Tag Archive for: flash

On location photoshoots : how to kill the ambient light part I

/in /by

Locations are awesome

 

But what if they are not? Well, it’s up to you to make them awesome.
Sounds difficult?
Well, it can be, but with the proper lighting and lighting techniques you can create stunning images in locations that are far from awesome. Killing the ambient light is one of those techniques.

Workshop “On location in Emmeloord”

During this workshop, we scout locations close to our studio that look uninteresting but have the potential to become awesome. This is a great workshop to get more secure when working for clients in locations that are a bit less inspiring (or in other words 50% of the time).

During the workshop, I explain the techniques but also tried to create something different in each location.
For this workshop the model was Nadine, and as you can probably see she’s is pregnant so that was a great option to also shoot some pregnancy shots of course.

Today one of the sets from this workshop.

I’m using our Geekoto strobes on HSS in this video.

 

And, the final results

killing the ambient light

We took this picture during a sunny day and killed the ambient light

killing the ambient light

 

Day2Night

Killing the ambient light is also called Day to Night (Day2Night). Pictures are taken during the daytime. But it looks like it was taken at night. A lot of my students are interested in this technique. And I always try to incorporate such a scene in the workshop outside.

 

In this video I went to Times Square in New York, and I’ll give you some tips to look like you took the pictures at night

Check out another video on location with Nadine ad styling of course 

We also did a workshop outside with a Tesla car and model Lois 

 

Directional light is so much cooler

/in , /by

With directional light, you can really make your model jump out

We recently filmed a brand new class for KelbyOne with our model Claudia.
The video is all about using one strobe and how, by changing light shapes and angles, you can still create totally different looks like using directional light.

Today I wanted to show one of the sets in which I show one of my favourite setups.
In this case, I’m using my main light under an angle from above aimed down.
Because Claudia is wearing glasses I don’t have any problems with shadows under the eyes, or the eyes not getting enough light so I can maximize the direction of light.

The cool thing about this kind of setup is that if you move around your subject the look changes dramatically.
For the mainlight you can use a small softbox like our Geekoto Quicky or for example the Frank Doorhof Rogue Flashbender in striplight configuration.

directional light

Although the whole class is about using one strobe. In this setup, I decided to break that rule and add one more strobe with a blue gel.
In this case, I’m using a blue gel from our Rogue magnetic system.
This is an awesome technique in which you first create a focused light pattern on for example the face of the model and make sure the rest is as dark as possible. Now use the second strobe with the gel on a lower setting than the main light and you can get the effect you see below.

Of course, you can experiment with the output and colors.

directional light

Want to see the whole class?

Of course you want 😀
visit www.kelbyone.com for all my classes.

 

Want to visit a workshop?

If you think “that’s for me, I would love to learn more”
Then visit photography-workshops.eu for the Dutch workshops.
But if you are not living in the Netherlands or don’t speak Dutch we also have other options.
If you let is know 2 weeks in advance I can teach the workshop you want to visit in English.
Or if you can’t travel to our studio we also now offer the option to get a full 1:1 experience with 5 different camera angles, lightroom/Photoshop view and a talkback channel, you also get all the raw files and retouched results from the workshop. Visit our online workshops page for more info.

It’s story time for Halloween…. are you ready for some horror?

/in /by

Today it’s Halloween, and that means story time

During the workshops I always try to do something different, and Halloween is of course an awesome excuse to go all out and Felissa is always in for some fun.

Today we are doing things slightly different.
In the first blogpost today I share the video we made for this workshop, and later today I’ll share the images separately so you can see them in all their gory glory LD

But first the video, I hope you enjoy it as much as we loved creating it.
All credits for the edits are for Julia our Intern who really did her best to create something unique.

It’s almost Halloween

/in /by

It’s almost time for the most scary time of the year: Halloween

I LOVE Halloween, not only as a horror fan but also as a photographer.
There is so much fun you can have with the theme and I can already tell you that for tomorrow we have something really special planned on both the blog and our YouTube channel, and trust me you don’t want to miss this.

Almost Halloween shoot with Claudia

But today I share the results from the workshop I did with Claudia at Foto de Vakman in Uden.
And as you can see… Claudia was already in the mood for Halloween….

These were shot during a 3-hour in-store demo with our awesome Clicki system and Geekoto strobes.
For these images, I’m using the Rogue Frank Doorhof Flashbender as main light and the Rogue magnetic system with a blue gel for special effects.

The first backdrop is the Clicki Conkers

It's almost Halloween It's almost Halloween

For the next set, I’m using the Geekoto Lantern and a red gel as an accent light.

It's almost Halloween It's almost Halloween

Read more about the new Clicki Square 

Check out this video with the Clicki and Nadine 

These images were shot during a short in store workshop.
Check our website for more dates of workshops.  Most workshops are in Dutch, but if you let us know a few weeks in advance we can switch the workshop to English.

Online Workshop

Are you unable to attend a workshop? We do offer online workshops. You let us know what you want to learn and we’ll arrange a model. We set up multiple cameras in our studio to do a special live shoot, just for you. You join us on YouTube and Skype. After the shoot, you’ll get to retouch the images. See this webpage about the online workshops 

Also, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for a lot of free learning about photography like the Digital Classroom, a monthly free online themed photoshoot from our studio.