Flash
Here are posts dedicated to using the advanced features of Nikon Speedlights, Canon Speedlites and big flash too.
January 31st, 2012 01:22pm
damien
Last week I ran a couple of workshops using just Speedlights to light interior portraits in response to demand highlighted in our recent questionairre. It seems that most photographers have at least one Speedlight and so I decided to show what can be achieved with this little yet powerful light source.
01. I just used 2 Speedlights to create this shot to get the workshop going. Throughout the day we used Ebay radio triggers that I bought for a bargain price (8 sets for £100). This enabled Nikon, Canon and Fuji users to trigger any of the Speedlights I brought with me. We shot in manual mode with the Speedlights in manual mode too. It's the perfect way to work for this kind of shoot. Fast and consistent. The process of setting the exposure and then setting the flash power was quickly learned by the delegates so they can now reproduce the techniques used at will.
All the pictures in this post were taken on the Illuminating Portraits workshop using just Speedlights, available light or a combination of the two. (more…)
January 22nd, 2012 09:58pm
damien
Here are 54 of Martin’s pictures from our adventure. Click here for part 1, the full story about this shoot, 54 of my pictures and details about the next Fuerventura workshop.
01. Katy McGee against a warm desert sky.
Enjoy… (more…)
January 19th, 2012 11:32pm
damien
“Success happens when preparation meets opportunity”
01. Katy Mcgee out in the desert in the arfternoon sun. I lit Katy with a single Elinchrom Quadra head on a Lovegrove Avenger boom arm. 50mm lens on a Canon 5D mk2 camera.
This adventure was the final stage of the preparation part. Our chance to prove that Fuerteventura is the perfect place for our winter sun location portrait workshop set for January 2013. Martin Hill (AKA Grand Master Flash) and I (more…)
January 7th, 2012 01:23am
damien
Intro: I’m in no way a self proclaimed expert in these matters and I do recognise that there are many ways to make pictures and systems to use that differ from the ones I’ve highlighted in this feature. However, I do produce prints with a high image quality and the processes that I use work for me. I do hope you can find them useful too.
1. Canon 5D mk2, 100mm f/2.8, ISO 125, 1/125th second at f/18 This simple ballet inspired shot of Johanna was lit with three gridded studio lights.
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December 30th, 2011 12:03am
damien
The past 12 months have been a challenge for most photographers eking out a living in a contracting market. It’s been tough on some counts but all this economic turmoil has given us the perfect excuse to explore new markets, change the products we offer and to push forward into uncharted waters. Art and humanity have always made great progress in times of trouble, when they have been forced to take on new directions.
Click on the picture to visit this years gallery. There are 372 pictures and their exif data in easy to browse galleries.
Fashion in wedding and portrait photography has always been (more…)
December 22nd, 2011 07:18pm
damien
01. A picture of Iskra Lawrence taken with my Canon 5D ir camera.
Over the past few months I’ve done numerous shoots and have barely had time to edit them let alone blog them. Here are a few of my recent shots taken in the studio. They are not award winners, just run of the Lovegrove mill.
I’m moving on to new styles and genres for 2012 and it all takes a lot of research and most of all practice. Practice is what make the results flow. Nothing is more exhilarating than experimenting with new ideas. It’s a kind of creative buzz that feeds my soul.
I’ve blogged a staggering 5700 pictures in 2011 alone. What does this go to show? Well, it certainly means I’m prolific. I’m happy not to chase perfection but to achieve a consistent quality. I love to capture emotion and soul in my work. I shoot collections, and when I shoot for clients, I shoot for albums, big albums. A typical family portrait will result in 40 – 120 prints in the album. I never blog my client work, just my workshops, 1:1 shoots and some of my personal work.
If my blog readers like 3 or 4 of the images in each of my posts I’m happy. I started numbering my photographs this year to see what ones are the most successful and to my surprise the ‘hits’ varied considerably. I’m learning a lot about photography and about myself at the moment. The way I see the world is not quite the same as most people I know with the exception of Francesca my daughter. I’m often considered strange, metro-sexual is a word banded around me and I like to think I can recognise and capture beauty in a respectful and elegant way.
Over the next few days I’ll be whittling down those 5700 pictures to produce my definitive best of 2011 set. Will I make the right choices? No, but I’ll be happy with them and sometimes that’s all that matters.
Please enjoy this slightly random and motley set of recent studio portraits. (more…)
November 30th, 2011 03:35pm
damien
This is a sample chapter using just one Studio Flash head at a distance of one metre from Chloe Jasmine Whichello. (more…)
November 25th, 2011 12:46pm
damien
01. Don't shoot me.
Here are a few fun portraits taken alongside my friend and ‘Evolver’ Marc Godfree. We shot at a local derelict institution using two Speedlights, an umbrella and a pair of lightweight stands with Gemini brackets. The Speedlights were set in manual mode and triggered using Pocket Wizard Plus 2 units. (more…)
November 20th, 2011 07:22pm
damien
01.
It’s been a while since I’ve used just Speedlights with a splash of ambient to light interior portraits. I’ve had several requests for a workshop that specifically covers using Speedlights and balancing them with interior ambient light. So my team decided (more…)
November 18th, 2011 11:28pm
damien
Here is a selection of the pictures taken by my friend and fellow tutor Martin Hill on our latest workshop in Spain last month.
The full story and the previous pictures are in these posts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
Martin has since been in India photographing a fabulous wedding and has just processed these wonderful images for my blog. Enjoy…
01.
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November 1st, 2011 08:19pm
damien
Day three in Spain was a creative day for Martin and I. We invited two other shooters who have invested heavily in previous workshops to join us and we headed back to the Monastery for another shoot. I don’t think I could ever tire of the place. We took Katy and Maca with us and started shooting around 11am.
01C. Katy in the grass - I love the visual poetry captured with the 100mm lens wide open at f/2.8
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October 31st, 2011 08:46pm
damien
Day two of the workshop started with us all recalling the stories of the night before where a little Gecko had made an impact on some of the party. We met in the hotel lobby at 9am and journeyed to our first quarry location about 20 minutes drive away. Martin and I had identified the first location on our recce trip back in February and the second location was found by Mickie Imrie, a local photographer who acted as our contact throughout the planning stages and accompanied us on the shoot.
Martin’s shots will get blogged when he returns from shooting a wedding in India.
01C. The day started at the head of a disused mine. I photographed Katy into the sun with my 100mm lens.
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October 30th, 2011 11:32pm
damien
Where do I start? This event was always a highlight on my 2011 calendar and it didn’t disappoint. Shooting and teaching alongside my friend and fellow expert photographer Martin Hill is always a delight. Working with fab models Katy McGee and Maca Serano made our vision of life so beautiful too. All we needed was a great set of locations, a bit of sunshine, delegates who like to party and we were on it.
1C. I found a Stop sign in the undergrowth and I used it to add a graphical element to this sassy shot of Maca.
Blaise, my PA came out to Spain with us and performed all organising duties as well as providing us with lunch on location each day. With the organising taken care of it was easy to get passionate about the photography. Martin was set with the task of teaching and leading the group with the ‘big picture’ while I opted for texture and beauty details. We often swapped roles but the big location shots from day 1 will be in Martin’s set of pictures that I will post when he gets back from his wedding shoot in India. For now I give you 40 of my shots from day 1 (more…)
October 21st, 2011 11:56pm
damien
The sun was behind me when I took this shot of Naomi Pilgrim. I used an Elinchrom Quadra rigged above and beyond Naomi to create a virtual sun in this shot. (Click on the more link to see the behind the scenes info). This was my chosen pose for Naomi as she reclined bathed in the light from my Quadra flash. Chris Hanley decided she needed boots by her side for some reason 
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October 4th, 2011 11:02pm
damien
1. One of Julie's pictures from yesterdays wedding photography workshop.
As the summer wedding season draws to a close we had just one last spell of fabulous weather for our shooting weddings workshop. These events are limited to just 4 delegates per tutor and with an overall group size of 8 delegates it is easy for everyone to get their shots without feeling hassled. (more…)
October 1st, 2011 01:24pm
damien
Designer: Yemi Osunkoya
Photographer: Damien Lovegrove
Models: Rosemary Chileshe-Ellis, Lisette Mibo, Naomi Sharpe and Olivia Wood.
Make-up: Kemi Imevbore-Uwaga
Hair: Kasia Fortuna
Tiaras/Head pieces: Claire Ogden
Photgraphy Assistant/ second shooter Adam Dunn
Venue: Room 17 at the Hempel Hotel in London
1. I went for a mixed colour temperature look throughout the set but changed the setting and lighting design to provide variety whilst mainting a style strategy.
I lit the dresses with a pair of Lupos, daylight balanced HMI fresnel spotlights, one with a full CTO and the other barefaced. I lit the room with a pair of Elinchrom BX500Ri flash heads bounced off walls with various grades of CTO gel as required fot the particular shot. It was a dark day with persistent driving rain so all the light had to be created from scratch. Here is a small selection of the 170 or so pictures submitted to Yemi my client. (more…)
September 11th, 2011 11:36pm
damien
Here is a small selection of the recent pictures taken by me on my workshops or 1:1 sessions. I’ve been so busy shooting for clients this summer it has been a challenge to keep up. I’ll blog some of my commissioned fashion work soon but for now here is my random choice for the week.
1. A simple four light portrait of Edyta taken from eye level in my studio to capture intimacy and beauty. Contrast can be so delicately controlled with such depth because I'm not in a white studio. The fabulous make up was created by Vicky Waghorn.
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August 24th, 2011 06:12pm
damien
1. A smidgen of smoke, Holly our model for the test shoot and a Quadra flash pack down at Ladye Bay in Clevedon. The behind the scenes shots and the techniques used are detailed in the rest of the post.
My 2 ‘A’ head Quadra kit arrived on Wednesday last week and on Thursday morning I was all set to go out on my first test shoot with it. I charged both batteries in seemingly no time at all and tested the Skyport transmitter was set to the correct frequency. Photographer Andrew Jackson joined me on location. He is on my Evolve course and instigated the shoot to build his portfolio for post wedding bridal fashion shoots. (more…)
August 2nd, 2011 12:14am
damien
When I was researching Radio Poppers it was not easy for me to understand exactly how they worked and what it’s like to use them. So now I’ve put together this Radio Popper guide detailing the ins and outs of the Radio Popper PX system.
The first stock of European specification Radio Poppers arrived for testing last month. We now have plenty of sales stock available including accessories and spares. How do they work and why are we selling them? Read on.
1 Radio Poppers are contactless. That means the camera and Speedlight have no idea that the Radio Poppers are there. The camera and flash act in just the same way as they do when using the inbuilt infra red system. Every function available using infra red is also available using Radio Poppers including Full ETTL or manual firing and 1/8000th second flash synchronisation. (more…)
July 20th, 2011 11:23pm
damien
01. The big picture. "Shoot creative pictures with impact that reflect your personal image style. Inspire, educate and share your skills with our delegates" Said Damien. those were my words of direction for my friend and collegue Martin Hill. Judging by the feedback I've been getting he didn't disapoint. As one of the UK's emerging eminent talents Martin is set for great things in our industry. In this shot Martin photographed Sarah Beaufoy at f/22, 1/250th second on his Canon 1Ds Mk3. Lighting was from a pair of Broncolor Mobil heads on this grey, overcast day.
The delegates arrived early for this “Into The Light” workshop. The call time was 09.30 but by 08.45 the first eager photographers were getting the scale of our fabulous venue. You can’t fail to be amazed at the graceful setting of Kingscotte house near Tetbury. (more…)
July 18th, 2011 11:59am
damien
1. 1. A simple enough shot to set up once you know what to look for. Overcast conditions forced me to find a covered location with decent lighting control. A shift of white balance and a creative exposure compliments Jojo's warm expression.
I thought I’d share the thoughts and process behind the classic Lovegrove workshop that is Urban Portraits™ (more…)
May 20th, 2011 11:37am
damien
Following on from this post here are the 40 images by my co tutor Chris Hanley. Chris and I did battle at the beginning of the week teaching on the final Cherish The Dress workshop to be held in Manchester. The stage was the fabulous Hilton building on Deansgate. Here is a selection of 40 of Chris Hanley’s shots from the day.
Words and pictures – Chris Hanley
A favourite Chris Hanley shoot location at the Manchester Hilton.
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May 19th, 2011 11:45pm
damien
Chris Hanley and I did battle at the beginning of the week teaching on the final Cherish The Dress workshop to be held in Manchester. The stage was the fabulous Hilton building on Deansgate. Here is a selection of 40 of my shots from the day. Chris will have a bit of time to respond and to re-edit his submission accordingly. I will blog his 40 shots when they eventually arrive with me 
1. Apart from a few signature shots, Chris and I agreed to shoot new images in this familiar landscape. I used a pair of barefaced Speedlights to light this shot of Natasha. The principal exercise for this picture was to select a balance of flash to ambient using just the aperture as the adjustment tool.
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May 6th, 2011 05:30pm
damien
Here are 25 shots from a recent 1:1 shoot training day for a keen amateur photographer and his daughter who is training as a make up artist. The brief was to shoot a variety of fashion style images using studio flash, continuous lighting, reflected sunlight and Speedlights on location. I’ve trained the photographer in the studio before and this was very much a refresher shoot session.
1. This shot was taken at our local beach against the cliff. It was lit with a pair of Canon 580 EX2 Speedlights attached to a Lowel Grand Stand with a Lovegrove Gemini bracket. The behind the scenes shot showing the stand and Speedlight rig is shot 21 of this set below.
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April 16th, 2011 10:47am
damien
Last week I had the pleasure of photographing Johanna Ormsby from the Gingersnap model agency in Bristol. I was giving one of my Evolve students a 1:1 shoot training day to bring them up to speed on Speedlight techniques, natural light portraiture and some advanced shooting skills in low light. The session was great fun and generated some nice portraits, some of which I blogged a couple of days ago in my Speedlight post. There were many more that have been edited so I thought I’d share 50 extras with you here…
1
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April 14th, 2011 06:16pm
damien
Dudeoir is the catch phrase but I wanted to shoot clean simple images in my studio to see what lighting styles work well for men. I booked Damion from the Gingersnap agency for a two hour test shoot to find out more. Here are my shots…
1
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April 14th, 2011 03:29pm
damien
Here you can see the beautiful light created by the 60cm Lastolite Easybox Hotshoe used in close proximity to the subject. I rigged the light just about one metre from Katy McGee just out of shot on the left hand side.
Using the Pocket Wizard TTL system it is possible to use any shutter speed you choose and I selected 1/2000th second for the picture above to ensure I could use my 70-200mm lens on my Nikon D700 near wide open at f/4. The fabulous soft light and shallow depth of field is a combination that a Speedlight can do so well. By placing (more…)
April 5th, 2011 11:58pm
damien
1. This big flash shot by Martin Hill typified his style for the day's training.
2. I was shooting inside with continuous light, keeping things simple and elegant.
A new era of defining style and beauty began on Monday 28th March. Martin and I had been planning this workshop for some time. Even with all the planning a few surprises presented themselves as we took the delegates on a journey of contrasts. It was like the first night of a big show and wow what a show it was. (more…)
March 26th, 2011 06:59pm
damien
1. I shot this frame on the beach at Ladye Bay in Clevedon. I was looking out to sea and had a home made diffusion filter on my 100mm lens. The exposure was right off the scale in my viewfinder. Probably plus 4 stops. Interestingly you have to shoot a Canon 5D2 in Manual mode to achieve this.
Hold onto your hats
Every month I have at least one test shoot where I can try out new ideas, new models and develop my photographic skills without a risk of failure or having to stick to a tight brief. A few weeks back I was fortunate enough to have a day of shooting with former Evolvers Chris & Claire Hanley. Chris suggested a pier shoot and Blaise my PA set about getting the various permisions etc. The plan was to have a leisurely shoot on the pier, a pub lunch and a beach shoot to finish the day. Here are my pictures: (more…)
February 25th, 2011 04:44pm
damien
Here it is at last. We have just taken delivery of our first 100 Geminis, our latest precision engineered lighting accessory. The design is simple and effective. The finish is first class and the Gemini was designed and made in England.
Gemini ~ The twin Speedlight bracket designed for use with Nikon or Canon Pocket Wizard TTL receivers.
(more…)
February 25th, 2011 02:15pm
damien
DL 57. A single Speedlight well placed and a rather vibrant blue sky gave this picture a wow feel.
Part 2: The Quarry, coastal artillery base and cliffs
Pictures: Damien Lovegrove & Martin Hill
Models: Katy McGee & Miriam Martinez Hidalgo
Our short trip to Spain was full of surprises. Each turn of the twisty mountain road revealed another striking view of a deep blue sea under an azure blue sky. (more…)
February 22nd, 2011 09:34pm
damien
Part 1: The abandoned monastery
Pictures: Damien Lovegrove & Martin Hill
Models: Katy McGee & Miriam Martinez Hidalgo
We spent two weeks planning the operation. The mission was to find shooting locations, hotels, restaurants and contacts in Spain to run a workshop in October. While we were there we thought we should test the locations thoroughly. Martin and I are running a joint workshop in March (full) and we wanted to get up to speed with Speedlights on location for the coming season. We all need practice and what better way is there to do it than in sunny Spain. Here is the story of our adventure and some of the pictures from our first shoot.
DL 1. Katy in the extensive grounds at the mystery monastery. A pair of Speedlights rigged by Martin and I were used for this scene setting shot at the end of day 1. For the most part we had sun on day 1 and when it clouded over by 5.30pm we headed back to our sumptuous hotel for pre dinner drinks.
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January 24th, 2011 10:12pm
damien
A screen shot from my 2010 collection. Click on the image to visit the gallery.
I have uploaded a selection of my 2010 pictures in a gallery. This has become customary for me now in January of each year. I’ve included my EXIF data to make your journey through my shots more interesting. All the pictures were taken in 2010 between March and December. Choosing is always tough and I never seem to know which images I should select, so please forgive me if I’ve missed out your favourites. I could have just shown shots of the fabulous Chloe Jasmine Whichello and dedicated the year to her such was her impact on my evolving style. There were of course many other wonderful people that I had the pleasure of photographing too. This collection is for everyone.
Enjoy.
January 23rd, 2011 12:00am
damien
Here is the Speedlight and location flash triggering kit I will be starting the 2011 season with. On the left is my Canon kit. In the middle is my Plus 2 trigger kit that I use for my Broncolor flash and on the right is my Nikon kit. It is worth noting that the Plus 2 kit is rarely used now because my Flex TT5 units can perform identical functionality.
I was giving some lighting training out on location all day Thursday and I had a Speedlight issue. I wanted to trigger a Canon 580EX2 on a lighting stand that was rigged just 3m from my camera. I opted for (more…)
November 12th, 2010 04:28pm
damien
1. Vogue, Vogue, Vogue ... Lit with a Lupo 800 HMI (150W)
Here are 24 of the pictures from my first ever studio shoot with Natalia. The shoot was a Lighting Workshop for three delegates. This small intimate group is perfect for a sensational learning experience. Make-up was provided by our house stylist, the very talented Vicky Waghorn. Enjoy the pictures…
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October 14th, 2010 02:50pm
damien
1. The way to Chloe's heart. Lindt Excellence Orange Intense Dark Noir Chocolate with Veuve Clicquot Champagne.
Hair and make up: Vicky Waghorn
Styling: Chloe Jasmine
21 pictures for you to view
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October 8th, 2010 01:11pm
damien
1. Natalia, likes snakes apparently. Not that there were many lurking in this grass in the heart of Bristol.
This Speedlight Mastery workshop had all the hallmarks of a classic shoot. The day started with an evacuation of our meeting place as smoke billowed out of Costa Coffee. I strolled up on the dot of our meet time to be greeted by all the delegates plus fire crews. The delegates were keen and eager to start shooting. Natalia was there too with a smile and looking drop dead gorgeous. We retreated past the firemen with their big hoses to Cafe Gusto. (The best coffee shop in Bristol. A Gusto Flat White is sublime). After a kit check and a welcome drink we were shooting. (more…)
October 2nd, 2010 01:17pm
damien
Here are a few pictures from the first of this seasons shooting winter weddings workshops. The three day event held in Stonehouse Gloucestershire comprised a shoot day followed by a one day business school and then a day of wedding picture post production with Marko. Julie and I rounded off the week with another Shooting Weddings event to satisfy the early demand for shooting skills training.
Here is a small selection of the pictures shot on the two dark and rainy days. Our role as photographers is to bring out the sun in our images.
1. My classic exposure of ISO 800, 1/60th second at f/4 was needed for this Arri 300 lit bridal portrait.
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September 1st, 2010 11:07pm
damien
1. Minimalist natural light and a strong pose creates a striking image.
All the shots from Mondays workshop have been processed by Luke in black and white. My shots were taken using prime lenses and we shot in extreme exposure situations to challenge and educate us all. (more…)
August 20th, 2010 07:18pm
damien
These are 60 pictures from our second vintage shoot at Bury. It rained throughout the day and was uncharacteristically dark for August. Chris and I worked extra hard to make our own sun and I hope you enjoy the fruits of our labours. 30 pictures each. Mine are first
dl1. No vintage set is complete without a monochrome beauty shot. 100mm lens at f/2.8
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August 19th, 2010 11:47pm
damien
How far will you take in camera exposure? This is 'as shot' and those who know me understand why I never use a histogram or the highlight warning system in my camera. The screen on the 5D mk 2 is so good, fine exposure tweaks can be made using the picture alone.
This set of pictures was quite special to shoot. The weather was kind, Chloe Jasmine Whichello was in good spirits and some of our favourite photographers were with us as delegates. The day started at the worlds most expensive pebble… (more…)
July 10th, 2010 12:41am
damien
This weeks shooting workshop took Chloe, some delegates, and I around Somerset on a quest for images par excellence. One delegate had flown from Venezuela to attend this workshop and my Fashion Fusion event next week, wow! No pressure then.
1. A silver umbrella and my Mobil kit on 1/4 power was all that was needed for this figure in the landscape study. You can see the path of illumination as it cuts through the summer corn.
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June 19th, 2010 04:44pm
damien
1. Every now and then an exposure needs cutting back to simplify the shot. I worked the camera three stops down to capture Natasha in the shell seat shown in the next frame.
Chris Hanley and I were in Barça, a funky venue in Manchester having coffee one day in May and we decided to run a workshop shoot there. I wanted to shoot alternative fashion away from the realms of portraiture and Chris set to work sourcing a clothing designer, make up artist an models. It was a one off event for 8 delegates and here are our pictures. The first 21 pictures were shot by me and the final 21 were taken by Chris. (more…)
June 18th, 2010 11:33pm
damien
Every now and then a workshop happens where so many variables come together in an astonishing way to produce a learning experience that transcends the sum of its parts. This workshop was one such event. Chris Hanley and I had five delegates each and we swapped around every 45 mins or so. This ensured that everyone had the opportunity to shoot all the shots.
Here are 48 of my pictures from the workshop. They have been edited by Marko to our exacting standards and then we created the looks using the three actions in the Lovegrove Vintage Photoshop action set.
1. I lit Chloe with a single Speedlight from the right for that punchy look.
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June 12th, 2010 11:44am
damien
Here are a few ideas for creating striking portraits using one or two studio lights and minimal props. All the pictures in this article were shot during one Studio Lighting workshop at my studio in May.
Keeping it Simple
My lighting workshop delegates often expect to dive in to complicated multi light set-ups right from the off when the simple techniques using just one light need refining first. Using just one light sounds easy – switch it on and shoot, and it is, if you are careful and know what you are doing. It is often the simple single light images we start with on a workshop day that bring out the creativity in all of us.
Shot 1. Canon 5D Mk2 with a 100m lens at f/2.8 This shot is completely lit from one Bowens Gemini flash unit rigged above and behind Chloe. It was fitted with a 7" reflector and a fine honeycomb grid. I’m really happy to let thing go in my shots. I’m never one to worry about a bit of detail loss in the highlights if the shot is great. In fact I positively go out of my way to blow out highlights in frames like this taken against my patch of yellow wall in my studio. It looks sunny and I like that.
My studio lighting concept is simple, I start
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June 4th, 2010 12:12am
damien
Here is a slideshow of a few pictures from the Speedlight Mastery workshop I ran earlier this week. I have set the pictures to some royalty free music using Fotomagico slideshow software. The music really isn’t a good choice so feel free to turn your speakers down. I’m hoping Chloe, our multi talented model can come up with something to replace it as she is a musician too, ooh and a writer Movie after the jump… (more…)
May 30th, 2010 11:58am
damien
Here are a few pictures from a test shoot I did with Rosie Pitt last Wednesday. I set the pictures to some royalty free music using Fotomagico slideshow software. (more…)
May 23rd, 2010 08:36pm
damien
Well here is a little something to get your heads around. I’m not sure on the physics or the tech behind this post but I do know the maximum published sync speed for non Speedlight flash kit is a measly 1/200th of a second with the Canon 5D and 5D mk2. Not any more! The techniques used in this post were hinted to me by Martin Hogeboom in a cafe in Amsterdam last week and I vowed to give it a go and see if the rumours are true. All the exif is intact so please learn from it as you wish. (more…)
May 20th, 2010 02:44pm
damien
Day two in Amsterdam was warmer than day 1 for our models Bas and Samantha. The public holiday was over and the area was once again filled with bikes. All our shots were taken within the same 500m radius as day 1 so once again minimal walking was needed. Here is a mini selection of 23 of the pictures taken on workshop 2.
1.Here we all are - nearly. This picture was taken by a local resident from his apartment. He printed it off and and gave it to us in the street. Just one of those random moments that happen on a street shoot. You can see a couple of Speedlights rigged on stands in readiness for a few pictures of Samantha.
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May 19th, 2010 09:04pm
damien
Wow! what can I say? Nick and I were fortunate enough to meet up with the legendary Martin Hogeboom in Amsterdam for a 2 hour creative shoot. Graziella our model met us at the American Hotel and we went for a walk, talk & shoot. Nick had done the recce and scouted out some fantastic locations so in just a couple of minutes we were putting our systems to the limit. We walked about 1km in total and finished the session in time for a bit of lunch together. Here are some of my shots from the shoot.
1. My first picture of this set was the last one I took. It is an infra red portrait taken using my converted 5D mk1. I shot it using my 21mm f2.8 Zeiss lens. If you click on the picture you can see it at 100% Lighting was from a barefaced Speedlight.
I learned some new tricks with Pocket Wizards way beyond the scope of my usual working using the (more…)
May 18th, 2010 09:34pm
damien
1. We started in Cuba or so it seemed. One delegate spotted this shop window and we were off. This shot was given a warm treatment in camera by selecting an 8000 K setting for the white balance. It was overcast and threatening to rain all morning so I resorted to creating Speedlight sun for nearly every shot. All the Speedlights were triggered with a Pocket Wizard for the whole day although an ST-E2 would have done the trick. We just happened to have more PW triggers with us than infra red triggers. I chose to keep the lighting ratio calm, although I encouraged the delegates to go as punchy as they wished by changing their aperture to taste.
Day one in Amsterdam was a cold shoot for our models Bas and Samantha. There was also a one day public holiday so the dynamic of the area we were shooting in was very different to my recce the day before. All our shots were taken within a 500m radius so there was no major walking required. Here is a mini selection of 23 of the pictures taken on workshop 1. (more…)
May 7th, 2010 09:16pm
damien
Here is a set of images from Thursdays studio lighting workshop. All my pictures on the day were shot with my Canon 100mm f/2.8 L IS macro lens on a 5D mk2 camera. The lens is surprisingly light to hold, pin sharp, and has a rock steady viewfinder image thanks to the amazing 4 stop image stabilisation. Chloe Jasmine from Gingersnap was our model. The fabulous hair styles and make up were provided by our make up artist of choice at the Lovegrove studio, Vicky Waghorn.
Timeless beauty, lit with hard light (2x Bowens Gemini ProR 750s with 7" reflectors and tight grids) to create rick dark shadows, and clearly defined cheekbones. The low viewpoint and over the shoulder look create an opportunity for an intense moment. You can see into Chloe's soul in this frame and I love that in a portrait.
The workshop started with a simple demonstration of the property of shadows and went on to creating vintage portraits with (more…)
May 7th, 2010 01:03am
damien
Wow, what a wonderful day of shooting, learning and fun we had on Wednesday. The Nikon flash system was opened up and pushed to it’s limit at times and it responded with a faultless performance. Here are a dozen of my shots from the workshop.
Four SB-900 Speedlights set at full power in manual mode popped this shot into life.
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April 26th, 2010 07:14pm
damien
1 - The Pebble of Manchester and Lisa Marie are lit with a splash of flash from an SB-900 on a stand. I triggered the flash in full sun at a distance of 30m with the pop up flash in my Nikon D700. At no point throughout the day did we have triggering problems with Nikon's fantastic infra red system.
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April 25th, 2010 10:22pm
damien
Last week I ran two days of Speedlight Mastery workshops in Manchester, one for Canon shooters and one for Nikonions. I’ve split the pictures in my posts to avoid repetition. Even though we shot the same routes with Lisa Marie as our model I set up and created quite a few different images to keep me on my toes. I stuck to my shooting style despite working in full sun for two days. So here are the shots from my Canon day:
1 - I used Orbis to shoot this simple frame. Canon 5D mk2, Speedlight 580 mk2 in an Orbis ringflash adapter triggered with a Pocket Wizard Flex and Mini pair. 1/200th second at 200 ISO @ f/8. Glazed tiles on the side of a pub made a perfect background for an Orbis shot.
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April 24th, 2010 05:42pm
damien
D1 - I love the surreal nature of cross keyed Speedlights. The Hilton bar that I shot this frame in is aptly called Cloud 23. Two Speedlights on stands were triggered using infra red. I rigged Canon and Nikon Speedlights alongside each other on the same stands. ISO 200, 1/200th second at f/16
Here are the long awaited set of pictures from last weeks Cherish The Dress workshop at the fabulous Hilton Hotel in Manchester. Chris Hanley and I delivered a full on workshop with our team of assistants to the ten delegates. We split into two groups for the sessions. We regularly swap tutors and models to ensure that each group gets to shoot all the pictures. Chris and I share 36 of our pictures from the day starting with my set of 18… (more…)
April 15th, 2010 12:18am
damien
What did I say to shock Henri here? Answers on a postcard. Punchy lighting was created with the minimum of fuss and a sheet of Lovegrove gel. The background was my grey studio wall.
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April 9th, 2010 10:24pm
damien
The sun was my key light and a Speedlight was my sun. The Spedlight was on a stand behind Katy kicking forward off the billboard. I set a white balance of 10,000K for good measure.
I usually post six or so shots from a workshop but yesterdays event took a different route leaving me eighteen shots to discuss and share with you. (more…)
April 1st, 2010 07:39pm
damien
On camera flash ~ that was it! A purple painted wall and the most simple lighting technique I know. Speedlights are a wonderful tool waiting to be explored. All the buttons and features may seem a little daunting at first but once unraveled they can be put to great effect.
The books and manuals that accompany a Speedlight in the box are full of the most dull pictures imaginable. I’ve seen a person sitting at a desk with a potted plant behind them lit with the bounce card feature, or a car driving off with light trails in the picture. So what is all that about? I’ve yet to find a good use for rear curtain sync. Here are a few of my Speedlight pictures from my sixth day of the Speedlight Mastery workshops. (more…)
March 31st, 2010 09:19pm
damien
A whole lotta love. ISO 400, 1/200th second at f/4. Lit with a pair of Canon 580EX2 Speedlights, one in an Lastolite Ezybox and the other with a Honl Speed strap and a home made full blue gel. I wanted to create a night time street scene look in my secret Bristol location.
Here are a few pictures from one of my latest Speedlight Mastery workshops together with the techniques I’ve used. (more…)
March 28th, 2010 05:06pm
damien
Here is a guide to the care and maintenance of SLA or sealed lead acid batteries often used in photographic lighting kit. (more…)
March 25th, 2010 07:17pm
damien
A bar shutter, a bride and Orbis - Perfect! I gave myself just a couple of minutes of the day to demonstrate the Orbis ring flash accessory and I plucked this shot out of nothing. I'm so impressed with Orbis I bought the company. (not really).
I’ve put all 90 or so selected pictures taken by Julie and I on their own web pages created by Adobe Lightroom’s web module so that I can share the valuable Exif data with you. The link is here: (more…)
March 24th, 2010 10:05pm
damien
The Nikon creative lighting system is able to create the wow factor in the right hands. Three Speedlights, a few ideas, a bit of a rig and fine tuning make this shot work. The difference between success and failure involves light setting, testing and adjusting. The Stothert and Pitt steam crane on the Bristol docks makes a fabulous background.
The Nikon creative lighting system is a mighty powerful tool. These shots were taken easily using the SU-800 infra red trigger or the pop up flash of my Nikon D700.
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March 23rd, 2010 09:29pm
damien
Shooting Chloe in sunny Bristol was a delight for my second ever Canon Speedlight Mastery workshop. This shot was lit with sunlight as a key and a pair of 580EX2s as backlights. The next shot shows the complete set up.
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March 20th, 2010 06:09pm
damien
This portrait was lit with a Speedlight in an Orbis ring flash adapter. I used the PW system to expose using TTL. Orbis is the ring flash adapter that is not camera model specific. It is great for Canon, Nikon, Sony and Pentax too.
I had to modify the Orbis by adding a Velcro lock for my Speedlights to avoid them accidentally dropping out of the bottom. Over the next few weeks (more…)
March 18th, 2010 08:01pm
damien
It is time to flex the muscles of the Nikon Creative Lighting system and go beyond the basics. With this in mind Tuesdays delegate was up for the challenge and between us we really started to rock the boat. A few familiar locations plus my new shoot zone.
A quick shift of Kelvin and a full Honl CTO gel in my Easybox Hotshoe was just the trick to make the most of this location.
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March 17th, 2010 09:34pm
damien
This a bit of random to start my shooting season blog posts. It's the only shot in this set not lit with a Speedlight.
Here is a small selection of the shots taken on Tuesdays Speedlight Mastery workshop for Canon shooters.
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February 10th, 2010 09:47pm
damien
Tango the dog finally gets to share the stage with Sarah. This shot was lit using a Broncolor ring flash plugged into my trusty Mobil A2R kit. Wall colour was provided by Dulux.
Wow what a day! We shot simple set ups, and created repeatable dynamic images. We studied shadows, the qualities of light and had fun on the way. (more…)
January 4th, 2010 12:21am
damien
I’ve been on a fabulous creative trip in 2009 teaching photography and researching my latest DVD/ Blu-Ray, Speedlight Mastery. The journey has taken me to six cities in Germany, the Meatpacking district of New York, Sienna in Tuscany, Castlefield in Manchester and my beloved Bristol Waterfront. On the way I have shared creative moments and precious times with talented photographers from around the world.
Below are my favourite 50 pictures of 2009. It is a strange notion to choose pictures over a time span. I thought about sharing the following sets: My 50 career best pictures, or my 50 favourite pictures of the last decade, or perhaps 50 favourite pictures of the past year, or 50 best shots of the past month. I went for the past year option.
I wonder how many of my pictures I would have selected for all four sets? It’s worth thinking about this. Ask yourself, Is your photography going in the right direction. This is totally subjective and only your opinion counts. Another list category I thought about was the 10 photographs that charted my photographic career. This would be more of a narrative that discussed each images significance rather than the image itself. A lot of the shots I’d choose in the key career shots set would not make any of the ‘best’ sets listed above. It’s got me thinking so I’ll write about the career milestone shots in the coming months but for now here are my 50 favourite pictures of 2009:
The season started with my big flash in the country workshops. And this frame was one that shone out of the overcast day in the dark woods. Lit with two barefaced Broncolor Mobil heads powered from the same A2R pack.
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December 31st, 2009 04:17pm
damien
Here is my technique for creating striking studio portraits using a grey background and the Lovegrove Studio Collection of gels. Grid collections like the one above make fantastic large acrylic products or canvas prints for the home. They are easy to shoot, command high prices, and they look great in a studio shop window too. Here’s how I shot the one above. (more…)
December 31st, 2009 04:16pm
damien
Here is the full colour chart showing picture samples taken with each of the 38 gels in the Lovegrove Studio Collection at various levels of illumination. The gels are listed in numerical order. The 38 gels each measure 12″x 12″ (305mm x 305mm). For the technical details of how these shots were taken please see my other post here. These shots are ‘straight from camera’ I used a Nikon D700 with a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens set at f/11 and I used the ‘flash’ white balance preset. All the shots were batch cropped to 10×8 proportions in Adobe Lightroom before being exported.
What’s your favourite colour? Let me know in the comments box below.
LC01
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December 22nd, 2009 10:34pm
damien
In this 2.5 hour production I shoot 23 set ups using single or multiple Speedlights. The simplest set up uses just one Speedlight on camera and the most complicated used 3 Speedlights off camera, a Lastolite Ezybox and a reflector. I’ve tried to show every nuance of the rig and shoot. I’ve avoided detailing some of the button pushing info that is flash model specific for brevity reasons knowing that this information is in the manual that came with the flash.
Some set ups are explained in more detail and others that repeat the same action are shot at my normal shooting pace to avoid too much repetition.
I am on hand to answer your questions here. I’ll reference and link to more resources as required or requested. So if you have (more…)
December 9th, 2009 07:59pm
damien
This simple shot against a white section of my studio was simply lit with 2 hard lights (Bowens heads with 7" reflectors and grids). The low angle viewpoint was inspired by the classic Holywood portraits.
It was my first ever studio lighting workshop at my own studio and I absolutely loved the process of starting to unlock the bijou spaces potential. At just 6.5m x 4.6m the Lovegrove studio is very compact. The high vaulted ceiling adds to the space and lets me get the lighting rig up and out of the shots. Here are 20 of my shots from the day. (more…)
November 21st, 2009 11:15pm
damien
UPDATE: Full version 500 of the firmware is now available for all PW TTL units. Download via your Pocket Wizard utility application.
There is an updated firmware available for the Pocket Wizard Mini TT1 and Flex TT5 available for download here. It is Beta firmware but don’t let that put you off because the previous official version was a work in progress. The good news is that additional functionality has been added to the Mini and Flex as well as 7D compatibility. A few bugs have being fixed too especially those that affect 5Dmk2 user.
November 21st, 2009 01:36pm
damien
Coping with changeable light, dark gloomy conditions or even low angle winter sunlight is what this workshop was all about. I lit this shot with a single Speedlight.
After last years launch of our Lighting Winter Weddings and Big Day DVDs we’ve been inundated with requests for more wedding shooting training. So Julie and I decided to put on some dates at the start of this winter season. Here are a selection of the pictures from the first two workshops that happened earlier in the week.
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November 8th, 2009 02:43pm
damien
I’ve had many questions from Nikon users waiting for the new Pocket Wizard TT1 and TT5 units and here is my response to the most common one. Should I buy an SU-800 or wait for the new Pocket Wizard TTL units to come out? (more…)
November 7th, 2009 12:35am
damien
Here are a few of the pictures I took on yesterday’s workshop. I asked Marko to knock them into shape in Lightroom and Photoshop so that I can share some my key picture making thoughts with you.
We explored working with just one light to take simple striking portraits like this one shot against a mid grey paper background. One Broncolor Mobil head in a softbox provided the light.
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November 6th, 2009 11:50am
damien
Here is the second set of pictures taken by Chris Hanley last week during his workshops on the Lovegrove training event in Tuscany.
Chris used +3 stops of light for this dramatic shot.
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November 4th, 2009 10:54pm
damien
This first shot by Chris uses natural window light bounced back using a large Lastolite reflector.
Here are the first set of Chris Hanley’s Cherish The Dress™ pictures taken on the recent Lovegrove workshops in Tuscany. Chris started his workshops with an introduction to the workings of the Cherish brand that makes the dress the star and not the victim. The aim of a Cherish shoot is to provide an album full of “WOW” images.
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November 3rd, 2009 05:32pm
damien
Here is a small selection of my colour pictures from Siena. It has been hard for me to choose which ones to show you. The people of Siena were so accommodating, it was refreshing to have such cooperation on their streets. However, scooters really can get everywhere and they did.
A slash of flash set this first colour frame alight. Even the painted pigeon above the door on the facade has a drop shadow going in the right direction. Canon 5D mk2, ISO 200, 1/200th at f/5.6
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November 2nd, 2009 06:21pm
damien
Here is a selection of my monochrome pictures from the recent Passion On The Streets™ workshop in Siena, Tuscany. I’m more usually known for my colour work but I wanted to start the delegates off by thinking monochrome. There’s no better way to do this than to switch picture styles on the camera to monochrome. If you are shooting RAW this will only affect the screen on the back of the camera as Lightroom will soon make it’s own colour preview of the shot when you are back at the studio.
An iconic shot with the scooter in the foreground sets the scene. Lighting was from an upstage Speedlight triggered by infra red TTL. Canon 5Dmk2 ISO 400, 1/200th at f/3.5
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November 1st, 2009 08:02pm
damien
After a period of 5 years of not doing an annual ballet photo promotion in the run up to Christmas I decided this year that I’d make a fresh start and redesign the promotion from scratch. I refitted my studio and did a test shoot with my daughter Francesca. The promo artwork was designed by Luke using these test pictures and 500 fliers were printed last week while I was in Tuscany.
This picture of Francesca was taken with in camera diffusion and a simple studio lighting set up.
With a promotion like this you need to ensure absolute accuracy and attention to detail. The position of the feet and hands, body posture and pose are all important as most ballet mums used to do ballet themselves and they can spot a sickle-foot instantly. (more…)
October 18th, 2009 02:21pm
damien
Canon 5D mk2, Lit with a Broncolor Mobil head fitted with a single 42cm beauty dish with a diffuser cover.
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October 18th, 2009 12:51pm
damien
Here is my guide to selecting and using Speedlights. I’ve pulled together this mini feature article to help get the basics covered ahead of the release of my new DVD on mastering Speedlight portraits. All the pictures in this article were taken during the making of my forthcoming DVD on how to master the Speedlight.
Canon 5D mk2 1/2000th second f/4 ISO 200 Lit with 3 Speedlites on stands triggered by the Pocket Wizard TTL system. The key light was a 580 EX11 in a Lastolite Eazybox on a stand rigged just out of the top of the shot.
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September 27th, 2009 09:32pm
damien
I love red dresses! Lisa Marie and Sean pictured here will be with me in Tuscany for my 'passion on the streets' workshops in Sienna in a few weeks time. They are absolute stars and the shoots promise to be remarkable.
Here are 21 more of my pictures from the Cherish The Dress shoot and then 22 of Chris’s pictures for equal measure. (more…)
September 27th, 2009 12:51am
damien
My first Evolve group decided to get together for a reunion in middle England to have some fun and a creative shoot session. After a few drinks and a curry the night before it was to the canals of Birmingham that we went with our cameras and a willing model to hand.
A couple of Speedlights on stands made easy work of Cassie beside the Sea Life Centre.
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September 19th, 2009 12:37am
damien
The last shot of the day deserves first spot here. Two 580 EX11 Speedlights triggered by the ST-E2 provided the illumination from the front. The sun gave us a nice backlight and spectral highlight. The Speedlights were fitted with full CTO gels and the camera white balance was set to 3800K.
This was my last Urban Portrait workshop of it’s kind. In 2010 I will be using radio triggering for all my Speedlight shooting events. I will still be using the ST-E2 and the SU-800 next month in Sienna for my ‘Passion on the Streets’ workshop and for the final ‘Cherish the Dress’ workshops of the season. But after that it’s time to move on.
I was asked to demo the new Pocket Wizard TTL system and as we had an all Canon cast of delegates I duly obliged. The shallow depth of field is enough to show just how good this new flash triggering system is. ISO200, 1/3200th second at my beloved f/4. Same Honl gel rig as above on the key light and I used a Honl 1/2 CTB on the backlight.
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September 11th, 2009 03:29pm
damien
The Lite Tite from Arri is the perfect accessory for the job.
We are now official distributors of the LiteTite from Arri UK and below is my suggested rig for use with a Canon Speedlite on a Lovegrove Flash Bracket on an Arri 050KA lighting stand.
Click the jump to see how the flash head can be rigged inline with, and touching the umbrella shaft… (more…)
September 11th, 2009 12:07am
damien
I like to come up with different shots on workshops and this treatment with light and Lightroom give a subtle twist to an old theme. 2 point lighting provided by a pair of 580EX11s with the ambient held back 3 stops was the shoot technique for this frame. 1/200th second 200 ISO and f/16.
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September 9th, 2009 11:46pm
damien
The colour temperature gradient
‘Colour temperature’ is the unit measure often used to describe the colour of light emitted by a light source. But what is meant by colour temperature? (more…)
September 9th, 2009 01:48pm
damien
Here is a list of my most treasured set of photographic accessories. I have dozens of bits and bobs that come in and out of favour with me but these items are my current favourites. (more…)
September 9th, 2009 01:03pm
damien
Getting creative with off camera flash is very rewarding when you are in control. I'll be showing just how to work with colour at this new creative workshop.
Here at last is the first of our creative days for users of Pocket Wizard TTL triggers for Speedlights. Learn how to harness the increased power of high speed flash sync and how to work without line of sight syncing in one of the most striking locations in the world. (more…)
August 31st, 2009 01:04am
damien
As the nights are drawing in it's once again time to get used to having fun with long exposures. I lit the groom in this shot with a Luxman battery light. ISO 800, 1/8th second at f/8. I bought the battery light online from B&H in New York.
When the weather is bad, or it’s dark outside don’t let your creativity evaporate. Rise to the challenge and embrace a whole new set of opportunities. There really is no escape from the fact that if you are going to shoot weddings you need to have total command of your artificial light sources. Super sensitive cameras can help as the next 2 pictures show.
Click on the dancing picture to see the full size Canon 5Dmk11 picture taken at ISO6400 (19Mb) (more…)
August 17th, 2009 11:56pm
damien
1/4000th second at f/8 and ISO200 on a Canon 5Dmk11. Lit with a pair of 580EX11 Speedlites on board Pocket Wizard Flex TT5 receivers.
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August 17th, 2009 11:05pm
damien
I took this shot at f/5.6 using my standard exposure system on the Canon 5D mk2. The light from the single key Speedlite was subtle and believable. It adds clarity and crispness to the shot and could be considered a sort of off camera fill flash. I've also given this shot a quick diffused glow in Photoshop in Markos absence. See the shots below for details and set up.
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August 15th, 2009 09:39pm
damien
Here are a few more pictures and techniques from last Monday’s creative shoot.
This simple frame borrows heavily on my key and kick principle. Two Speedlites on FlexTT5 units stand mounted and triggered by a Mini TT1. Straight from Lightroom.
I could have shot this frame with the ST-E2 as a trigger but why when I’ve got Pocket Wizards? (more…)
August 15th, 2009 03:02pm
damien
Again, this is another of those equipment test posts that you can ignore if you are not in the market for Canon Flash equipment or Pocket Wizard TTL remote triggers. (more…)
August 15th, 2009 02:42pm
damien
Don’t get too excited unless you are contemplating buying the new Pocket Wizard TTL system, because there is nothing more dull than studio based equipment testing. Having said that my results may well be significant if you are in the market for Speedlites or PWs. (more…)
August 14th, 2009 11:18pm
damien
This is the second shot I took with the new Pocket Wizard TTL system. I used a 70-200mm lens on my 5Dmk2 camera. It is lit with just 2 Speedlites.
1/1000th second at f/4 using ISO 200 was an unusual exposure for me. I would normally be at (more…)
August 13th, 2009 11:28pm
damien
Here is the first of my photographs taken using the new Pocket Wizard TTL radio system. It is one of 4 shots I took on Tuesday’s creative day that used the new PW system.
The telephone box shot is a simple non line of sight test for the new PW system. It's the kind of frame I shot at the BBC many years ago.
The rig and details… (more…)
2 day shooting
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