© 2012 Rick Rose

Rick Rose was inspired early on by the fashion and cosmetic world and is now working as a fashion, editorial, beauty and portrait photography in LA. Below, he shares some details about a smokey studio shoot.

I was aiming for an edgier look given the models we had that day, and decided to shoot on black with a smoke machine filling up the space between the model and the paper. I used a Mola Demi with a D4 head as a hair light and to bring light and contrast into the smoke. I used the Mola Setti with a D4 at a diagonal angle as to not have it cast any light on the background, which was made easier considering that you can ‘zoom’ Profoto heads within a modifier to adjust and control the light for the desired effect. The frosted glass domes over the flash tubes make the light smoother, and more pleasing than flashes that are a bare flash tube. (more…)

shutterbug.com

Shutterbug.com is offering an excerpt from Kevin Kubota’s Lighting Notebook, which includes two of the 101 lighting lessons presented in the book.

First, he offers his take on a “Trash the Dress” shoot on location in a steamy spa. Here he uses an LED diving light to create an impressionistic image of an angelic, watery bride.

Next, he heads to the penthouse for a vintage Hollywood-style portrait. He uses a Profoto strip box to light the model from head to toe without getting too much spill and adjusts the power of his D1 Air 500 to add “a soft kick of illumination, while maintaining a natural-light look.”

Of the Profoto system, he writes:

“The Profoto system has a proprietary remote control for the flash heads so you can adjust every parameter, of multiple heads, from the camera position. It’s extremely convenient and a significant timesaver on busy shoots. The build quality of the covetable Profoto system is exquisite; it’s made to last and is one of the most precise flash systems I’ve ever tested.”

Read the full excerpt on Shutterbug for images and more details and visit Kubota Image Tools for more info on the book. (more…)

@Richard Walch

Each month we highlight a certain item in Profoto’s rich assortment of Light Shaping Tools. (If you want to browse through previous articles, click the Light Shaping Tool of the Month banner on the right.) This month we will talk to Richard Walch about our smallest softbox: the Softbox 1×1.3’ RFi.

Richard Walch is a German photographer with a knack for shooting things that move fast in water or on snow. His list of clients includes such brands as Audi, Apple, Oakley, Tommy Hilfiger and RedBull. Richard is also a Canon Ambassador and was recently asked to travel to Iceland with his colleague Thorsten Milse to shoot with the new Canon EOS 6D. This portrait was shot during that trip, and Richard used the following setup: one speedlight equipped with a Softbox 1×1.3’ RFi on each side of the subject, plus a bare speedlight from behind, acting as rim light.

“We traveled to some pretty remote areas, and we had to charter a private plane to reach our destination,” says Richard. “In other words, the luggage restrictions were severe. There was just no way I could bring a battery generator with me. Nevertheless, it was crucial that I could control the light, and the solution I came up with was to use small speedlights and professional softboxes. This way I got the best of both worlds!” (more…)

Mario Andretti | ©Richard Dole

In the spring of 2012, Richard Dole was commissioned by Automobile Magazine to photograph some of the legendary figures in auto racing from the 1950s and 1960s. The “Generation of Heroes” project was published in the monthly magazine throughout the year, each issue contained a series of one-page profiles of the great drivers, engineers, mechanics and journalists who were part of the golden age of motor sport. The subjects not only included famous drivers like Mario Andretti, Sir Jackie Stewart, and Richard Petty, but also lesser known figures like mechanic and car builder Phil Remington, and motor sport photographer Jesse Alexander.

“The most critical factor in any portrait session is time,” says Dole. “The majority of these people are very active, even though their ages range from the early 70s to the mid 90s. I knew the amount of time they would allow themselves in front of the camera would be very limited. And it was. Most of the sessions last less than 10 minutes and a couple lasted less than 2 minutes.” (more…)

Strobist has featured a portrait by photographer Bret Hartman that, he says, “stopped me in my tracks.” Instead of being over-the-top and dramatic, Hartman’s portrait is “very Arnold Newman, actually, with its meticulous geometric composition, lighting and attention to detail.”

They interview him and he gives details about everything from the assignment process to the evolution of the shot to what it’s like to work with photo editors who want to crop your shot. Hartman’s one-light-setup used a 22” Softlight Reflector on a Profoto Pro-7b pack with a silver reflector.

Read the full account and see more of his work here. (more…)