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Posts Tagged ‘portrait’

Event, Photography, Portrait, Technology | 0 comment

Updating Headshots – Tech Tuesday

College Park, Maryland

Last week, I was booked for an assignment for updating headshots on location. This is yet another different kind of photography project that has its own challenges compared to the events I have been covering lately. In one sense, I had a lot of time to setup for this shoot arriving early at the location, with plenty of time to situate myself before anyone had arrived. You can make a portrait lighting setup as simple or as complicated as you want, but this was a very special event, so I brought out all the big guns. I setup the on-site studio with 4 monolight flashes. If you were following me on Twitter or Instagram, I sent out photos after I had set everything up.

Headshot portrait setup for updating headshots - ©TimeLine Media
Headshot portrait setup – ©TimeLine Media

This setup made it very easy to make headshots for everyone quickly which was the goal. The organizers were expecting 300 attendees, so I did not want to have a line of people that did not have the opportunity to get a photo at the end of the night. Having lots of lights setup correctly before the first photo was taken was essential to making as many photos happen as possible. Having a dedicated light meter on hand to measure the output from the flashes ensured that everything was setup right where it needed to be – from the placement of the posing chair, to the kicker light that would separate the subjects from the background.

Mobile Lighting Setup

Using a hand-held meter really reduced the amount of “test shots” I needed to make with the camera. When I took the first shot after metering everything manually, the lights were ready to go! I was so happy with the setup, and I hope that the people that came in for their new portraits like the results. Thanks to the University of Maryland University College Alumni Association for having me provide this service for them. I had a great time with their recent graduates, and made some awesome photos of them! If you need updated head shot portraits for commercial work or social networking, please let me know. I had a great time making these portraits, and would love to make more for you if you need. Tell me – would you trust this man to make your portrait? 🙂

Updating Headshots portrait setup for self portrait - ©TimeLine Media
Headshot portrait setup for self portrait – ©TimeLine Media

TimeLine Media – www.timelinedc.com
703-864-8208

Photography, Portrait, Technology | 0 comment

Light Modifier Reflections – Tech Thursday

Musician Portraits

I have been doing a lot of great portraits lately! Luckily for me, the people that have been in front of the lens have been great subjects. It seems like it would be easier to have a person giving you all the attention for the photograph. Compared to event or dance photos where it is more up to me to catch a great image. Making portraits is a different challenge. It is a true collaboration with your subject that needs input from the photographer to make it happen.

Portrait with Nikon D4, SB-910, Westcott Rapid Box - ©TimeLine Media
Portrait with Nikon D4, SB-910, Westcott Rapid Box light modifier – ©TimeLine Media

Studio Portrait

This setup on a black background was at the suggestion of the subject. The easiest way to have the most control over the light is to use a strobe to light a subject with the dark material as a backdrop. For this, I used a Nikon Speedlight firing through a Westcott Rapid Box Octa. The flash was triggered with the FlexTT5 from PocketWizard. The great thing about these triggers is that they use the TTL ability built into the Nikon camera body. Thus the computer in the flash will set the power. This is different from shooting with moonlight strobes that I typically use as those are set manually. But for this, the TTL worked very well as I setup the flashes, so I kept using them so that we could change backgrounds, and setups quickly as needed.

Portrait with Nikon D4, SB-910, Westcott Rapid Box - ©TimeLine Media
Portrait with Nikon D4, SB-910, Westcott Rapid Box light modifier – ©TimeLine Media

When photographing people with clear eyeglasses, it is not typical that you would want to have the light reflected from the glass. With sunglasses, and the kind of photos we were making here, the reflection actually turned out to be a nice element to the face!

Portrait with Nikon D4, SB-910, Westcott Rapid Box - ©TimeLine Media
Portrait with Nikon D4, SB-910, Westcott Rapid Box – ©TimeLine Media

I did make images that also did not have the reflection so that the subject would have options. In case the later use of these images would not work with the octagonal light reflection, we had both in the can. My favorite, was when he just moved the glasses above his eyes so we could see underneath – this was the best of the session in my opinion.

Portrait with Nikon D4, SB-910, Westcott Rapid Box - ©TimeLine Media
Portrait with Nikon D4, SB-910, Westcott Rapid Box – ©TimeLine Media

TimeLine Media – www.timelinedc.com
703-864-8208

Event, Photography, Sports | 0 comment

Middleburg Virginia Horse Racing

Horse racing - ©TimeLine Media

Point to Point Race

Over the weekend, there was a lot of attention to the Kentucky Derby. It was a spectacle for the sporting world that is unique in the presentation of coverage compared to other events for television. The first of the Triple Crown of horse races was run with a record crowd in attendance, and the 2 minutes that the race is presented on TV is some of the most compelling even if you do not follow the sport.

Paddock at Glenwood Park - ©TimeLine Media
Paddock at Glenwood Park – ©TimeLine Media

We watched the race, and I was inspired to go back to see the photos from the Middleburg Point to Point from a weekend ago. Obviously, it must be the horse racing season! We were out there with all the colorful hats and crazy ties in the area surrounding the track on this occasion. In watching the TV coverage, it looks like the scene was similar at Churchill Downs. As can be seen in the photos, it really lends itself to photography.

Tailgate Contest

Tailgating at the Middleburg Point to Point - ©TimeLine Media
Tailgating at the Middleburg Point to Point – ©TimeLine Media
Tailgating at the Middleburg Point to Point - ©TimeLine Media
Tailgating at the Middleburg Point to Point – ©TimeLine Media

Trying to capture horse racing in Middleburg was a lot of fun! On this occasion, the racing action was very accessible for those in the audience. It was easy to get a good vantage of the horses as they closed to the Finish Line. The camera was able to track the action, and I fired the motor drive as they passed. To be sure the 70-200mm lens was plenty to get close to the jockeys and the horses.

Horse racing - ©TimeLine Media
Horse racing – ©TimeLine Media
Horse racing - ©TimeLine Media
Racing horses in Middleburg, Virginia – ©TimeLine Media
Horse racing - ©TimeLine Media
Horse racing – ©TimeLine Media

Looking at the images large after the event really makes me appreciate these horses on account of their biology. They are beautiful as they pass you on the paddock, and additionally their incredible speed as they go through their runs is staggering! You can really feel their ground as their feet thunder by on their last pass. It is really a great photography subject, and I encourage any sports photo enthusiast to give it a try. They will give you some awesome images.

Horse after racing - ©TimeLine Media
Horse after racing – ©TimeLine Media
Horse racing - ©TimeLine Media
Horse racing – ©TimeLine Media

TimeLine Media – www.timelinedc.com
703-864-8208

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