Form and function are perfectly matched with Hobolite’s latest release, the Hobolite Micro. This diminutive, bi-color, battery-powered LED light takes some of its cues from the company’s larger, more powerful siblings but doesn’t skimp on features. Yet it’s small enough to fit in the palm of your hand—or anywhere other lights are too bulky to fit, a special bonus for filmmakers working on tight sets, as well as home-based vloggers and still photographers. It’s only 8W, but with the wide range of accessories and a bit of imagination, there are any number of applications for this little light.  

I tested the Creator Kit ($270), which comes with the light, a barn door, Fresnel lens, frosted dome, six color filters, a charging dock with two additional batteries (for a total of three), USB-C cable and a power adapter, all contained neatly in an attractive carrying case. Hobolite gets extra points for providing the case perfect storage/carry system, especially for those of us who tend to misplace small items on a regular basis. 

Design and Operation 

Despite its Lilliputian size (the light weighs 0.52 pounds and measures 1.97 x 2.71 x 3.03 inches), the Hobolite Micro is well built and feels sturdy in the hand. Thanks to its aircraft-grade aluminum construction, the unit remains lightweight without sacrificing build quality. 

In addition to its compact body, it was the Micro’s vintage design with its faux leather panels that made me fall a little bit in love at first sight. Beyond Micro’s cool aesthetics, operation is simple and highly intuitive.  

Dual knobs on the rear panel, just above the USB-C charging port, control power, light temperature and brightness. Once the light is powered on by depressing one knob, the dial can be rotated throughout its 2700 – 6500 K settings. A press-and-click action on the same control moves through the range in five steps with an increase of about 10K for each. A set-up menu is also available with on/off control over the fan, for example; special effects can also be accessed on the device. An LCD panel keeps track of the settings, as well as battery life, and is clearly visible even in low light. 

Given that the Micro is perfect for tucking light away in less accessible spaces, it’s no surprise that Hobolite has designed a companion app (iOS and Android) for full remote control of single or multiple lights. Brightness and color temperature are adjustable via sliders. The light(s) and the fan can be powered on and off (or put into sleep mode) and the app facilitates firmware updates. Cinematographers get an extra bonus with a handful of lighting effect simulations such as flash, flame, lightning and explosions. Unlike some Bluetooth camera apps I’ve tested over the years, the Hobolite app is, by far, the most stable I’ve worked with. It connected with my iPhone quickly and without fail every time. 

I’m also a big fan of the Micro’s magnetic, snap-on modifiers. Not only are they convenient but the variety of accessories bundled with the Creator Kit are very useful. The bundle includes colored filters, a diffusion dome, Fresnel lens and even barn doors. The magnets are strong enough that filters can be stacked atop one another (or on the barn doors) without fear of any of them coming loose.  

The light is equipped with a V-Mount as well as ¼” 20 screw mount. Hobolite has several accessories that utilize the V-Mount including a ballhead tripod adapter ($70) and a cold shot adapter ($70).  Check out the Hobolite site for more accessories. 

Performance  

The Hobolite Micro is very responsive to setting changes whether directly using its dials or the app sliders. Perhaps the slowest part of its operation is holding down the power button for a couple of seconds and then having to rotate the dial to get it up and running. But aside from that, the light—whether you’re increasing/decreasing brightness or changing color temperature–works smoothly and efficiently. 

A fully charged single battery lasts for about 50 minutes at fully power but unless you’re shooting video, it’s probably rare that you’ll leave the light running for that long at full power. Drop brightness down to about 75% for an operating time of about 1.2 hours. Not great but it’s easy to keep the two extra batteries charged in the charging dock/power bank and swap them out as needed if you want to keep the Micro’s footprint very small. If, for example, you need extremely long-term power, Hobolite has a 95 Wh V-Mount battery ($250) that will keep the light powered for up to 11 hours. 

A built-in fan keeps the light cool and is whisper quiet. This shouldn’t be an issue when recording video unless you’re recording sound with a camera within a couple of inches of the light when brightness is dialed up. Even then, ambient sounds will overpower the low-level hum of the fan. 

Hobolite promises a CRI of 96, which is at the higher end for many LED lights. While we haven’t tested the accuracy of those numbers, the light emanating from the Micro was consistently pleasing and colors in final images were accurate. 

Conclusion 

While 8W may not be powerful enough for some (or many) of your projects, there are plenty of applications for which this light source is perfect. The obvious is for vlogging or virtual meetings. It’s also ideal for overhead lighting when filming or sharing a demo. But perhaps its main strength for still photographers and videographers is being able to be positioned, hidden and operated from spaces where other lights won’t fit. This little light is also ideal for backlighting small objects, as a hair light and whenever you want or need to add a splash of light or accent of color. 

Most of my time has been spent (by necessity) photographing products to accompany other reviews but I have any number of ideas to try out that are inspired by this capable little light. And if the Hobolite Micro itself doesn’t spur your creativity on its own, check out Hobolite’s website and Instagram account @hobolite to see how other photographers are making this company’s excellent lights work for them. 

Hobolite Micro Creator Kit: $270 

Hobolite Micro Standard Kit: $160 

www.hobolite.com 

The Studio Lighting Guide

The Location Lighting Series

The Ultimate Lighting Course

The post The Hobolite Micro—Perfection in a Pint-Sized Package  appeared first on Rangefinder.

Portrait Photographer Francisco Joel Hernandez is speaking at WPPI 2023 for the first time and his seminar, Adding Depth in Portraits with Off Camera Flash, on Wednesday, March 8 (5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.) has already sold out. Lucky for us, he was kind enough to share some of what he’s covering with us in his off camera flash class, what the key takeaways are, what he thinks portrait photographers should be doing right not that they aren’t, and much more!

1. What is your WPPI 2023 Class about?

Francisco Joel Hernandez: My talk explains how I add a level of depth within my portraits using off camera flash. I’ve been a fan of this look and ability to use lighting in my images for over a decade and love sharing the process on all my social media. I believe sharing is caring and the best way I can help others is in person so I’m really looking forward to doing that.

2. What are the main takeaways attendees will leave your off camera flash class with?

Francisco Joel Hernandez: Hopefully they gain a much better understanding of lighting and also just how easy it can be to take their images to the next level. There’s always been a misunderstanding of flash in that most people think it to be cumbersome when it doesn’t need to be or that simply adding some flash will ruin nice natural light. That’s not true at all. With lighting, a little goes a long way.

3. What is trending in your genre right now?

Francisco Joel Hernandez: That’s a tricky question, but I would have to say the nostalgic direct flash look of the early 2000s is something that’s getting a lot of traction on TikTok. There’s always a lot of interesting things on there. I don’t tend to follow trends, yet I think keeping in the know about them is helpful.

4. What do you consider to be a game-changing photographic technique or marketing tip that helped changed your business?

Francisco Joel Hernandez: Showing potential clients the process with behind the scenes photos and videos really made me seem more personable. I’ve had clients hire me because they said I looked like someone I can trust and relax around just from them seeing my YouTube videos.

5. What’s something that very few people know about you?

Francisco Joel Hernandez: Even though I’ve been in Texas for half my life now, I’m originally from a very small town in Michigan called Hart. I much prefer the cold over the heat so I sometimes visit Michigan every now and then especially during the Winter.

6. What do you think photographers in your genre aren’t doing but should?

Francisco Joel Hernandez: Easily making Reels on Instagram. A lot of people think it’s ruining Instagram and protest making them, but they’re missing out on a large market out there. It’s very easy to make a Reel and you don’t need to show your face or dance either. I encourage everyone to at least try it out for a month.

7. What advice do you have to keeping one’s work fresh, beyond off camera flash?

Francisco Joel Hernandez: Consume as much art as you can whenever possible. I’m always looking at vastly different types of work in different mediums like movies for example. Some images I plan to take are heavily inspired by some of my favorite films. You can learn lighting techniques from seeing films and any behind the scenes content they have.

8. What piece of gear or gadget can you not live without?

Francisco Joel Hernandez: Probably my Flashpoint Xplor 300 Pro. It’s my favorite strobe to date and I’ve used it extensively over the past several years. So small yet powerful and has a unique mount that allows use with very portable modifiers.

9. What was your most challenging off camera flash shoot and why?

Francisco Joel Hernandez: This is a tough question for sure, but I believe I can say it would be my very first photoshoot with a model ever. The guy made it clear from the start that he had no confidence in me, I forgot my light stand, and it was so hot the day of the session. The reason he didn’t think I’d do a good job was because he thought I was taking photos for years with models due to a misunderstanding in our communications up until the day we met. He ended up loving the photos.

10. If not photography, what would your career be?

Francisco Joel Hernandez: Definitely something artistic like a cinematographer. I’ve loved films since I can remember and always get so mesmerized in theaters when watching certain scenes that have great cinematography. Love how even today there’s new work pushing the limit and creating beautiful scenes.

Francisco Joel Hernandez is a professional photographer and content creator based in South Texas who has a passion for teaching others off camera flash through social media. With over a decade of experience in this field, he aims to constantly educate others how powerful off camera flash can be and how helpful it is to have in your tool belt as a photographer.

The post How Francisco Joel Hernandez Adds Depth to His Portraits appeared first on Rangefinder.

Lighting Company Paul C. Buff is best known for its studio lights—such as the Alien Bees and Einstein—but the company’s latest strobe is entirely battery powered. Arriving on Jan. 20, the Celestial is a battery-powered flash with up to 500 Ws of power and features like High Speed Sync.

The Celestial: Battery Power

Paul C. Buff’s Celestial delivers up to 500 Ws of power and a 1.5 second recycle time to full power. The company says that the battery can power the 160w equivalent modeling lamp at full power for 90 minutes. Unlike a hot shoe flash, the Celestial aims to offer on site to studio versatility by allowing the battery to charge while in use. That gives photographers the ability to move between the easy outlet accessibility of a studio and off-site locations.

Flash Duration

The flash adjusts from .25 Ws to 500 Ws in 1/12-stop increments. The HSS makes it possible to use the flash with shutter speeds up to 1/8000 seconds. Action mode with flash durations as short as 1/18,600 seconds and color modes are also available. Color is adjustable plus or minus 50+ at any power setting.

[Read: Furiously Fast Flash: Strobes for Any Budget or Camera]

The Celestial expands the Paul C. Buff lineup with a fully portable strobe that doesn’t require packing an external power source. While a few of the company’s priciest strobes will out-power the Celestial, the new flash also has the widest power variability at 12 stops. Compared to the rest of the company’s line-up, the Celestial isn’t the fastest or brightest, but sits well above the entry level options that require a plug. The flash with the battery weighs about 4.6 pounds.

HUB Remote

The flash is designed to be used with the HUB remote. While the light will also work with older CST3, CyberCommander, and CyberSense remotes, HSS and TTL are not compatible. The lens ships with a magnetic diffusion dome while colored gels are available separately.

The Celestial: Due Date

The company says the Celestial is expected to arrive on January 20th, with a $649.95 list price and an optional eight pack of color gel domes for $59.95.

The post Paul C. Buff’s Celestial is a Powerful Battery-Powered Strobe appeared first on Rangefinder.

The new, battery-powered Elinchrom FIVE monolight/off-camera flash is equally at home on location or in the studio thanks to its portable design and powerful output. It’s heavier than its Elinchrom ONE predecessor (6.6 vs. 3.3 pounds) and it measures 10.35 x 6.57 x 11.22 inches. But that’s no surprise given that the 522Ws FIVE delivers more power than the 131Ws ONE.

When it comes to speed, the FIVE delivers. In addition to a rate of up to 450 full power flashes on a single charge, the FIVE is capable of fast recycling times: as fast as 0.01s at the minimum power setting and 1.6s at the maximum. To help ensure non-stop shooting, the FIVE offers active USB-C charging so pack one or more power banks (or other USB-C power sources) to your kit for convenient non-stop shooting. The Li-ion battery is removable, allowing for passive charging as well. With the wall charger, a totally depleted battery will charge fully in one hour 35 minutes.

[Read: Furiously Fast Flash: Strobes for Any Budget or Camera]

A full complement of flash modes include manual, TTL and High-Speed Sync (the latter with the Transmitter Pro), so you have the flexibility you need—whether you’re photographing static subjects or high-speed action. With flash duration up to 1/8080s (minimum power in Action mode), the FIVE is perfect for overpowering bright sunlight as well as stopping action.

Adjusting and double-checking settings on one or more lights is easy thanks to the FIVE’s intuitive onboard menu or, via Bluetooth, with the Elinchrom Studio App. The latter is available for iOS and Android mobile devices as well as Mac OS and Windows computers.

Its bicolor modeling light is also available with color temperature presets from 2700 K to 6500 K. The 26W modeling light is rated at 4000 lumens with a CRI of 95. The FIVE is equipped with a 3.5mm sync socket to accommodate radio triggers and has a top handle to more easily change the angle of the unit.

While the FIVE’s technical specs (visit elinchrom.com for more details) speak for themselves, I’ve interviewed photographers for whom both portability and power were critical attributes—particularly those who shoot in remote locations. Power and speed were equally important to some who were shooting action such as mountain biking or capturing portraits in heavily wooded areas with very little sunlight. Others needed the power to overcome bright sunlight, especially when they were working in desert environments. But studio photographers—particularly those with smaller spaces—will appreciate the FIVE’s cable/power cord free footprint and convenient use of a battery powered flash. I have to admit I’m a big fan of Elinchrom products in general and the FIVE’s competitive pricing and active charging makes this model even more appealing.

The FIVE is available in two configurations: a single light kit ($1,849) and a dual kit ($3,650). Both include one or two Elinchrom FIVE Monolight, Battery, wide reflector, USB-C wall charger. The former includes a hard case while the dual kit provides a storage bag.

The post The Elinchrom FIVE—Portable and Powerful Lighting appeared first on Rangefinder.

Light painting is an endlessly creative photographic niche that can enliven otherwise mundane portraits and product shots with dazzling swirls of light, shapes, and even words. If Wikipedia is to be believed, it’s a practice that dates back to the 1880s, but with these light sources you’ll have no trouble making modern masterpieces that will get you noticed. Just slow your shutter speed, find your light source and start experimenting.

5 Light Painting Tools for Image Creativity:

1. Lume Cube RGB Panel Pro

Great for: Broad bands of light, multi-colored output, on-camera flash/continuous lighting.

If you need a light painting tool that go can pull double duty as an on-camera continuous light, the compact RGB Panel Pro is a solid option. Boasting 360 different colors with adjustable brightness from 5 to 100 percent and Bluetooth remote (via smartphone app), the lightweight RBG Panel Pro can be operated for 90 minutes at max output on a single charge.

Price: $169.99
lumecube.com

2. Ellumiglow EL Wire Kit

Great for: Thin wisps of color, wrapping objects and people, sound-activated effects.

Electroluminescent (EL) wire is essentially a thin copper wire wrapped in phosphor that glows a variety of colors when you electrify it. These battery-powered wires are highly transportable, and relatively inexpensive. EL wires are flexible, so you can wrap them around objects, but may also be somewhat fragile (so spin them but maybe don’t whip them around). The EL Wire Kit is available in 10 colors and several lengths (6-, 15-, and 25-feet), plus options that are activated by sound.

Price: $14
ellumiglow.com

3. Spekular KYU 6 LED

Great for: Wrapping models/subjects, longer photo shoots.

LED wands are a go-to accessory for light painters, but the Spekular KYU 6 delivers added versatility thanks to its wrap-able/wearable design. It outputs red, green, and blue light plus 15 derivative sub-colors. Brightness is adjustable over five levels and there are five effects modes: breathing, police, fire, TV, and fireworks. The KYU 6 has several mounting options for magnetic and non-magnetic surfaces. Its internal battery supports between 1-8 hours of operation, depending on use, but you can connect it to a USB power source for continuous use.

Price: $50
spekular.com/

4. Fotorgear Magilight

Great for: A wide variety of light-painting effects and light shapes, use with sparklers.

Boasting over 15 million possible color combinations, the Magilight is a highly versatile light painting tool. Measuring in at just over 3-feet long, the Magilight is splash-proof and draws power from a pair of rechargeable batteries capable of up to eight hours of operation.

It ships with a MicroSD card that has over 200 preset effects in it, so you can get up and running fast. It even has a small built-in hole to hold sparklers, so you can (carefully) combine electronic and flammable effects simultaneously. It’s also compatible with a wide range of brushes and blades (sold separately) to create additional light painting looks.

Price: $309
Fotorgear.com

5. Wicked Lasers LaserCube

Great for: Laser effects, projections, laser writing.

It’s not strictly a light-painting tool, but the LaserCube is capable of a wide-range of eye-catching effects that should appeal to many light painters. You control the LaserCube through an app that’s packed with a range of compositional tools and modes, including an option to upload photos, which the LaserCube then “paints” on a surface, and which you can then photograph yourself using a long exposure. You can also make drawings at various levels of detail that the device will then project. From laser light shows and animations to projection mapping and sound-activated effects, the LaserCube has plenty of options to experiment with.

Price:  $1,849 (1.2W version)
wickedlasers.com

The post 5 Light Painting Tools to Make Your Images Stand Out appeared first on Rangefinder.

When photographing high school senior portraits and sports, photographers often need external lighting. Unfortunately, not everyone has the luxury of having assistants to carry equipment. Like me, a lot of photographers do everything themselves—you carry your equipment, take the photos, edit, process, and deliver. That means I need kits that I can carry to a location, set up fast, and still create stunning and well-lit images.

[Read: High School Senior Portraits: The Male Client Approach]

Lighting equipment has progressively become lighter, more powerful, and more versatile. I can now carry a high powered off-camera strobe in the palm of my hand. That includes light, battery, and receiver. Gone are the days of heavy strobe heads, backbreaking battery packs, a tangle of cables, and complete lack of mobility.

I use the Flashpoint/Godox lighting system. After trying different platforms, I found that Flashpoint/Godox has a nice selection that is very cost effective, durable, interchangeable, and lightweight. This platform has allowed me to build a complete system by adding strobes/modifiers/accessories as my needs have changed. (Scroll to end for my kit breakdowns.)

Senior Portraits

High School Senior Photography has changed over the years. Seniors want a lot of images, at a lot of locations, with a lot of variety. They are not necessarily concerned with the “perfect” image (posing, lighting, composition), but want to capture their personality and free spirit. By using a friend to take the images, their session can be relaxed and informal. If they get subpar images, they chalk it up to, “Well, they aren’t a professional anyway.“ We, as professionals, do not have that luxury.

[Read: Foolproof Lighting in Three Simple Steps]

I am finding seniors want that ease and quantity of images from me. By no means am I saying that I have to sacrifice quality of imagery or lighting. This imparts a lot of pressure to meet both the client’s needs, as well as maintaining my professional standards.

For Seniors, one of my favorite kits is the AD200Pro, with V1 on-camera flash. The V1 allows a highlight in the eye, while the AD200Pro providing adequate off-camera light for illumination and dimension. If I need more light, I can always add in another AD200Pro, or switch to the AD400Pro for very bright situations.

High School & Youth Sports

For my high school and youth sports teams, my area has always done photos before practice or immediately before a game. This gives me a very finite amount of time and location to shoot. I may get a sun baked baseball field, a windy soccer field, gymnasium with mixed lighting, or a dreary wrestling room AND only 30-45 minutes before practice/game time. No pressure, right?

[Read: The Legalities of Photographing School Sports]

I can now walk onto a baseball field or into a gymnasium with my camera, light stand(s) and all of my lighting in my camera bag. Because of the compact nature of my kit, I can set up fast and get out of quickly. Thus, I have to quickly mitigate poor ambient lighting, dingy backgrounds, windy conditions and chaotic kids, while still ensuring that photos look great. I have tried to educate our coaches/Athletic Directors to allow for a more efficient process, with limited success.

My favorite sports setup is a single AD400Pro (or two AD200s and AD-B2 twin head adapter) with a 32-inch octobox or reflector. For outdoor locations, I use my 10-foot Savage Universal MultiFlex Light Stand. This allows my base to be widened to minimize tipping in windy conditions. For gymnasiums, I like two AD200Pros with umbrellas. I have also experimented with using the round fresnel heads, with diffusion domes on, and pointed slightly upward and toward the subject, which further minimizes my equipment load. This unique light setup diffuses beautifully, with very little shadowing. For separation, I can always add an additional AD100Pro or AD200Pro as a kicker/rim light.

Think Fast & Light

If you are a solo photographer who has to haul your equipment and work fast, consider investing into a system similar to mine. I am perfectly satisfied with my Flashpoint/Godox system and find that it does everything I need it to do. By all means, select the lighting system that works best for you, that is compatible with your equipment, and within your budget. Just remember, by being able to shoot fast and light, you create a niche that allows you to stand out from your competition.

My Favorite Senior Portraits and Sports Kits:

David Hakamaki, Cr.Photog., runs Cutting Edge Photography, a highly successful, full-time, home-based studio in Iron Mountain, MI. He specializes in senior portraits and sports photography, and has spoken at photography conferences and workshops around the U.S., Canada and the UK, including WPPI. He’s also a brand ambassador for many of the photography industry’s largest companies.

The post Seniors & Sports: One Photographer’s Fave Lighting Kits appeared first on Rangefinder.

From the very beginning of the art form, portrait photographers have been trying to create better portraits by harnessing and shaping light. From trays of explosive gunpowder to powerful mirrors to north light windows, techniques and tools have been the pursuit of every portrait photographer throughout the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. Fortunately, we are living in an age with powerful and versatile lights and ultra sensitive camera sensors (our ancestors would call that film). But all the camera and lighting gear won’t do you any good without the techniques to back them up. That’s where my foolproof portrait lighting steps come in.

[Read: Photo Lighting Hacks: Mental Shifts for Stand-Out Images]

The following foolproof portrait lighting principles will solve even the most difficult lighting scenarios. Practice this three-step process whenever the going gets rough and you will be able to pull out of any potential lighting catastrophe.

Shade and Relight

Whenever you are faced with extreme lighting conditions—like a clear sunny day where the sun is creating harsh shadows across both the landscape and your client’s face—it’s time to shade and relight. Here’s how:

3 Foolproof Portrait Lighting Steps:

1. Find the ambient exposure.

Find your composition and your ambient exposure for the background. In this case, we used a long, tree- lined country road and set our shutter speed at 1/200 sec. at f4.5 and ISO 100. The sun sparkles nicely through the trees, but the client was not only uncomfortable in the sun, the sun created very harsh shadows across her face and body.

2. Find or make shade for your client.

Often times, this can be done by putting your subject in the shade of a tree or a building. But sometimes, it is as simple as putting them in their own shade by facing them away from the sun. In this instance, we parked the client’s Jeep in the shade of a large tree and posed her on the hood. Of course she was too dark for the ambient exposure, so light was needed.

3. Light your subject following your observations of the ambient light.

Look at the ambient light’s quality, color, and direction and then add the appropriate light to make the client fit into the scene as though they were being lit by the ambient light source. In our case, it was the sun, so we added a hair light behind and to the left to add a rim of light on her and the Jeep. You can see this rim of light on her cheek and in her hair. This hair light is coming from the same direction as the sun, so it feels completely natural on her body, but unlike the sun, we can control it completely. The next light is also placed to the left of the subject to match the direction of light from the sun, but we cheat it around to the front of the model to provide the fill necessary to expose her correctly and add some beautiful shape and volume to her face. Using a Profoto B1 and a Deep XL Silver Umbrella, we created a large, but specular light source that lights the client and her Jeep in keeping with the general rules of light we observed from the surrounding ambient light.

This simple method of shading your client and relighting them to match the surrounding light is an effective way to get a beautifully lit photograph in almost any circumstance, no matter how harsh the sun gets.

[Read: Harsh Light Photography: How to Work It and Love It]

It doesn’t just work for harsh lighting conditions. Even when the sun is not out in full strength, the method works very well for a group portrait at a wedding. In this case, we wanted to keep the bride and her bridesmaids comfortable in the shade of the beach house, while using the ocean as a beautiful background (below). If we didn’t use the shade of the beach house, the women would be squinting directly into the sun which was softened only by thin cloud cover. So we employed the shade and relight technique.

1. We chose the spot, looked for the background and possible shade, then we exposed for the sky.
   
   
2. We placed the subjects in the shade.
   
   
3. We added just one Profoto B10 flash with a 2×3-foot Softbox at a 45-degree angle from the camera. In this case, because the sun was behind a light cloud bank, there wasn’t a significant direction of light, so we were able to put the flash on the right or the left side of the group.
   
   

No matter what kind of lighting scenario you find yourself in, even indoors with incandescent lighting and constant light sources, you can follow the same technique. The process is the same. Just pay attention to the direction, the quality, and the color of the existing light. In the final example, I took a portrait of my children for a Holiday greeting card. The existing light was from the lights on the Christmas Tree and and the garlands in the background. I followed the same simple steps to create the lighting scenario for this indoor shot using all incandescent light.

1. I chose the framing and exposure for the background (1/40 sec. at f/4 at 3200 ISO). This gave me the best exposure for the glowing Christmas lights.
   
   
2. The kids were far away from the light source, so they needed their own light source. How better to match the light of a Christmas tree than with more Christmas lights. We simply hung them between the camera lens and the subjects. This gave our subjects a very soft glow, and some great depth to the shot, but their faces were still a bit dark and they didn’t necessarily separate out well from the background. Still in shadow.
   
   
3. We added one 2700 K constant light at the top of the staircase to light the darkened stairs. We added another light as a hair light, pointing at the back of the kids’ heads to give them a rim light. And finally a 2700K light with a 2×3-foot soft box to the right of the camera to fill in their faces with beautiful, directional, soft light.

Inside lighting, outside lighting, flash, constant…it doesn’t matter. The method is the same. So when you are practicing your lighting techniques next, remember these three foolproof portrait lighting steps for setting up any lighting scenario. They will simplify the entire process and help you avoid those moments of panic, frustration or indecision.

• Find your background.
• Determine the direction, quality and color of light.
• Place your subject in shade, or out of the problematic ambient light, then add your lights (flash or constant) to fill in the subject.

Aways remember to follow the light that already exists. It has given you the rules for lighting your subject. Slow it down and walk through the process step by step. It works every time.

Jared Platt is an international wedding, lifestyle and portrait photographer who began his studies in photography in documentary and landscapes. Today you will find his images are a perfect blend of landscape, documentary, and portraiture. You can find him teaching foolproof lighting techniques and other aspects of his craft online and at International photo conferences around the globe, including WPPI. He has been teaching photography for over 20 years and has been a working photographer for the last 25.

The post Foolproof Portrait Lighting in Three Simple Steps appeared first on Rangefinder.

From lightning-fast monolights to high-end, pack-and-head systems, here are five motion-freezing, time-stopping strobes to own (for those on a budget to those who can afford a splurge).

Strobes: What You Need for Speed

There’s two general metrics to keep in mind when sizing up flashes and strobes for speed—recycling time and flash duration. The former tells you how fast the flash is ready to fire again after it delivers a flash. The second is a measure of how long before most of the light from the flash dissipates. It’s measured in “t”, with t 0.5 being the time it takes for 50 percent of the flash’s light to disappear and t 0.1 being the time it takes for 90 percent of the flash’s light to disappear. For motion freezing projects, you’ll want to pay attention to the duration at t 0.1, but sometimes that spec isn’t published.

Flash power also plays a role here: A very powerful flash or strobe that outputs a ton of light may take a few fractions of a second longer to bounce back to full charge compared to a lower-powered flash. The high-powered flash isn’t necessarily “slow”—it just has to work harder than its lower-powered peers.

1. Godox V1

Strobe style: On-camera flash.

How fast? Flash durations clock in at between 1/300 sec. at high power to 1/20,000 sec. at low power. Recycle times average 1.5 sec.

Great for: Wedding and event work, travel photography.

The 76 w/ sec. V1 flash is capable of popping off up to 480 full-power flashes on a fully-charged lithium ion battery. It’s available in versions that are compatible with the major camera brands with support for TTL functionality in all.

Price: $259

godox.com

2. FJ Westcott FJ200 Strobe

Strobe style: Monolight

How fast? Flash durations at t 0.1 t fall between 1/260 sec. and 1/7,000 sec. at lowest power. Recycling times range from .05-1.3 sec.

Great for: Portraits, events and weddings, location work.

Boasting 200 w/ sec. of flash output, the battery-powered FJ200 can deliver 450 flashes on a fully- charged battery. An AC adapter is sold separately if you need all-day operation. It supports TTL and power is adjustable over a 9 stop range in either .1- or 1-stop increments. The extended flash tube helps improve light output when using strobes.

Price: $349

fjwestcott.com

3. Elinchrom ONE

Strobe style: Monolight

How fast? Flash durations of between 1/7000 sec.-1/625 sec. at t 0.1. and recycling times range from .06 to .9 sec.

Great for: Event, fashion, travel, group portraits.

The ultra-compact, 131 w/sec. ONE can deliver up to 725 full-powered flashes on a charged battery and thanks to its USB-C connection, you can re-charge without a break in the action. Power is adjustable across a five-stop range. It uses the new Elinchrom OCF modifier mount but is also compatible with most Profoto bayonet light modifiers.

Price: $949

elinchrom.com

4. Broncolor Scoro 1600 E

Strobe style: Battery pack

How fast? Flash durations of 1/8000 sec. (t 0.1) at low power to 1/265 sec. (t 0.1) at full power. Recycling times of .06 sec. at low power and 1.4 sec. at high power.

Great for: Fashion, action, events, studio photography, overpowering the sun.

The Broncolor Scoro 1600 offers 1600 w/sec. of flash power that’s adjustable over 8 stops in 1/10^th-stop increments via two independent outlets. You can control the Scoro via Wi-Fi using the free bronControl app.

Price: $7,251

broncolor.us

5. Profoto Pro-11

Strobe style: Battery

How fast? Measured at t 0.1, flash durations clock in at 1/17,500 sec. at low power and 1/600 sec. at full power. Recycle times of between .02-.7 sec.

Great for: Action, fashion, event, over-powering the sun.

The Pro-11 delivers marquee performance for a headlining price. The Pro-11 can hit 2,400 w/sec. of flash output. It offers fine-grained controls—output is adjustable over 11-stops at .1 stop increments and each head is independently adjustable. The AirX wireless system enables smartphone control of the flash, wireless firmware updates, and wide camera compatibility.

Price: $17,499

profoto.com

The post Furiously Fast Flash: Strobes for Any Budget or Camera appeared first on Rangefinder.

Harsh light photography can be quite challenging for many photographers to take on. And it certainly can be when you approach it just the way you would approach photographing with flat light or even golden hour light. Now, in my seventh year of shooting portraits for my families as well as my commercial clients, I often seek out harsh light to bring that something extra and add some fun contrast and depth to my work. When taking into account a few considerations for composition along with some perspective play, shooting in harsh light can become not just easy to handle, but may just become your favorite light to shoot in!

Technical Considerations For Harsh Light Photography:

1. Exposure settings

Working with harsh light can mean you are blowing your highlights super fast. You are shooting under bright light, or there could be pockets of light or direct sun, so it’s imperative to get your exposure settings as close to “final” as you can.  Always keep in mind, that once your highlights are blown out (watch your histogram on your camera if you need help with that), you simply cannot recover them. I always like to under-expose my images when shooting in harsh light because the details in the shadows may not be as important as the detail in the highlights area especially if I am going for a dramatic, moody portrait.

[Read: How to Find Creative Photography Inspiration in 7 Steps]

Sample settings to start with: Adjust your shutter speed and f-stop as required based on where you are shooting—i.e.open area, dappled light space, etc.—and start with ISO 100. I always start with 1/400 of a sec., f/4.0, and then go up or down from there when shooting in harsh light.

2. Lens considerations

Traditional lenses: Shooting with a 35mm lens is great for high/low shots to get some fun angles and interesting perspectives for portraits, while the 85mm or 105mm can also help to block out distracting backgrounds and give a nice compression. My favorite go-to lens when shooting in harsh light, however, is the 35mm for its versatility and ease of use in any changing lighting situation.

Lensbaby and manual lenses: Lensbaby lenses are my favorite to use in any lighting situation I am working with, be it harsh light or beautiful golden light. However, when used in a harsh lighting situation it really helps to “block” out the harshness of the light while softening it, making it appear dreamy and out of focus while bringing the focus back just on your subject! Other manual lenses work very similarly and can produce dreamy images by introducing blur.

[Read: Tips to Shooting Creative Window Portraits Using Only Window Light]

Remember, your lens choice can make a even more of a difference when shooting in harsh light (considering you want a flattering but also fun harsh light portrait).

3. The importance of Perspective.

The angle of the sun is important and you always need to look for it with respect to your subject. Placing your subject with the sun behind them during midday light may produce harsh shadows underneath their eyes (raccoon eyes) when shooting straight on (eye-to-eye) to your subject. Playing in with some perspective, however, can help you balance the light out and avoid or hide the harshness of the shadows (especially when they are unflattering on your subject).

4. Compositional Ideas for working in harsh light.

One of my favorite tips to “pose your model/subject” in a harsh lighting scene is to angle them/their body such that it’s actually facing the sun but you get a nice profile shot of them. Angle them to look at the sun in such a way that their heads are slightly lifted and facing towards the sun and count to 3 and ask them to open their eyes so that they don’t squint. You could also have you subject close their eyes instead. You may see shadows from their lashes on their cheeks, which is nice (see image below).

Shoot from down low by tilting your camera upward while keeping your subject’s face and body angled still. Look for lines and shapes that are created naturally by the subject. This can create some interesting angles and add some fun back into your portraits!

[Read: Traditional Portrait Photography Rules and How to Break Them]

Play with depth of field and use hands, trees, leaves, or any other props close to the camera to create depth while the subject is at an angle.

Play and experiment with movement by slowing down your shutter speed to 1/100 or even lower to 1/80 and compensate for that with your f-stop as needed. This will introduce blur and movement in your image. Use it with intention to create a story or narrative.

5. Open spaces with full sun.

Shooting in open spaces can be fun and interesting and the beach is a great location to play with full sun portraits! The sand, being light, along with the sky being bright and wide open naturally acts as a big diffuser and hence full sun in an open space can actually make for some fun portraits.

6. Embrace the shadows.

Full sun can lead to a lot of opportunities to play with shadows and create some interesting images with added contrast and depth. The key here is to watch the balance between the highlights and the shadows so that you don’t overexpose the highlights nor have clipped shadows. Looking at the histogram can help you with that.

[Read: Best Natural Light for Photography: 5 Types and Tips]

Dappled light is another way to bring in some contrast to your harsh light work. Make sure to place your subject (whatever you might be shooting) in that pocket of light and expose for those highlights. You might have to under expose by 1-2 stops than you usually shoot with to make sure your exposure is properly balanced.

7. Shoot with color in mind.

 Harsh light can bring in some pretty saturated color, especially if you are shooting in an area with a lot of color and shapes. You can play that to your advantage by using some funky color to your images to make them stand out!

8. Shoot with B&W in mind.

Harsh light can give you dramatic results when you plan to convert the image in B/W during the conceptualization of the shot. Due to the high tonal range of light when photographing in harsh light situations, those images convert beautifully to B/W images as well. The contrast between the highlights and shadows in that scene can make for some stunning conversions.

Harsh Light Photography: The Bottom Line

Harsh light photography doesn’t have to be scary at all. With a little prep work and taking the time to observe your surroundings, the light, the lines and the colors in the space you are shooting at, you can produce some stunning creative images that have contrast and add depth to your work. Harsh light photography doesn’t have to be something you do for every single shoot you do; but it can be FUN and CREATIVE for when you are looking for something different and are tired of working with the same kind of light day in and day out!

Jyotsna Bhamidipati (Jyo) is an electrical engineer as well as an award-winning, published fine-art and lifestyle photographer. The mentor/educator is based in Sacramento, California, and recently spoke during a sold out class at WPPI 2022 on Befriending Harsh Light. She is a lover of light and shadows and seeks to capture the everyday perfectly imperfect beauty around her.

As a thank you to our readers, we’re pleased to offer you a Rangefinder exclusive discount code to get 25% off The Portrait Masters course below. Use the code RF25 at checkout to redeem. This code cannot be used in combination with other sales.

The post Harsh Light Photography: How to Work It and Love It appeared first on Rangefinder.

When you’re working on location, packing light isn’t always an option—but light modifiers are a must. These lightweight, ultra-portable light modifiers for photography shoots can deliver a range of portrait looks without breaking the bank, or your back.

5 Top Light Modifiers for Location Shoots

1. FJ Westcott Apollo Strip Speedlight Softbox

Get it for: Sharp accents, rim and hair lighting.

Why it’s fantastic: This 12 x 36-inch softbox promises an easy setup, like an umbrella, and its lightweight fiberglass construction makes it a breeze to carry. The Apollo Strip includes an 8-foot aluminum light stand with collapsible feet. The included shoe mount bracket lets you easily mount your off-camera flash without a speed ring and it can be positioned vertically or horizontally. If you need to soften your flash a bit, it includes a 1-stop diffuser.

Price: $129.90

fjwestcott.com

2. Glow ParaSnap 36 Octa

Get it for: Eye-catching catchlights and silky skin tones.

Why it’s fantastic: No one likes fumbling for gear, especially on location. The 36-inch ParaSnap Octabank pops open quickly via the “ParaSnap” mechanism. When you’re done, just fold it flat and slide it into the included case. Another location bonus, it features a tool-free mechanism for swapping speed rings, making it simple to switch between different flash brands on site. The interior sports Glow’s SterlingFibre silver lining and inner/outer diffusion silks for more light sculpting options.

Price: $229

adorama.com

3. Manfrotto Halo CompactPlus

Get it for: Soft shadows (diffuser model), fill light (reflector version), natural light shoots.

Why it’s fantastic: For those who really need to pack light with their light modifiers, the 16-ounce Halo CompactPlus collapses down into a small tote that can be hooked to a camera bag via the included carabiner. Thanks to its aluminum RapidExoframe and ergonomic handle, it’s not onerous to hold aloft—but a ¼-inch thread mount and ¼ to ¼ adapter are available if you need it staying in place for extended periods. It’s sold with either diffuser fabric or a reflector, depending on your desired look (you can also buy just the reflector cloth for your diffuser model, and vice-versa).

Price: $129.99

manfrotto.com

4. Profoto OCF Beauty Dish

Get it for: Hard lighting to accentuate contrast, catchlights.

Why it’s fantastic: This collapsible 22-inch beauty dish is available in a silver model if you’re seeking more contrast or white, for a softer touch. It weighs in at just 1.2 pounds with both the included a deflector plate and speed ring attached. The OCF Beauty Dish also includes a diffuser, but the $99 OCF speed ring mount isn’t included.

Price: $199

profoto.com

5. Elinchrom Shallow Umbrella

Get it for: Group portraits.

Why it’s fantastic: Few light modifiers are as easy to set up as umbrellas, and the Elinchrom Shallow Umbrella White/Translucent delivers the added benefit of versatility. Its removable reflective cover delivers lighting with greater contrast and texture, and when it’s off, you have a translucent umbrella for a softer and wider light spread. It’s available in 33- and 41-inch versions.

Price: $59.95 (33-inch); $69.95 (41-inch)

Elinchrom.com

Bonus Runner Up:

Lightweight light Modifiers: The Rotolight Smart Softbox

Get it for: Video shoots, product/detail photography.

Why we’re intrigued: A 1.5-stop diffuser you control with your smartphone or a built-in touchscreen display? Sounds cool. The Smart Softbox is designed for Rotolight’s AEOS 2 LED, so it’s not universally mountable or even compatible with other Rotolight gear. Still, it offers a serious amount of remote control, including the ability to adjust the beam angle from 50 to 140 degrees.

Price: $499

rotolight.com

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The post 5 Lightweight Light Modifiers to Love for Location Shoots appeared first on Rangefinder.