Making The Most Out Of Your Location
For the past few years, I’ve been working with Sacramento Magazine photographing the area's top attorneys. This is a yearly supplement, and on average I have about 25 firms I have to photograph in a 45-day span.
For the past few years, I’ve been working with Sacramento Magazine photographing the area's top attorneys. This is a yearly supplement, and on average I have about 25 firms I have to photograph in a 45-day span. I genuinely enjoy meeting the different attorneys, and visiting their offices. There are several challenges that come with this type of assignment. If it’s a group shot, it’s very difficult to get everybody to one place at the same time for very long. Often I only get about eight to ten minutes with the full group. And in some cases, I have to photograph the group missing someone and add that person in later. If I know this ahead of time it is definitely workable, and I can leave spaces in the group for the missing person.
The location of choice..
Another challenge is to find the best location for my client. People are always looking to have a fresh image, and for years attorneys have used their libraries, and bookshelves as a background. This has been done time and time again. I try to steer them away from this, providing them with a background more suited for their personality.
When photographing individual attorneys I try to have two locations I can work with quickly. Again these individuals are extremely busy and I often only get between eight and fifteen minutes with them. You have to assess the environment, and lighting quickly to create your plan. A few years back I started having the images sent to my iPad as I shot. This has been a huge help in selecting the final image, ensuring my client is happy with the product that I’m producing.
This week presented all of these challenges. The attorney I was photographing wasn’t going to be available at first, but then found the time last minute, giving me only a short time to get over to the firm and determine my plan. It needed to be outside at twelve noon, which is difficult light to work with. After walking around the perimeter of their office I discovered a wonderful wall, that had aged black marks on it.
Using my scrim overhead I found it created a very nice light as my base layer. I then added in my Phottix Indra 500 light with the wide-angle diffuser and grid attached.
I got the exposure that I wanted on the wall first. Then I adjusted the output of the light to match the ambient exposure, giving me the illumination desired.
I was able to make 27 images in about five minutes. From an equipment standpoint, having my lights on my portable battery pack is tremendously useful. If I had tried to find plugs for my lights it would’ve taken me much longer, and I might’ve lost time photographing the attorney.
Here is the final image of Sacramento Attorney Eric Ratinoff
Afternoon At The Preston Castle
We had another wonderful outing at the Preston Castle last Sunday. This session was from 12 noon to 4 in the afternoon. During other sessions I found that the light streams through the windows, and is constantly changing. With midday light most of the windows act like large soft boxes. With the age and deterioration of the windows it makes for some beautiful light.
We had another wonderful outing at the Preston Castle last Sunday. This session was from 12 noon to 4 in the afternoon. During other sessions I found that the light streams through the windows, and is constantly changing. With midday light most of the windows act like large soft boxes. With the age and deterioration of the windows it makes for some beautiful light.
Window light: I used the Nikon D4 with a Sigma 35mm
For this session there were a few goals I set for myself. One was to work with existing light from the windows in different locations. Another was to use a strobe light in different areas in a way that I haven’t done before. And then the last goal was to use a strobe outside to balance the sun with high-speed sync.
I was very pleased with how the images came out. The light that I chose to use was is the Phottix Indra 500. I added the wide angle reflector with grid and diffusion attached.
I have been working with this light for about a month now and I am very impressed with its versatility as well as its ease of use. I’ve worked with extremely high end systems in the past, and these definitely are on par with those.
The last 2 images take full advantage of the Indra's High Speed Sync ability. It has been such a huge add to my kit!
20minute Portrait
I was recently assignedto photograph multiple law firms for a local magazine.
Photographing law firms is something I've done the past few years for this magazine and I really enjoy it. A majority of them are on location, but I do shoot a few at my studio. It always a challenge to get busy people scheduled to photograph. One of the attorneys was in between appointments and called to see if I was available. I happened to have about an hour before my next shoot, so his timing worked out perfectly. By the time my lighting was set up and he arrived, I had about 20 minutes to make some images. Over the years I have worked really hard to get the images that I need, quickly and efficiently. It's taken much practice and is something I'm still working on.
Here are a few tips I have picked up over time.
I was recently assignedto photograph multiple law firms for a local magazine.
Photographing law firms is something I've done the past few years for this magazine and I really enjoy it. A majority of them are on location, but I do shoot a few at my studio. It always a challenge to get busy people scheduled to photograph. One of the attorneys was in between appointments and called to see if I was available. I happened to have about an hour before my next shoot, so his timing worked out perfectly. By the time my lighting was set up and he arrived, I had about 20 minutes to make some images. Over the years I have worked really hard to get the images that I need, quickly and efficiently. It's taken much practice and is something I'm still working on.
Here are a few tips I have picked up over time.
WORK QUICKLY
Having a portrait taken is an intimidating process for many people and I constantly hear, "I hate having my photo taken." or "I am so nervous". When I first meet my subjects, I try to find something in common that we can chat about to help put them at ease. There is no point being a loud, “Out There” person, when the subject is shy and introverted. I take my time setting up lighting and posing them, but when it is time to shoot, I work quick, as no one likes to hold a pose. And the longer you hold a pose the stiffer it looks and feels. If it feels awkward it will look awkward. The only way to learn is to pose yourself, even in front of a mirror so you can see what works.
SUBJECT FIRST, TECHNIQUE SECOND
My approach to portrait photography is all about the person I am photographing. Too often it’s the technical trickery of the photographer that ends up showing through and speaking for the sitter. When that happens you don't really get to know the person in the picture, just the photographer. My goal is to strip all of the extraneous stuff out. Of course, a portrait can never be more than a subjective view of someone. So, even though I am trying to portray the sitter for who they are it’s inevitably my view, my interpretation.
EXPLAIN YOUR APPROACH
Most of the portraits I am making at the moment are commissioned by an editorial client or an organization. Commissioned portraits require a brief from the client including a consideration of layout, style, deadline, budget and availability of the subject. I get organized as much as possible and try to find out about the person I’m photographing. I do a Google search on the person so I have some thing to talk about and some idea of what may resonate with them. I explain a little of my approach to the subject so they know what I am hoping to achieve. Sometimes I want to create a formal structured portrait and other times a more fluid spontaneous style depending on what I want to communicate and what medium the image will be published in. Every photograph, even commissioned work, has a little of me in it in some way.
Thunder Valley Casino Ad
Last month we had another photo shoot with Thunder Valley Casino. Working with them is always enjoyable. For this year's shoot, they wanted to focus on the slots and gaming area.
Last month we had another photo shoot with Thunder Valley Casino. Working with them is always enjoyable. For this year's shoot, they wanted to focus on the slots and gaming area. Last year we featured Illusions Ultra Lounge. I tried to keep the lighting similar for each shoot, so the images from each year could be used together if desired. We were very fortunate to be able to use Dwight Droze and Amy Jane as our models. This was their first time working together, but you would never know it. They hit it off right away and gave us the energetic fun feel we were going for. As always I couldn't do it with out my great crew!
Production manager: Christine Alward
1st Assistant: Chris Wright
Makeup: Jasmine Cardenas
Art Director: John Facundo Jr.
Model Christine Alward for Illusions Ultra Lounge located inside Thunder Valley Casino
I try to always make the environment and light look natural, as if its coming from the casino. For this shoot I used mostly LED panels with some gel's to warm them up. Ad appearing in Sacramento Magazine
