I love Profoto's Tiny Talks series because they've packed so much great content into every episode. This one with Neil van Niekerk is a perfect example.

One of Neil's most favorite light-shaping tools is a strip softbox with a grid. But, what's most fun and helpful in this video is how he uses it and the variations he demonstrates in the results.

It might only be a four minute video, but Neil has packed it full of comparisons and ideas to help you enhance your images. With each new portrait he takes you through the changes - sometimes in the angle of light, other times the pose. And his advice along the way is stellar!

The images below are examples from Neil's Tiny Talk video. There's so much content here to help you raise the bar on the quality of your images, which is pretty much what Profoto is all about! 

The Profoto website and blog should be on your radar along with a FREE subscription to their newsletter - the link is at the bottom of their home page. They not only make some of the finest lighting gear in the industry - they're helping to capture/create some of the most stunning images!

And, check out Profoto Stories! You'll find one profile after another of great artists from around the world. Each story is loaded with content to help you raise the bar on your skill set and plant a few seeds of creativity! Just click on the banner below.

Out for a scroll in cyberspace this morning I wandered over to one of my favorite sites, Profoto. They've done an outstanding job of weaving together education, information and stories that are simply great reading. For example, I started by clicking "New to Profoto? What you need to get started."

I'm sharing the section for the on-location photographer here just to give you a feel for the depth of the site. Under each category/type of photographer there's a suggested gear section which includes a core product together with accessories. Each one is an interactive link to that specific product, again with more examples of various applications. Click on any of the components below to link to that specific product page.

But the most fun, at least for me personally, was the profile story at the end of the section, complete with the video below. It's like a great meal and this was dessert.

The profile story is about Flora Borsi and it starts with a behind the scenes video of her Animeyed project. Written by Jens-Linus Lundgren-Widén, it's a great article about her vision.

“I’m an ‘I want it all and I want it now’ kind of person. If there is an easier way to accomplish something, why shouldn’t I use it? With the consistency and reliability of the B1 I can get the shot done quicker. Using TTL I don’t have to tamper with a light meter.”

Click on either of her two images below to read more about the project and link to more of her images.

Profoto isn't just a world leader in manufacturing lighting equipment and accessories, but a leader in education and helping artists raise the bar on the quality of their images. Put the Profoto site on your radar and then check in every week - you'll never be disappointed in your search for great content.

"The less time setting up, the more the photographer has to be creative!"
Samantha Grönblad

In May Profoto introduced the newest member of the Off-Camera Flash family, the B1X. Profoto never slows down on developing new products to help photographers raise the bar on the quality of their images. Even better, they've given artists the ability to literally go anywhere with what we used to think of as lighting control only for the studio.

Yes, Profoto is an SCU partner and it's thanks in part to them that SCU exists, but I wanted to share the video below because it makes such a strong statement about technology and your creative ability today. There are less and less restrictions on fulfilling those visions in your mind's eye.

Now, go one step further and watch the video below with Tim Kemple. Asked to put the B1X to the test, he chose a location known for everything but control! It's hardly what any of us would consider a typical shooting situation, but it does make a point.

These are screen shots from the video. I wanted to share them because they make the point when it comes to Profoto's Off-Camera Flash System being a game changer. 

If you haven't checked out the new B1X yet, it's time to visit a Profoto dealer. Click on the B1X features below to link to Profoto's website and specifically the B1X. Then find a dealer or rental house. You'll never be disappointed in the products, quality and extent of the full Profoto system, including lighting modifiers.

 Profoto isn't just a manufacturer of some of the best lighting gear in the world, but a never-ending supporter of education! I've shared a number of their Tiny Talks videos in previous posts. Each one is loaded with a lot of good solid content from some of the finest and most respected educators in professional photography.

My buddy Sal Cincotta is in the spotlight today with the perfect question, "How are you going to make your work stand out from the crowd?" He's the ideal artist to ask that question, because Sal's entire career stands out from the crowd. In fact, so many of you know him as a publisher and educator with Shutter Magazine and ShutterFest, that you've forgotten, first and foremost he's an artist.

I'm not sure there's anything Sal can't or hasn't photographed, but in this short video he hits hard on understanding lighting. So many of you are building careers as "natural light specialists." We all love natural light, but as Sal points out right in the beginning, so often it's an excuse.

Check out more of Sal's work with a visit to his website. Just click on either of the two images I wanted to share here in this post. You'll also find him at Shutter Magazine and  always at ShutterFest. 

Profoto USA has been a key supporter of both, along with thousands of photographers. If you haven't checked out Profoto's gear, get yourself into a Profoto Dealer or Rental House and find out what all the buzz is about. Just click on the banner below.