©Jean Gonzales

Each month we highlight a certain item in Profoto’s rich assortment of Light Shaping Tools. (Previous articles can be found here.) This month we talk to Belgian photographer Jean Gonzales about an often-overlooked tool: the Hardbox.

As the name suggests, the Hardbox is the opposite of a softbox. In other words, the Hardbox creates a harder light with sharper shadows than any other Light Shaping Tool. Mount it onto your flash head or ProDaylight 200 to eliminate all stray light and create a pinpoint-sized light source that is as close to direct sunlight as you can come in a studio environment.

Antwerp-based fashion and portrait photographer Jean Gonzales is quite familiar with the Hardbox’s unique ability to emulate sunlight. It is also the main reason why it is one of his favorite tools to work with.

“I was browsing the web one day when I came across these gorgeous photographs shot in broad daylight in a desert outside of Los Angeles,” says Jean. “I instantly knew that this was something that I wanted to try myself, but we obviously don’t have that kind of weather here in Belgium, so I had to look for another solution. Pretty soon I came across the Hardbox.” (more…)

Connie Brown | © Brad Trent

It’s been a while, but we’ve featured Brad Trent’s excellent blog, Damn Ugly Photography, before. If you’re curious, Brad came up with the name for his blog when asked to fill out the name of his business at the New York Photo Expo. He posts a ton of behind-the-scenes content of what he’s working on and mixes it up with daily music posts as well.

Recently, he shot artist Connie Brown for The Wall Street Journal in her studio. Brad wanted “a bright, airy look,” but when he got on location, the studio was in shade. What to do? Set up your own sun!

Brad used a Magnum Reflector on an Acute2 as well as a standard reflector outside two of the studio’s windows. He writes that they “were amazed at how realistic the results were.”

Read the full post on Damn Ugly Photography and check out more of Brad’s work at bradtrent.com.

All images and quotes in this post are used with permission and ©Brad Trent, all rights reserved; story is ©Profoto. Please respect and support photographers’ rights. Feel free to link to this blog post, but please do not replicate or repost elsewhere without written permission.

This video from Mark Wallace is all about ringflashes, what they are, and how to use them. Using a Acute2/D4 Ring flash and Softlight Reflector, he demonstrates the differences between using a ring flash on camera and off, as a key light and fill light, and between it and a traditional softbox.

He says, “it’s hard to pull people away from the ring flash because it’s just so much fun and you get great results.”

For more Mark Wallace goodness, check out snapfactory. His new program Mark Wallace: Live, offers photography workshops you can watch online for free. Don’t miss The Three-Light Setup.

All videos and quotes in this post are used with permission and ©Mark Wallace, all rights reserved; story is ©Sekonic. Please respect and support photographers’ rights. Feel free to link to this blog post, but please do not replicate or repost elsewhere without written permission.

©Scott Areman

Portrait photographer Scott Areman wanted to capture the grit and raw power of amateur motocross racing. His solution was as simple as it was efficient: create contrast by shooting the riders out of context and use lighting to the best of your knowledge.

“This shoot was a collaboration with an Art Director friend, Kevin Potis of Blue Goldfish Studios,” says Scott. “We were going for an authentic, editorial feel. We weren’t looking for perfect. We wanted the style of the images to match the dirt, grit, and power of motocross.”

Scott and Kevin’s solution was two-fold: first of all, shoot the riders on a seamless, white background the minute they step off the bike. Secondly, use lighting to enhance the effect. (more…)

© 2012 George Ferris

George Ferris grew up with a love for beautiful imagery which eventually drove him to start creating his own. He says his composite workflow allows him to create “almost anything” and he’s always up for a challenge. Below, the process behind his series Urban Desert, in his own words.

This series was inspired by my last few summers in Colorado where, like many states across the U.S., lack of water and drought are always highlighted on the news and in conversation. Water was constantly on my mind while I lived in this “urban desert.” I wanted the viewer to feel lonely and desperate through a more digestible post-apocalyptic reference. (more…)