maandag 30 juli 2012
donderdag 26 juli 2012
PocketWizard Goes to the Olympics
At the 2012 Olympic summer games, Reuters is trying something new: robots! Using a system they have been developing since 2009, Reuters will place eleven robotic cameras high in the rafters of the Olympic stadium, a point of view otherwise inaccessible to photographers.
The photographers will then be able to control the cameras remotely using a joystick and fire them via wireless transmitter. Pictures will be transmitted wirelessly into their editing system where they can then be sent out all over the world.
Click here to read the full article on Reuters’ site written by Fabrizio Bensch and see more photos of the robo-cam’s installation. In the shot below we’ve spotted a PocketWizard MultiMAX radio trigger helping to get the angles no one else will.
Nadav Kander on Portraiture
Settle in for an outstanding 13 mins on the philosophy of portraiture from one of the most interesting portraitists working today. (If you are not familiar with the work of Nadav Kander, you may want to take a look at his website [some NSFW] first.)
Produced by the National Portrait Gallery as a tie-in to the 2012 Olympics, this is by far the most detailed look I have yet seen into how Kander works. As a bonus, there are several still BTS shots showing his portrait sets.
maandag 23 juli 2012
Photokina Booth Images Selection Two
Photokina booth images, selection two: Michael Muller & Michal Korta
On May 22, we asked you to submit images that we can show in our booth at this year’s Photokina trade fair. The response was better than we ever could have hoped for. We got way more images than we can show and we consequently had to choose just a few. The final selection consists of images from previous blog participants as well as images from you, our readers.
We will present these images continuously here on our blog, right up until Photokina begins. Stay tuned. And to all those who shared their work with us – thank you! It is truly inspiring to see the stuff you create with the help of our gear.
These two images were shot by American photographer Michael Muller and Polish photographer Michal Korta.
vrijdag 20 juli 2012
Nieuwe showroom!
donderdag 19 juli 2012
Zomertip! PocketWizard Plus III
Maak nu foto’s die u nog nooit gemaakt hebt, door middel van een remote camera setup. Verbind 1 PocketWizard Plus III met de camera via een speciale Pre-Trigger kabel, die op het afstandsbediening- contact wordt aangesloten. De 2e Plus III gaat op de andere camera of houdt u in de hand. Nu kunt u vanaf een veilige afstand, zonder verstoring, de dieren in hun natuurlijke omgeving vastleggen. Door een camera met groothoek dicht bij de paal te positioneren, ziet u het dier in zijn natuurlijke omgeving. Maar u kunt dezelfde situatie ook tegelijkertijd met een camera + telelens fotograferen, zodat het onderwerp “los” komt van de achtergrond.
maandag 16 juli 2012
Mola spotted
Mola spotted: Yu Tsai – Rose McGowan, Contributor Magazine
Spotted!
We spot a 33″ Mola Euro in this bts video by photographer Yu Tsai. Yu lenses actress Rose McGowan forContributor Magazine, and make it look a whole lot of fun.
and some of the stills below:
Art Streiber’s Paramount’s 100th Anniversary Photo
Ron Egatz
The old saying is “go big, or go home,” and Art Streiber seems to have taken that as his photographic motto. We’ve posted before about Streiber’s 57 strobe masterpiece shoots. Why should we have expected anything has changed?
Called in for Paramount Studios’ 100th Anniversary, Streiber went big to capture multiple generations of Hollywood royalty. Now get behind-the-scenes details with this new post by the talented guys at Fstoppers. In order to give 116 celebrities flattering, even lighting, Art needed 57 Profoto heads, 34 Magnum Reflectors, and a number of 7 inch grid reflectors and striplights. He fired everything with only five PocketWizard radio triggers!
As you can imagine, the planning for this shoot was incredibly extensive, but it was worth it. The shoot itself only took about 20 minutes. That’s what happens when pros are hired and they know how to go big. Happy birthday Paramount Studios, and congrats to Art Streiber, his team, and Fstoppers for their great article!
Read the entire behind the-scenes account and see more of Art’s work at his site.
vrijdag 29 juni 2012
Rogue Lighting Kits
Introducing New Lighting Kits
Do you want better lighting options when shooting on location with speed lights? Do you need to break out of your lighting rut? Or maybe you just want to get more creative?
 |
| Image Copyright Kevin Kubota |
Our Rogue gear is travel friendly, packs flat and will easily slip into just about any laptop case or camera bag.
Whether you’re just getting started, shoot the occasional wedding, or are a bona fide heavy weight speed light shooter, Rogue has three new lighting kits to suit your needs.
Save Over 10% on Starter Kits, Portrait Kits and Master Lighting Kits.
Learn more about Rogue light modifiers, including FlashBenders, Rogue Grid and Rogue Gels
The Rogue Portrait Lighting Kit contains:
1 Rogue Large FlashBender Reflector
1 Rogue Large Diffusion Panel
1 Rogue Bounce Card / Flag
1 Rogue Universal Gel Kit
1 Rogue 3-in-1 Honeycomb Grid
maandag 25 juni 2012
Profoto brings light shaping to video
Profoto Continuous Light
What is Profoto Continuous Lights?It is a new range of continuous light sources, designed specifically to work with Profoto’s wide assortment of Light Shaping Tools. The core of the range comprises ProDaylight (HMI) and ProTungsten. These units are powerful enough to be used for both video and still photography.
Why light shaping for video?
Modern DSLR cameras can be used to shoot high-resolution videos as well as still photographs. Since more and more photographers are required to do both, it is a natural step for us to introduce our concept of light shaping into the world of video.
Modern DSLR cameras can be used to shoot high-resolution videos as well as still photographs. Since more and more photographers are required to do both, it is a natural step for us to introduce our concept of light shaping into the world of video.
If you are already familiar with Profoto, you will feel right at home. If you are new to Profoto, you will love the creative possibilities that our Light Shaping Tools offer. Experience the gentle push of the Softlight Reflector, explore the soft shadows and the distinct highlights of the Profoto Giants, or play with the smooth yet powerful light of the Magnum Reflector. You are only limited by your imagination.
Are all Profoto Light Shaping Tools compatible with Profoto Continuous lights?
Yes, most of them are. This means that you can now use your favourite tools in a brand new way. However, some of them are not compatible due to heat restraints. For guidance, download the Light Shaping Tools for Continuous Light chart here.
Yes, most of them are. This means that you can now use your favourite tools in a brand new way. However, some of them are not compatible due to heat restraints. For guidance, download the Light Shaping Tools for Continuous Light chart here.
Yes, most of them are. This means that you can now use your favourite tools in a brand new way. However, some of them are not compatible due to heat restraints. For guidance, download the Light Shaping Tools for Continuous Light chart here.
| VIDEOS | ||
 | ||
 | ||
donderdag 21 juni 2012
Mola + Profoto HMI shoot with Lauren Vickers
Mola + Profoto HMI shoot with Lauren Vickers from JONATHAN DEAR PHOTOGRAPHER on Vimeo.
A quick self-edit of some bts footage of a shoot I did with Aussie model Lauren Vickers. Shot using a white mola 22" demi beauty dish with PAD deflector, lit by the new Profoto ProDaylight 800w AIR HMI system. (continuous HMI lighting)
© JONATHAN DEAR PHOTOGRAPHER
maandag 18 juni 2012
Show Your Image at Photokina 2012
FREDRIK FRANZÉN 
Photokina 2012
Yes, Photokina is still the world’s largest trade fair for the photographic industry. There is no other place where so many industry professionals gather at once, and it goes without saying that it is a golden opportunity to showcase your work. Would you like to do so?
Here is the thing. Profoto will of course have its own booth, and there will be a number of screens in it, showing a selection of amazing images that was created with the help of our gear. We already have plenty of images, but it would be nice to also give our blog readers a chance to show what they can do. All images will of course have the photographers name and the website right next to it.
What do you say? Are you up for the challenge? Then send us an email containing the following:
- An image shot with only Profoto lighting.
- A lighting diagram for this image.
- A list of the products used.
Send the email to images[a]profoto.com
Good luck!
Zack Arias light modifier " Run Down"
This was hard work with a great result, so take a look at the article...
• Take a look at how the modifier effects the exposure on the subject and the background. • Watch the transition from highlight to shadow. How hard is that line? • Take a look at the catchlights in the eyes. • How effecient is the modifier in terms of lost light from the standard? • Look at the difference in the quality of light when some of them are moved closer than the standard shooting point. • Moving the light closer to the subject changes exposure so I didn’t list the change in aperture for those images since they deviated from standard position.
I’ve highlighted a few areas here to watch in the photos below… Look at this crop between the 7′ and 4′ Octabanks…
Update: Mola Sollo
A few people have been asking about further information on the new Mola 28″ Sollo. Here is a photo of the new reflector. Here is is pictured with the OPAL glass central deflector which also has the stabiliser rings to hold it securely. These both ship with the Sollo. Like the other larger Molas (28″ and above) it has an integrated handle to secure onto your stand of choice.
We do have stock at Mola Inc, distributors should start to list this item shortly.
dinsdag 12 juni 2012
René Kramers Comes Prepared
It is interesting how different answers you get when you ask photographers what it is that they like about photography. The art, the technique, the technology, the documentation, the interaction with people – there seem to be as many answers as there are photographers out there.
“I love to solve problems,” answers Dutch photographer René Kramers. “When a client or an ad agency comes to you with an idea, it’s up to you to turn that idea into a result. The challenge is of course to figure out how to do that. So in a sense, photographers are like problem solvers. And that is something that I really, really appreciate.
“This is connected to the fact that I enjoy working with people. Together you are almost like a football team. You find the right people for the right position, you have a common goal, and when the atmosphere is right and everybody is enjoying themselves, you might just be able to create something mind blowing.”
What would you say is the most important thing that you have learned during your 20 years as a photographer?
“What’s the word in English? Self-esteem? Or perhaps confidence is most accurate? As a photographer, you’re like the team leader on the set. You must believe in yourself and stand up for the ideas in your head. You also need to be able to express those ideas to the people you work with. You need to convince them. Otherwise you’re just not working towards the same goal.”
And what would you say is the most important thing that you’ve learned about lighting?
“That light is crucial when it comes to creating that feeling and atmosphere that you want to express. It’s also important to remember that the light becomes a part of your composition. Let’s say you’re shooting a dark, intense sky. A sky like that will of course seriously affect the balance and composition. But for some reason, you tend to forget that.”
What products do you mainly use?
“I love the Pro-7b because of its speed and simplicity. But I hate travelling with equipment, so I always rent it when I’m going somewhere. That’s one of the main reasons why I always go with Profoto; no matter where I go, South Africa or America or Spain, they always have it.
Speaking of South Africa; these images were shot there, right?
“Yes, they were done there as part of an ad campaign for Johnny Loco
bicycles. You know, I had a lot of fun shooting those images. Planning
the shoot, scouting the area, going out there like four in the morning
to set up the lights, and then just waiting for the sun to rise – it was
pretty amazing. It’s also a nice example of how important pre
production is. We spent a lot of time prepping that shot. Hence, the
actual shooting was actually pretty easy.”
So the sun is the main light?
“Yes, it is. I then used the Pro-7b and the Giant Silver 150 for fill.
You make it sound so easy.
“It wasn’t easy. But we did come prepared.”
See more of René’s images at his website.
donderdag 7 juni 2012
Profoto Light Shaping Tool of the Month: Giant Silver
Light Shaping Tool of the Month: Giant Silver
Fredrik Franzén
Laleh | ©Jessica Lund
Each month we highlight a certain item in Profoto’s rich assortment
of Light Shaping Tools. We have previously talked to Alex
Giacomini about the Umbrella XL, Knut Koivisto about the HR Lantern, Tom Epperson about the Softlight Reflector, Joao Carlos about the Softbox 3×4’ RF, Kristoffer Lönnå about the ProRing 2 and to Chen Wei Li about the classic Zoom Reflector. Next in line are Jessica Lund and the Profoto Giant Silver.
Jessica has been in the business for 13 years. Like many other
freelance photographers, she does a little bit of everything
– portraits, fashion, editorials and so on. The common denominator is
that most of Jessica’s assignments include people in the entertainment
industry, such as musicians, actors, writers and TV presenters.
The images in this article are the results of one such assignment. They depict singer and songwriter Laleh, shot for the cover of the December edition of the Scandinavian music magazine GAFFA.
“Shooting musicians is by choice my favorite assignment,” says
Jessica. “To me, musicians are everyday heroes. They put words to things
we all feel and they help us understand ourselves better. To me music
is pure energy and music inspires me a lot in my work as a photographer
and often helps me get into a certain mood before a shoot for instance.”
Laleh | ©Jessica Lund
Abonneren op:
Posts (Atom)