Mola + Profoto HMI shoot with Lauren Vickers

Mola + Profoto HMI shoot with Lauren Vickers from JONATHAN DEAR PHOTOGRAPHER on Vimeo.


A quick self-edit of some bts footage of a shoot I did with Aussie model Lauren Vickers. Shot using a white mola 22" demi beauty dish with PAD deflector, lit by the new Profoto ProDaylight 800w AIR HMI system. (continuous HMI lighting)


©  JONATHAN DEAR PHOTOGRAPHER

Show Your Image at Photokina 2012

MAY 22, 2012  FREDRIK FRANZÉN   5 COMMENTS

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Photokina 2012

Yes, Photokina is still the world’s largest trade fair for the photographic industry. There is no other place where so many industry professionals gather at once, and it goes without saying that it is a golden opportunity to showcase your work. Would you like to do so?

Here is the thing. Profoto will of course have its own booth, and there will be a number of screens in it, showing a selection of amazing images that was created with the help of our gear. We already have plenty of images, but it would be nice to also give our blog readers a chance to show what they can do. All images will of course have the photographers name and the website right next to it.

What do you say? Are you up for the challenge? Then send us an email containing the following:

• An image shot with only Profoto lighting.
• A lighting diagram for this image.
• A list of the products used.

Send the email to images[a]profoto.com

Good luck!

Zack Arias light modifier " Run Down"

This was hard work with a great result, so take a look at the article...

• Take a look at how the modifier effects the exposure on the subject and the background. • Watch the transition from highlight to shadow. How hard is that line? • Take a look at the catchlights in the eyes. • How effecient is the modifier in terms of lost light from the standard? • Look at the difference in the quality of light when some of them are moved closer than the standard shooting point. • Moving the light closer to the subject changes exposure so I didn’t list the change in aperture for those images since they deviated from standard position.

I’ve highlighted a few areas here to watch in the photos below… Look at this crop between the 7′ and 4′ Octabanks…

© 2012 Photography By Zack Arias • ATL • 404-939-2263 • studio@zackarias.com. All rights reserved.

Update: Mola Sollo

A few people have been asking about further information on the new Mola 28″ Sollo. Here is a photo of the new reflector. Here is is pictured with the OPAL glass central deflector which also has the stabiliser rings to hold it securely. These both ship with the Sollo. Like the other larger Molas (28″ and above) it has an integrated handle to secure onto your stand of choice.

We do have stock at Mola Inc, distributors should start to list this item shortly. 

René Kramers Comes Prepared

It is interesting how different answers you get when you ask photographers what it is that they like about photography. The art, the technique, the technology, the documentation, the interaction with people – there seem to be as many answers as there are photographers out there.
“I love to solve problems,” answers Dutch photographer René Kramers. “When a client or an ad agency comes to you with an idea, it’s up to you to turn that idea into a result. The challenge is of course to figure out how to do that. So in a sense, photographers are like problem solvers. And that is something that I really, really appreciate.
“This is connected to the fact that I enjoy working with people. Together you are almost like a football team. You find the right people for the right position, you have a common goal, and when the atmosphere is right and everybody is enjoying themselves, you might just be able to create something mind blowing.”

What would you say is the most important thing that you have learned during your 20 years as a photographer?
“What’s the word in English? Self-esteem? Or perhaps confidence is most accurate? As a photographer, you’re like the team leader on the set. You must believe in yourself and stand up for the ideas in your head. You also need to be able to express those ideas to the people you work with. You need to convince them. Otherwise you’re just not working towards the same goal.”

And what would you say is the most important thing that you’ve learned about lighting?
“That light is crucial when it comes to creating that feeling and atmosphere that you want to express. It’s also important to remember that the light becomes a part of your composition. Let’s say you’re shooting a dark, intense sky. A sky like that will of course seriously affect the balance and composition. But for some reason, you tend to forget that.”

What products do you mainly use?
“I love the Pro-7b because of its speed and simplicity. But I hate travelling with equipment, so I always rent it when I’m going somewhere. That’s one of the main reasons why I always go with Profoto; no matter where I go, South Africa or America or Spain, they always have it.

Speaking of South Africa; these images were shot there, right?

“Yes, they were done there as part of an ad campaign for Johnny Loco bicycles. You know, I had a lot of fun shooting those images. Planning the shoot, scouting the area, going out there like four in the morning to set up the lights, and then just waiting for the sun to rise – it was pretty amazing. It’s also a nice example of how important pre production is. We spent a lot of time prepping that shot. Hence, the actual shooting was actually pretty easy.”

So the sun is the main light?

“Yes, it is. I then used the Pro-7b and the Giant Silver 150 for fill.

You make it sound so easy.

“It wasn’t easy. But we did come prepared.”

See more of René’s images at his website.

 

Derivations On A Theme: Using the Light As a Structural Element

With Hanson shooting, we decided to get one more use out of the OctoDome before putting it away. We decided to use it as an element  in the image itself.

To do so, we lowered the light to floor level, moved Stephanie forward, and adjusted the lights, accordingly. We used the same main light on the Magic Stand and, to add some sparkle on the floor and fill in Stephanie’s face and eyes used a 6′ Profoto strip box as a fill, placed well behind the stand and angled up at 45 Degrees. One of the things I like best about this image is the is the reflection on my cement floors and the shadow it throws forward.

I’m going to try this pattern again and, to capture more of the reflection, I’ll shoot with a wider lens.

(Copyright: PrairieFire Productions/Stephen J. Herzberg — 2009)

Source: http://prairiefireproductions.com/2009/10/busmans-holiday-shooting-with-hanson-fong-and-my-new-profoto-d1-airs/

Profoto Light Shaping Tool of the Month: Giant Silver

Light Shaping Tool of the Month: Giant Silver

June 04, 2012  Fredrik Franzén   3 Comments

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Laleh | ©Jessica Lund

Each month we highlight a certain item in Profoto’s rich assortment of Light Shaping Tools. We have previously talked to Alex Giacomini about the Umbrella XL, Knut Koivisto about the HR Lantern, Tom Epperson about the Softlight Reflector, Joao Carlos about the Softbox 3×4’ RF, Kristoffer Lönnå about the ProRing 2 and to Chen Wei Li about the classic Zoom Reflector. Next in line are Jessica Lund and the Profoto Giant Silver.

Jessica has been in the business for 13 years. Like many other freelance photographers, she does a little bit of everything – portraits, fashion, editorials and so on. The common denominator is that most of Jessica’s assignments include people in the entertainment industry, such as musicians, actors, writers and TV presenters.

The images in this article are the results of one such assignment. They depict singer and songwriter Laleh, shot for the cover of the December edition of the Scandinavian music magazine GAFFA.

“Shooting musicians is by choice my favorite assignment,” says Jessica. “To me, musicians are everyday heroes. They put words to things we all feel and they help us understand ourselves better. To me music is pure energy and music inspires me a lot in my work as a photographer and often helps me get into a certain mood before a shoot for instance.”

Laleh | ©Jessica Lund