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Finding, seeing and using the light you randomly find on location…

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When I show up at the brides home for pre-ceremony photos, I look around for creative lighting and posing options. In this example, you can see the light reflecting in my assistant Danielle’s eyes. I spotted that right away, looked to my right and noticed the source. The same light is, in this shot, bouncing off the closet doors to my left.

The main source of this light. I spotted the bannister to the right as a possible option for some creative angles:
I knew I wanted to try some images here with the bride, and planned on shooting from several angles, since the main floor (upper right) would allow me a great place to shoot from. I love finding cool, unusual angles.

Here’s one angle, at eye level…notice the specular highlights in her eyes:

Another example, (the bride is in the exact same place, and this is one of many poses/ expressions) creative angle from up high, shooting just over the bannister:

The thing is, when shooting at a wedding, there’s isn’t a lot of time so I need to work fast, work with what I got and get maximum results.

Yea, yea, I could bring all sorts of studio lighting, or spend hours planning. I want the bride to enjoy the day, not have to sit for too long, and have fun in front of my camera…..

Yours in photography,

Robert Provencher

“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”

 

Learning to “see” the light and create portrait style lighting on location.

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Light is ridiculously simple and infinitely complex all at once. It’s like music, take  a few notes and you can create a masterpiece. But you need to know where you’re going, what you want to create. In other words, mastery. Learning to “see” the light.

Just like learning to play the piano, or the guitar, or the sax, learning light isn’t about buying lights or throwing a flash on camera. When you get to a scene, it’s about seeing what is available and using it, like any tool, and create a masterpiece. Even if it’s a portrait of a two year old. (which also requires an extra dash of timing, luck and patience)

Check it out, from the summer time….two scenes, very similar, where I maximized the lighting available.

We were facing north, and there were some soft streaks of light coming in from behind this scene, creating some “kicker” light:

The final results, almost near perfect studio type lighting. Yes, I did get lucky to some degree, since this was an active two year old. But I had an idea where I was going, what I hoping to achieve, and a willingness to act crazy to get her attention for a nano second. (you won’t have much luck with two year olds unless you’re willing get a little nutty. They “get” nutty…):

Same area, different scene, a younger boy. Arrow on the left indicated where I was standing during the shot. Notice that behind me is the north sky.

Arrow on the right is where the boy is standing. The light coming in from his left, our right, makes for near perfect portrait lighting on location.

80-200 2.8  lens at 200mm, 2.8

Working with lighting on location and “seeing the light” takes time and practice. Force  yourself to see the light, the light source, the possible kicker lights and stop, think, analyze for best results during your on location portrait sessions.

I used to really struggle with this, especially when working with people. I’d get flustered, nervous and couldn’t focus on the job at hand. With time and persistence I feel very confident when working with light.

Yours in success in photography,

Robert Provencher

“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”

“I told you to back off….”

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True story. It was in the middle of the ceremony. Church was packed, bride and groom anxiously waiting to exchange their vows. And the video dude, yea, that dang video dude. The same one I tried to offer some advice the week before: “Try not to get so close to the bride and groom during the ceremony. Besides, you’re blocking my view, and the guests view too.”

My words fell on deaf ears. Here he goes again, in their face.

Then it happened. My perfect “I told you so” moment.

The priest stopped, looked directly at the video guy with a stare that would scare satan himself, pointed and sternly ordered: “I told you to back off.”

I tried to warn him. I did. And I almost felt bad for him. The embarassement must’ve been brutal.

Whenever I am photographing a wedding, I always, always get to the ceremony early enough to have a quick chat with the officiant. This is especially important when it’s at a traditional religious location, say, in  a traditional church. The priests can sometimes be a little ornery, have their ways and rules. Or not. I ain’t taking any chances.

I need to respect them. For the couple too. Who needs an embarrassing moment like the one that video guy tarnished his reputation with?
BUT…there’s always a but….I will sneak onto the altar, or wherever, to “get the shot” when I feel it’s safe to do so.

I don’t like going against the rules. But I will when I feel confident enough I won’t get caught. Makes me feel like a kid again.

In this shot, you can see me clearly trespassing. Over to the left is the back of the priest, busy doling out communion. Stay quiet, get the shot, move on.

No one the wiser. The results….

Yours in photography,

Rob

“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”

Photographing the hockey coach on location

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Hockey is big on our area. Especially Triple A hockey. You can tell when there’s a game on, since most of our downtown will be jammed with vehicles and all parking spots snatched up.

I was hired to shoot the local triple A hockey coach for our local lifestyle mag. They wanted a studio shot. Ugh.I had something else in mind.

Now, this guy did NOT want his pic taken.
When I called him up and scheduled his session, I assured him it would take maximum fifteen minutes.

My hope was, once he showed up at the studio, I could convince him to give me an addition fifteen, but back at the arena. I had a vision and I really wanted to create it.

He said yes. We jumped in our cars and booted out to the arena.

Here’s the area I had in mind at the arena. Got here five minutes ahead of the coach.

I had a small softbox to the left and a kicker light (Nikon SB800 on manual) to the right, on a stand, held by my trusted assistant. Here I am standing in for the coach:

Coach shows up, here’s a pull back shot showing the kicker to the right:

Final shot below.
ISO 800 5.6 at 1/80th of a second. Nikon D800.14-24 2.8 lens at 14mm

Final image used on the front cover. Sadly, they cropped it in a little too much for my taste. It lost some of the “grandeur” that the original image and vision contained.

 

High School football senior lighting

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Someone asked about intense lighting for a high impact football themed portrait. Here’s my lighting layout. Very simple, two kicker lights, one main light nice and low. A background light and grid with red gel adds  a sprinkling of color.
Straight out of the camera:


Final poster:

Here’s my version of the lighting and a quick video explaining the photoshop workflow.

“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”

High speed synch and off camera flash portraits..using the Sony A7R and Sony flash

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Of course, this will work with any brand, Canon, Nikon, or any system that allows high speed synch.The goal is to use flash outdoors in bright light, and set the aperture as wide as possible. This creates a painterly, beautiful soft background with separation and bokeh. Controlling the light is also a benefit by adding reflectors and and over head scrim to “subtract” the light.


ABOVE: Using my Sony A7R, 85MM Batis 1.8 lens, the HVL-F60M Sony flash with small soft box and onboard the camera is the much smaller, but used as commander, Sony HVL- F32 flash, all set to high speed synch.

Shutter speed at 1250th of second. ISO 100 at 2.2


I added  a “canopy” over top. This is inspired by the Fuzzy Duenkel “subtractive” lighting strategy.

And one small reflector, as noted above, on the ground to kick in a little more specular highlights in the eyes.


I talk more in depth on this lighting scenario, and many others, in all my monthly lighting mastermind meetings.

Go here for members access.

Yours in success in photography,

Robert Provencher

“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”

Light is light…

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Light is light. I’ll take it any way I can get it. What matters is the end results. Case in point, a recent wedding.
I noticed the windows facing west in the reception hall. Looks like a huge softbox.

See two images below:

My plan, which I executed right after supper, was to grab the brides maids, and the bride and groom, and capture some extra images using this light source.

Sony A7R, Batis 85MM 1.8 lens shot at 1.8

ISO?? Who knows….I use auto ISO when necessary.

I’ll take the light anywhere I can find or. Or, I’ll bring my own…

Also, last week I had Ricky Miles, originally from Venezuela, now settling down successfully in Columbia, on a Frontline webinar….his story and his photography, photography marketing is amazing. You’ll learn tons!

CHECK IT OUT
Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer

“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”

Join us…Content, Coaching & Community

Playing with fire…

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On the beach in Tamarindo, Costa Rica….I set up a shoot with the fire guys.

These dragons can often be seen putting on shows around town at various restaurants.  They tell me they also do a lot of weddings and corporate gigs, as well as travel all over the world competing.
Serious stuff. Good people to be affiliated with.

The lighting is simple. Two Nikon SB800’s and one on camera that is primarily used to fire the two flashes on the stands as shown. That’s Tina, my wife, off to the left.

Both flashes off camera are set to optical slave. I slowed the shutter speed down to 1/80th of second in order to bring in the ambient light and distant sunset. ISO500

Straight out of the camera:

Yours in photography,

Rob