Light Shaping Tool of the Month Contest

DECEMBER 03, 2012  FREDRIK FRANZÉN   NO COMMENTS

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Each month for the last year, we have highlighted one item in Profoto’s rich assortment of Light Shaping Tools. Today, it is exactly one year ago since we presented the first piece on the Umbrella XL. (Since then we have also highlighted the HR Lantern, the Softlight Reflector, the Softbox 3×4’ RF, the ProRing 2, the Zoom Reflector, the Giant Silver, the Softbox 5’ Octa, the TeleZoom Reflector, the Cine Reflector Video Production Kit, the Narrow Beam Travel Reflector and the ProGlobe.)

To celebrate this anniversary, we have decided to give away the tool that was featured in our very first Light Shaping Tool piece: the Umbrella XL. The Umbrella XL has a diameter of 165 cm (65 in) and is available in white, silver and translucent versions. We will give away one of each version. In addition, we will gave away Profoto goodie-bags to another twenty of those who enter the competition.

To get a chance to win, simply click here.

VIDEO: Profoto Square RFi

NOVEMBER 29, 2012  FREDRIK FRANZÉN   NO COMMENTS

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Sometimes you need a soft symmetric light source. For instance, you might be a portrait photographer in need of a flattering key light or a product photographer looking for that perfectly square highlight with soft edges. These are two of many situations when a square softbox comes in handy.

The new Profoto Square RFi softbox is available in two sizes:

• Softbox RFi 2×2′ (60x60cm)
• Softbox RFi 3×3′ (90x90cm)

The smaller version is particularly popular among mobile fashion and portrait photographers, who appreciate the fact that it is not only a highly controllable key light, but also lightweight and quick and easy and to set up.

If you want to learn more about the Square RFi or RFi softboxes in general,

please visit our dedicated RFi website.

Anthony Quesada Reviews the L-478DR

December 3, 2012   Posted by M. Gertz

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anthonyquesada.com

We designed our new touchscreen light meter, theSekonic L-478, to be comparable to the L-358 but, as it turns out, it fares pretty well when compared to theL-758 as well.

Anthony Quesada had been carrying around his L-758, but found he wasn’t taking advantage of its more advanced features. With this type of use, it seemed to only take up space in his bag. Looking to downsize and economize, he took a chance on the new L-478DR.

With the touchscreen interface, Anthony found himself using features he had ignored on the L-758, simply because the menu is so much more intuitive. Filter compensation “is only a few touches away” and “switching between [custom] profiles… is far simpler.”

In addition, size was no longer an issue. “This thing,” he writes, “fits easily in a slim fitting pocket which means I’ll be much more likely to use it. We all know what that means… more time on a mountain bike and less time in front of my computer adjusting my exposures.”

Read the full review and check out more posts to see some of his wedding and travel photography. Connect with him on Facebook.

Professional Photographer Reviews Profoto StripLights

NOVEMBER 27, 2012  FREDRIK FRANZÉN   NO COMMENTS

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Are you a product photographer looking to create long and perfectly even highlights with soft edges? In that case a StripLight might be the tool for you!

British photographer Matt Seed recently tried shooting a beautiful guitar with aProfoto StripLight M, as part of an in-depth review for Professional Photographer UK.

“You couldn’t get these results with any other light,” writes Matt. “Manufacturers tend to make a ‘striplight’ version of a softbox, which has a similar shape, but you’ll never get that absolutely pristine, straight light. Plus the precise barn door control down to a centimetre, you can’t get that on a softbox.”

Read the rest of Matt’s review here.

Webinar: Shoot High Shutter Speeds with Studio Flashes!

Posted under Webinar by Ron Egatz on November 27th, 2012

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©Chris Garrison

Joe Brady hosts Chris Garrison, Red Bull sports photographer, who uses PocketWizard radio triggers’ unique HyperSync® technology with portable studio flashes for amazing, “must-see” action shots of some of today’s hottest wakeboard talent. Go on location with Chris to see how he does it and join Chris live with Joe to learn more about his shooting style and adventures with Red Bull. Also, be sure to join the PocketWizard Tech Team in the Webinar chatroom for answers to your in-depth questions about HyperSync and new developments at PocketWizard.

See it live on November 29, 2012 at 1:00pm EST. Mark your calendars. Be there.

There is NO pre-registration. Visit this page on November 29, 2012 at 1:00pm EST and enter your E-Mail address, Postal Code and Country below and the live streaming video will begin!

Start times in the United States:

• 1:00 PM Eastern
• 12:00 PM Central
• 11:00 AM Mountain
• 10:00 AM Pacific

International start times:

• 5:00 PM UTC/GMT

DIGIFOTO-PRO fotowedstrijd Beauty- en fashionfotografie

ARRIËN VAN VLIET (43) Fotografie is voor Arriën van Vliet niet alleen een hobby naast zijn drukke fulltimebaan, ook fotografeert hij bruidsreportages en doet hij fotoshoots in de studio en op locatie. Arriën fotografeert met een Nikon D3, recent heeft hij een Nikon D600 toegevoegd aan zijn cameratas, vanwege de hogere resolutie en het grotere dynamisch bereik op iso 100. WEBSITE www.avfoto.nl

Met deze zomerse fashionplaat sleepte Arriën van Vliet
de hoofdprijs van onze fotowedstrijd Beauty- en fashionfotografie in de wacht. De prijs bestaat uit een Profoto D1 flitsset ter waarde van 2000 euro. Hier zie je zijn winnende foto en vertelt de fotograaf over de totstandkoming ervan.

TEKST: JULIAN HUIJBREGTS FOTOGRAFIE: ARRIËN VAN VLIET

'Deze foto heb ik gemaakt in de zomer in de Soesterduinen vlakbij Utrecht. Het was een zomerse dag met weinig wind. Meestal werk
ik met een klein team, in dit geval heb ik een stylist, iemand voor het haar en iemand voor de kleding geregeld. Mijn vrouw verzorgde de visagie. Het ballonnenthema had ik al heel lang in mijn hoofd. Voor de shoot heb ik een heliumtankje aangeschaft en honderd zwarte ballonnen. Nadat die opgeblazen waren - dat duurt wel eventjes - zijn we aan de slag gegaan. Dat heeft een flinke serie opgeleverd met veel goede foto's. Dit vonden we het sterkste beeld. Achteraf heb ik lichteffecten toegevoegd aan de foto, om deze een fashiontintje te geven. De bewerking bestaat verder uit het toevoegen van een kleurtoon en het wegwerken van storende elementen in de achtergrond.' 

Copyright Digifoto-pro/Arriën van Vliet

INTRODUCTION TO TRIGGERSMART BY SABRESWITCH

Triggersmart is used to capture motion which can be easily connected to most digital SLR cameras. Triggersmart is the first of its kind to be an affordable motion photography solution for both amateur and professional photographers. The motion capture system enables the user to capture nearly impossible images easily without compromise. The images can be triggered by the infrared beam, light or sound sensor. The MCT-1 is extremely flexible in its operation ensuring the images are captured at the correct time. Triggersmart also features sensitivity control, trigger delay, trigger time, trigger mode, manual trigger, auto re-load (arm) camera focus and delay range. Triggersmart offers an impressive and affordable range of accessories to further enhance its capabilities. 

VIDEO: Octa RFi

NOVEMBER 22, 2012  FREDRIK FRANZÉN   NO COMMENTS

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Octagonal softboxes are commonly used for such purposes as fashion, beauty and portrait photography. One of the most important reasons for this is that their unique shape creates a beautiful, natural looking catch light in the subject’s eye.

The brand new Profoto Octa RFi is available in two versions:

• Softbox RFi 3′ Octa (90cm)
• Softbox RFi 5′ Octa (150cm)

Fashion and portrait photographers requiring a soft, even yet controllable key light favor the smaller versions. The larger version creates a beautiful fill light and has a relatively flat shape, making it surprisingly easy to handle.

Also note that you can transform the Octa RFi into a parabolic reflector by simply removing both diffusers!

If you want to learn more about Strip RFi or RFi softboxes in general,
please visit our dedicated RFi website.

WEBINAR: Creating a Romantic Portrait on Location with Bobbi Lane

Tags: bobbi lane, conceptual, FlexTT5, MiniTT1, off-camera flash, portraiture, romantic, Webinar
Posted under Webinar by M. Gertz on November 21st, 2012

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© 2012 Bobbi Lane

Join us on November 27, 2012 at 1pm EST for this free live video seminar sponsored by PocketWizard.

We’ll be spending an hour with guest photographer Bobbi Lane as she demonstrates the techniques used to create a conceptual image on location, a “romantic portrait”, perhaps as a gift from the bride to the groom. We’ll have Bobbi live in the studio where she can explain in detail the concept, the process, the tools and the final results to creating a beautiful image.

Learn how Bobbi uses fill flash to open shadows and create a more pleasing light and skin tone. While on-camera flash can provide fill, the light sources are still small and often don’t provide a soft and effective illumination. Bobbi will take the flash off camera, using the PocketWizard MiniTT1® and FlexTT5® to create a more pleasing light. Take advantage of the live chat room to ask Bobbi questions as she takes us through the creative process.

Click here on November 27th to view the webinar live.

Start times:
1:00 PM Eastern
12:00 PM Central
11:00 AM Mountain
10:00 AM Pacific
5:00 PM UTC/GMT

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Ari Magg: Nordic Light

OCTOBER 08, 2012   FREDRIK FRANZÉN  3 COMMENTS

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Olafur Ragnar Grimsson (President of Iceland)

Ari Magg’s great grandfather was a photographer. So was his great grandmother and his father. So it comes as little surprise that the passion was passed on to young Ari, who started assisting his father as soon as he was old enough to carry his bags. At the age of twelve, Ari started playing with his own camera. Today, he has his own studio in Reykjavik, Iceland.

“It’s a really small world up here,” says Ari. “I think there are less than ten people in Reykjavik working full-time as commercial photographers. There are probably a few more who’d like to get into the business, but it’s such a small market that there just aren’t enough jobs.”

Do you fight over the same jobs, or does each of you have your own style and set of clients?

“I can’t say that I’ve had to fight very much. I’ve had many of my clients for years now. There’s always a certain competition, I guess, but I think it’s healthy. It keeps you on your toes, you know?”

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