I consider it to be a glamour/boudoir hybrid shot. Boudoir in the sense that the subject is presumably in a bed and in lingerie (sometimes topless), and Glamour because it’s essentially a broadly lighted beauty shot, rather than a more dramatically illuminated [...]
