My blog, although I don’t see myself as a blogger but as a Photographer I will try to blog some interesting material during the weeks.
Expect at least 2 updates a week.

Using the optical snoot for a great window effect

Gobo projectors are great for special effects

I love using the Lindsay Adler optical snoot from Westcott as my main lightsource as you have seen many times, but it’s also great for the more subtle effects.
Today in the blog I take you behind the scenes during a workshop where I use the optical snoot for a very subtle but great effect on our model/set.

Using old lenses is awesome

Old glas is awesome

When we buy lenses we often try to get the latest technology, the best quality etc.
But did you know there are loads of great lenses out there that you can buy for next to nothing that will give you awesome results?

Today a quick behind the scenes tips video on using those great vintage lenses in a live setup

A chair and a background an we are done, well almost

Building a small set is loads of fun

And it doesn’t has to be expensive.
For our studio we are always looking for chairs, chandeliers, and in fact almost anything we thing we can use in a photoshoot, in the end we will probably open a thrift store 😀

As you know we use ClickBackdrops backgrounds in our studio, and for the Netherlands we have been the distributor for a while now.
When I advise someone which backgrounds to get it’s always very depending on the type of photography of course.
But one of the tips I always give is to get at least one so called “scenic” backdrop.
in our case I’m using the “boho drapes” background

I love this background because it’s very easy to build a small set with a chair and some branches.
By adding an accent light with a red gel I absolutely love the warm mood you can get from this set, of course the styling and our model Janaika also adds a lot to the final result 😀

But as you can see, it’s always nice to change clothing during a set.
Personally I love both outfits equal, but the red is very striking in this setup.

Adding some slight glow to the image will give it a very nice old fashioned glamour look.
Back to the old days of Hollywood, but now in color.

And finally I could not resist to shoot one image from the side for some high contrast portraiture.

Also want to visit a workshop?
Visit www.fotografie-workshops.nl for more info.

A block can really help out in your studio

Sometimes the solution is really simple

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.

We have several in our studio, and sometimes I don’t use them for months, and then they save a shot.
You can build them yourself but I would advise to make the strong enough for a model to pose on, which makes adds to the usability.
You can even build one that can be used to place a model inside and create some cool creative shots that way.

But for today we are using it purely as a posing help.
It will happen a lot if you work with inexperienced models that they will have some problems to pose freely. when you’re shooting against a backdrop it’s often not possible to lean against the backdrop, and using a chair often makes the problem only bigger. But by using a block to pose agains will often give you immediate results with a lot more interesting poses.

Of course Janaike is an experienced model but I wanted to share some of these images we shot during a recent workshop.
Also want to visit a workshop?
Visit www.fotografie-workshops.nl for more info and the agenda.