Model Photography with Club SuperShoot

This last summer, I got to shoot some model photography here in Denver. While surfing the web I came across the Colorado SuperShoot website. They had an event coming up so I signed up.

I haven't had much practice shooting models in the past. I've usually just shot friends, family & a few other clients. Model photography is a whole other world then what I'm used too. It's easy to ask you brother to just wait while you compose this shot, or your friend to try that trick one more time to make sure it's awesome. But having a model willing to do what I ask her. Way different!



The guy putting it all together is Jay Kilgore who is quite comfortable shooting anything. The shootout had about 20 photogs show up and although some of the models didn't, the models that did.... were terrific! Thanks Reese and Mihaela.



We started out with shooting only available light. Later we added a reflector, then some people started using on camera flash & a couple of us did some off camera flash. I pulled out my SB-800 and pocketwizards and got some rim light to seperate my subject. Later, Jay even did a demo using a big Elichrome Ranger that everyone got a chance to try.



The big ol' ranger on the light stand started to act as a lightning rod once the rain & lightning came. This bit of danger kinda forced the session to end early.



All in all, it was a good day. I left with a smile on my face & some good shots in my camera. Hopefully next time there will be more models to talk to. I've got to get more comfortable directing them and this kind of opportunity really helps.

DIY: Chimera Frame

After taking Andrew Clark's workshops I realized it'd be good to buy a reflector to help bounce the light back in for fill or as a quick backdrop for a head shot. I couldn't find black on one side and white on the other that I liked until I came across the 42 inch Chimera black and white panel reflector. So I bought a panel with NO FRAME....

Then I remembered David Tejada used one of these Chimera panels for a soft box/window in his Small Strobes Big Results workshop. It turned his SB-800 into a giant soft light modifier. After FaceBooking with him about it and if the frame was really necessary. I picked up the 42 inch Chimera 1/2 grid cloth too with NO FRAME.

There I was set..... but since neither one comes with a frame . You have to buy it separate and its over $100. So for just under $15 I made my own collapsible frame out of lite weight PVC pipe wrapped in black gaffers tape. I even made a video of me making it.
(watch me make a fool out of myself)













These were shot with one SB-800 through the 42" Chimera cloth about and hour after sunset. (we rode dirtbikes for to long)






















I thought it needed something extra, so I shot this with the same SB-800 through the 42" Chimera cloth and added one SB-26 on camera right. One stop hotter.












(this is the set up of the Chimera Frame, just imagine the SB-26 just out of frame)

Light Education....

I'm so excited for this weekend to come. I've signed up for the lighting class Small Strobes, Big Results, with David X. Tejada. He is an amazing photographer who can command the light to do exactly what he wants.



The class is all day Saturday and I cant wait!!! I want to see how he gets such great lighting with only little speed lights. He uses the Nikon SB-800s, and even though I have only 1 of those I'm looking forward to using the 4 Vivitar 285's I have.

If you haven't seen what David does check out his blog and watch his videos he's putting up on Youtube.

I'll let you all know how the class goes next week. I'm also looking to go downtown for the Democratic National Convention and see what I can get.