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Using the Goddox AD600BM and AD200 on location

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I like these lights. They feel well made and rugged. Like me.

And I don’t need to get a mortgage or sell my soul. Hopefully they’ll last too. Like me. (not my hair)

I bought the Goddox AB600BM, which is 100% manual, and softbox, to use on families, weddings and shoots like the one I’m showing you in this post.

It’s an amazing system. All radio signal controlled from the camera. Even though the 600 is not the TTL version, I prefer dialing in my output and figuring out exposure from the camera. It’s a fast, easy and versatile system.

One thing I do wish it had was the ability to switch to optical slave when needed. Why? If the radio thingie quits, I could manually fire these using an old school on camera flash or similar. I acquired a second “back up” transmitter…just in case.

The 200 I purchased back in May. Sorta my foray into this flash system.

 

 

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Back in April during the Lighting Mastermind we talked about the Goddox system, specifically the 200. For members HERE

Last week I dug deeper into using the newly acquired 600BM and showed you many examples from real paying gigs using real paying clients….families, executive…mostly families. That replay is HERE

Here’s a summary of the executive shoot. The set up…

The results:

Before shooting I had my assistant, Brent, aka the grunt, check on the reflection while firing the main.

These were shot outside, sorta in open shade. High speed synch with a very wide aperture around 2.8. Using the 85mm 1.8 Batis lens created a smooth and much desired background. Shutter speed? Who knows. It was plenty fast to let me hand hold and I simply “dialed in” the best speed for ambient light exposure. All possible with the high speed synch feature.

I love this system, plain and simple.

A few more from this shoot and a few other family shoots that I dug into during the July Lighting Mastermind presentation.
More to come…stay tuned.

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

 

Let there be light… and let there be profits

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Join us and learn, prosper…Lighting Mastermind presentaion

Monday, July 16th at 8:00PM EST… REPLAY HERE

One thing that separates  me from other photography coaches and mentors is the fact that I am in the struggle everyday. Like many of you. I feel your pain, your joy and I like it when we all succeed.

With that success must be profits. Or we’re just playing at a hobby.

When I run a presentation on lighting, I like to show real legitimate money making scenarios from real paying clients. Whenever possible.

Sometimes I find a new or interesting lighting strategie can be evolved into my day to day studio. If not, I ain’t that interested except for rare exceptions like the few times I went out and tried my hand at astro photography for the fun of it. Something cool about being out in the forest at 2:00AM….but it stops there. I have bills to pay.

In that spirit tonight’s lighting mastermind includes a variety of lighting, and posing examples that I will dig into.

Including:

Classic executive headshots on location….

Family portraits on location using the Godox AD 200 and AD600….or, all natural light…

Three brothers…..

Using the Godox high speed sync for executive portraits on location….
and more..

Join us and learn, prosper…

Monday, July 16th at 8:00PM EST… REPLAY HERE

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

 

How to cheap out on lighting…

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SO I’m working on a coffee table book with a local restaurant. This is for a great cause and should give me oodles of exposure, plus a warm fuzzy feeling.

I’m truly honored and excited.

When we sat down to discuss and figure out the details, which are far from figured out, I thought about what style, what look I wanted to bring to this project.

I keep going simple, straight forward, “coming out of the shadows” so to speak. The cause is epilepsy and is way bigger than folks are aware of. That photo below is my first test shoot.

One photographer who’s look inspired me is Chris Knight.

You may recall this young dude. I interviewed him a few months ago.

I also reviewed his book HERE

I swiped his look, so to speak, best I could. Simple, clean, powerful.

EXCEPT….(you knew that was coming, didn’t you….)…except I used a $6. LED light from the hardware store. Not a million dollar profoto what’s it called light thingie.

ME thinks it works. Again, see image above. The graphic designer who I am also working with loves it. All is good.

I talk in greater detail on my el cheapo approach, as well as an update on using the Goddox AD200 in the field on portrait and wedding shoots, and some of the limitations and complications arising from this amazing little light.

All that and more in the replay of the May 2018 Lighting Mastermind HERE for members

Non members can watch the replay HERE

See you on the inside.
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
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Wanna dance?….and make some sales with dance school photography….

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Two webinars, two photographers, two systems for dance photography sales and success. If you were around last month we had Nancy Tillberg join us with her take on dance school photography she calls “Boutique Volume…”

Her system is meticulous and tight, and it works. She goes against the grain on what many would think is the “right” way to do volume…let alone boutique volume. But then again, she’s a retired forensic photographer…she can see things the rest of us mere mortals can’t.

If you’re a member of noBs photosuccess™ you can watch the REPLAY HERE

And there’s Warne Noyce and Paula Moon who started their studio a few years ago in a town where no one knew them. They quickly grew because of smart and innovative marketing. AND, their dance school business sky-rocketed.
We had Warne on a webinar. REPLAY HERE for members.
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

Photography lighting tip: When “idiot” lighting works….

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Photography lighting tips from the trenches

Some of the best photography lighting is also some of the most basic lighting.

Two lights, one on either side, both with the same, or near same output. Wash the subject with light.
Kinda flat, kinda boring….

We used to call this idiot lighting. Maybe we still do, as offensive as that sounds.
The truth is, there’s a time and place for it. And I use it often enough.

The key is to know when and where. For me, I use it when I need properly exposed images and I have very little time, and the lighting and scene available is tricky. A wedding is a great example. Or, in a small location shooting families at a house.

Likewise, when I’m shooting a large family, I don’t want to fuss, just get the job done, done right, I will use this lighting.

To rely on this lighting and only this lighting is very limiting however. I suppose this is where and when “idiot” applies. Being able to create portraits using a main and good use of shadows is key to being diverse and creative.

Here’s an example I will be showing in an upcoming  Lighting Mastermind
(LIGHTING MASTERMIND REPLAYS ARE HERE FOR MEMBERS)….from a  fall in-home session:

Two lights, small softboxes each  a Nikon SB800 set to manual, same output. Also set to optical slave, a flash on camera with a weak output, bounced, to fire these flashes.
The results…..Sony A7Rii 16-35 lens set to 35mm. f4 ISO400 1/60th second on a tripod.
And some fun shots of the kids…same lighting all throughout this session:

I will also use this lighting outdoors, during a wedding, especially for the formal portraits with the family.

These shots are there to document the family, and I often have little time.

Same exact lighting as above. We’re in open shade, but there was not enough area to light everyone evenly so I set up my two softboxes.
Sony A7Rii 85MM Batis lens at f4 ISO 100. Weak fill flash on camera to fire the two softboxes.


You can see the two main lights showing up in the specular catch lights.

Knowing when to use this lighting for your photography and best results is key. When I am on location I always bring enough, more than enough gear, to make sure if I need to set up this lighting I can do it. I need to stress the importance of not relying on this lighting exclusively for your photography. You risk creating images that are stale and predictable.

To be fair, there are some photo industries and photography markets where this lighting will work all the time, say for example, sporting tournament and the like or similar higher volume demands.

Yours in lighting,
Rob

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

“Pair of spare underwear and two pairs of socks….”

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I love motorcycling. It’s like a disease. But NOT that the big ‘ol biker riding in a huge condo-on-wheels with monkey bars style of riding.

I’m more in it for the fun and adventure. That’s me in the image above, riding across Canada summer of 2008 heading to Alaska.

I’m more of a “…get on my 650, point the wheels to Alaska, and crank your right hand….let’s go!”

Monday last I bonded over biking with a dude at Toastmasters. He had brought up his love for bikes in a speech.

So, we bonded over bikes, and our preferred rides. We had a lot in common. This became apparent when he said:

“Load the packsack, strap it to the tank, spare pair of underwear and two pairs of socks.”

I got it.

This idea reminds me of what it takes to run a photography business, and where I get my best ideas. And how simple it really is.

Besides living and dying by the marketing sword, I get my very best ideas, strategies, inspirations and focus from other photographers.

So, tonight, grab a spare pair and join Nancy Tillberg and myself as we chat it up during a frontline webinar.

Nancy will be talking about:
*Dance schools for added income.
*Boutique Volume (this is a pretty cool topic and relevant to the type of photos currently being sold in the industry. I focus on dance but it can apply to hockey or gymnastics as well)
*Posing dancers for sales.
*Online vs traditional sales vs in person. (very short but can be worked into the webinar if you want. It’s already a part of boutique volume.)
*Her personal beliefs and experience in diversification
*Marketing & shooting at the market … high traffic marketing (I have a satellite studio at our local Country (farmers) market and get a very large part of my business from this venue. )
*Using cell phone photography to boost the business. I currently give workshops in cell phone photography and how peeps can take better pictures using them. I also touch on what you can’t do well with a phone and why a pro should take the most precious memories. I sell accessories for cell phone cameras at my market location. This is cool because I can build relationships and friendships, sell product, and maybe even book a session.

JOIN US (members get access to the replay)
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

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.”

 

Bring the best you got to each and every shoot…

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It’s easy to lose focus. Our equipment, our personal ideas about how things ought to be done, our personal neurotic messed up voices constantly telling us what to do…good and bad.

All, or part, of it can get in the way of our clarity and intention.

And clarity and intention is what we need most for each and every job we photograph.

Not so much….“Do I have the right camera, or lights, or computer……”

But intention, clarity and focus on bringing the very best we got to every aspect of our photography business.
To every session. To everything.

Here’s some crappy (depending on how you look at it that is) news: It doesn’t get any better over time.

Doesn’t get any easier.

Sure, your skills improve, depending on which ones you decide to hone in on and focus on….lighting, posing, communicating, selling, innovating…etc etc…

But destiny alas decides it doesn’t get that much easier.

You always need to be on your toes, so to speak. And never, ever, ever take anything for granted.

Bring the best you got to every session, every aspect of your photography business,
every marketing idea, every client….

Don’t get caught.

If you think your clients will love you next year as much as they did last, you could be fooling yourself, if you assume it.

For me, for us, this means:

*be grateful (quit complaining, say thanks, and get off facebook)

*be better… always push your basic skills to be better

*work your marketing. Newsletters (home delivered), offers, selling, networking, affiliation marketing…work it, work it, work it

*Goals…..one of the HARDEST things to do in life is to come up with a five year vision and one year goals.

The simple act of tackling these areas (especially the goals one) will put you in a category of few.

The minority who tune out the inner dialogue of shame and excuses, the outer dialogue of criticism and blame….and push forth anyhow.

But this all starts with clarity and intention.

You won’t find that from your mom. In the coffee shop surrounded by comfort friends. Or on facebook.

It’s an inside job.

Take it on and run with it.

I can always tell where a person will be in the next year based on where they’ve been in the last year.

It’s simple really.

And I assess a person, or their intentions, goals, ideology not based on what they say.

But what they do.

Action, my friend, speaks much louder than words.

Go forth, and put action to your intentions, and watch how clarity sets in.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher