Hi.

Well, here it is: my first blog post. To be frank, blogging is not something I enjoy doing, but it's a useful means to many ends, the most important of which is the ability to document shoots and personal projects, the details of which I am bound to forget within a week of them happening. Concept, lighting, makeup, wardrobe, direction, execution -- photography involves many moving parts, and for me what goes into making a photograph is as much a part of the story as the final outcome itself.

Follow this space for a blend of philosophical musings, technical information, and of course, photography.

Lighting breakdown: A Dan Winters(ish) Look

A few months ago, in an effort to explore harder forms of light, I purchased a long-throw reflector. I decided to take gradual steps with it, first introducing it as a hair light, then as a back light. Last weekend I decided to put it to the test as a main light. Here is the end result:

It has a bit of a Dan Winters feel, don't you think? The way this was accomplished was by placing the light fairly close to me, camera right at a 45 degree angle, with a grid and a yellow gel. The tight radius and proximity to me resulted in a small spotlight on my face, with the rest of my body and background being lost in darkness. I added a speed light bouncing into a V-flat behind the camera to reintroduce some of the shadow detail that was being lost. That's it.