A block can really help out in your studio

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We can spend a lot of money on sets and props, but I always love it when it can be done really cheap. And one of the best investments you can do for your studio is.... a block.

Because old glass is so incredibly beautiful

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There will always be something new, better and cooler. And lenses are no exception. But is it always necessary to upgrade your lens? Well sometimes yes, if a lens is a lot faster or has a longer/wider range that you need. But before you run to the store for the latest and greatest also thing about this alternative.

A model and a wedding dress

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During the workshops I always build up the set. This way the attendees can see what every light does in the set and how they interact, and that makes it much easier to solve problems in the future. So let's take a look at some images from Claudia during one of the sets.

Using a projector for awesome and unique effects

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You probably have use one during work, or maybe you have a great Home Theater system, projectors are used in many different situations. They are awesome for gaming, presentations and of course movies. But did you ever think about using it as a light source? The main different between a monitor/tv and a projector is that the projector projects light onto a screen and that creates the image, where a monitor/tv is a flat screen. So what if we replace the screen for our model.

Two light sources

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Now when you hear a broad lightsource you might think it always means flat lighting, but that's not necessarily the case. When you move the lightsource to the side of the set you get a beautiful shadow site on the model and because of the open sides of the lantern it will also light the background. If you think the shadow side is a bit too dark you can easily place a reflector on that side because the lantern is a very broad lightsource so it "always" reflects back on a reflector on the other side.

Congratulations Annewiek 50 years

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Today a special birthday episode of the blog. Annewiek is turning 50 today so let's congratulate her with this special day 😀

What a beauty, a yellow Ibanez RG505r

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When we shoot a product or a business I always want to know what the product is, or what the company does, and most of all, which mood fits the product/company. People often underestimate how much difference photos can make, a company can get a totally different "vibe" by using different angles or lighting. So we have to make sure we know exactly what we shoot.

Lois vs the Gobo projector

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Today in the blog the results from the digital classroom with Lois in which I used the Westcott Lindsay Adler optical spot for awesome shots

Working with the optical spot from Westcott to create stunning images

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When you want to create something different than the standard photo there are a lot of options. You can add some props, add a nice backdrop, maybe add some smoke and accent lights etc. But something that will really spice up your shoot is without a doubt an Gobo projector, or optical spot. In this video tutorial I'm using the Westcott Lindsay Adler optical spot for three completely different sets with our model Lois.

Using loads of flowers in a set for an awesome pregnancy shoot

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Today in the blog a video tutorial about using loads of flowers in a set for awesome pregnancy shots, learn the lighting and more

Using a set with a pregnancy shoot

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Today in the blog a video tutorial about using a small set during a pregnancy shoot and add a funny element for storytelling

Working with an unique shadow effect

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Today in the blog a video tutorial about using unique shadows in a pregnancy shoot and how to setup the lighting

Same set different looks and messages

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It's very important as a photographer to be able to get images that are fitting the client y0ur shooting for. This can be a product, a model, musician, landscape, building etc.

Using a gobo projector with different colors

Its fun To experiment with different solutions to get cool looks. As you probably know I'm a big fan of focussed light sources, and the gobo projector is of course an awesome light shaper that does this and so much more. The Gobo projector I'm using is the Westcott Lindsay Adler version.

Using a gobo projector in a pregnancy shoot video

Every pregnancy is unique, and when we shoot a pregnancy I always try to find something that is fitting for the model. We all know Nadine I think and with Nadine it's not possible to just shoot some images of her belly. So during a recent workshop we decided to shoot different setups all aimed at a part of Nadines character and of course my input 😀

model photography tips: Angles, lighting and guitars

Today it's about one of those things that really can make or break a shot, the angle. When we talk about the angle of a shot we often immediately think about shooting from eye level, ants perspective or the giant perspective.

And now for something completely different digital vs VHS for music

The idea came to test out a device you probably would not expect in a recording setup. An Hi-Fi stereo VHS recorder. Now it may seem weird, but it's not. When I grew up, most music was spread on tapes and even with Dolby noise reduction and great players the sound quality was nothing near the very expensive CDs. Until we started to experiment with BetaMax and VHS recorders. Especially the Hi-Fi VHS recordings sounded great. Beta was still beter but compared to even the best cassettes this was a huge step forward, and you could get loads of music on one tape.

The highlight of the year, the Wibi Soerjadi concert 2024

Every year has it's up and downs, but for us both as a family and as photographer there is one highlight that stands out. The Christmas concert in the concertgebouw Amsterdam with Wibi Soerjadi.

So much fun with cheap materials and lights

One of the things I love to experiment with are cheap lighting solutions. This can be a string of fairy lights, Christmas lighting or a magic lantern. With modern cameras and great noise reduction in Lightroom or Topaz you can really push the creative limits.

A special Christmas scene with a beautiful background

For me when I think of Christmas I always see a Charles Dicksens like scene, but with more warm tints and of course glowing lights. Let's say a bit Fashion vs Charles Dickens. During a recent session in our studio I joined the group for the last setup in building a small set with a Christmas tree.