I started this series of short podcasts to not only introduce you to some outstanding artists but to share how Profoto's technology has continued to change the way photographers light their subjects.

​There are more creative tools for photographers today than at any time in the 175+ year history of photography, and Profoto has certainly contributed to those tools.  Edu10 is sponsored by ProfotoUSA, who never slows down on their focus to help you raise the bar on the quality of your images.

Ana Brandt joins me on this new episode. As one of the industry's leading maternity and newborn artists, she sets the standard for everything from her images to the relationships she builds with her clients...and more. It's not just her images that capture the personalities of her subjects, but her role as an educator, business owner, and innovator who sets the standard for an industry she loves dearly both as a photographer and a designer.

"Ana Brandt was the first photographer in the world to design, create and market Maternity gowns to the Photography Industry 13 years ago. She revolutionized the Maternity Photographer industry by setting the design standard for Maternity gowns and use of fabrics for client sessions. Her store www.shopanabrandt.com has shipped her gowns to over 100 countries worldwide."

Earlier this year I shared an outstanding Profoto video of Ana working with her clients. It's just a click away. In less than five minutes Profoto and Ana share a lot of excellent content, along with an opportunity to watch the B1X Off-Camera Flash System and Ana in action.

​Ana's also responsible for one of my favorite quotes:

This video is in Spanish with English subtitles, but before some of you roll your eyes and think you're not going to learn anything here's why I'm sharing it.

• It's been said that photography is the universal language and without question Profoto and Mara Saiz proves that point in this short video featuring her work and the A1.
• Telling a story with photographs is also universal. Every portrait artist is a storyteller and Mara's images tell a story.  

• What each of us like is all about personal taste. Well, I love her work and the style of her images. Developing your own unique style is one of the biggest challenges for every artist.

 Click on either of my two favorite screenshots from the video to link to the Profoto blog and the complete story.

• Pay attention to the way Mara and Profoto tell the story. Obviously it's about the A1, but in the process you've got a chance to watch another photographer at work. So, how would you tell your story?

There's so much great content on YouTube on both ProfotoUSA and Profoto's channels. Take the time to wander over and take a scroll through their archives. They're always sharing information to help you raise the bar on the quality of your images and especially to expand your skill set in lighting.

And, take the time to wander into a Profoto dealer - just click on the banner below and find the retailer or rental house nearest you. Isn't it time you found out what all the buzz was about?

I've spent my entire adult life, or at least all the time I was expected to act like an adult, in the photographic industry. I have to admit there are times when I think I've seen it all, but then someone comes along with an accomplishment that just can't be topped, and I'm left speechless!

It's time for you to meet Jesper Grønnemark. I've shared a lot of videos and posts over the last few years about Profoto's Off-Camera Flash System, and the ability for their gear to go ANYWHERE!  Well, Jesper's taken it to a place the majority of us would NEVER think of! On Profoto's blog he's described as: 

Jesper Grønnemark’s work is characterized by power and speed, conveyed through the subjects he shoots, the choice of location and the unique angles he pursues. As a sports and action photographer, Jesper is not afraid to stray from his comfort zone. In this recent shoot, Jesper took the power of the B1X to new heights.

What a kick to watch this video! It's hard to believe how much planning and execution Jesper and the team pack into the next three minutes. The idea to try and get a studio feel to an image of a skydiver is right at the top of the charts, especially when answering the question, "Can Profoto gear really go anywhere?"

While Jesper's mind's eye vision is remarkable, so is the reliability of Profoto's equipment. He had one chance to get the shot he wanted.  Just the risk of missing the shot and the planning that went into the jump was enough to work through without worrying about his gear.  He had to have equipment he could completely trust.

To read the entire post, Profoto's blog, "Inspiration" is just a click away.

And, if you haven't visited your Profoto dealer, it's time for you to find out what all the buzz is about. Click on the B1X below to visit Profoto's worldwide dealer and rental house listings, then click on the image above to visit Jesper's website for an adventure in sports and action photography!
 
I read a great quote recently:

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.
Neale Donald Walsch

And so does creativity!

Two years ago, almost to the day, the first Bill Hurter Memorial Award was presented to Vicky Papas Vergara, a phenomenal artist from Australia. Over the last couple of years I've caught up to Vicky on Facebook a few times, and just recently Profoto released this video of her in action. She's a phenomenal artist, and Profoto captured a little of her creative process in this short video.

There's very little that tops being able to watch another artist work. I especially love Vicky's comment in the video about catchlight and the importance of the eyes. If it's true that the eyes are the gateway to the soul, then Vicky is the ultimate gatekeeper!

If you haven't checked out Profoto's Off-Camera Flash System, it's time to wander into one of their dealers.  And, to see more of Vicky's stunning work, click on either image above to visit her website.

EDU10 is a unique series of short podcasts for professional photographers. It's sponsored by ProfotoUSA, who never slows down on their focus to help you raise the bar on the quality of your images.

"EDU" is for education, while "10" is all about keeping these episodes short and to the point. We're doing our best to keep them to ten minutes and focus primarily on one unique topic, things you can do with lighting today that you couldn't do in the past!

Justin Marantz is in the spotlight. Working together with Mary, they represent one of the strongest couples in wedding photography, but not just as artists, but as educators, writers and good friends to so many of us in the industry. They've been instrumental in helping photographers better understand lighting and create stunning images that exceed client expectations.

In this new podcast, Justin shares the background story on both of the images in this post. Click on either of them to visit Justin and Mary's website and blog.

"No one regrets taking photos. People only regret NOT taking photos."
Ana Brandt

I love these short videos Profoto has on their YouTube channel because they share so much about the featured artists and in turn their technique.  They're always educational, demonstrating Profoto's never-ending quest to help photographers raise the bar on the quality of their images.

Ana Brandt is in the spotlight with this video. Based out of California, her passion centers around maternity and newborns. Her website and galleries are just a click away.

It's remarkable how much you learn about Ana in just four and a half minutes. Think about how you'd tell your story of working with a client.

For example, I love the preparation part of the video as Ana works with "Mom" to decide on the outfit along with the look and feel of the portrait. Later, you'll see Ana working with the client on a maternity shoot. Then there's the setup for the portraits themselves - how she's lighting each subject, the accessories she's using and the way she wants the finished image to look.

If you haven't made it to a Profoto retailer or rental house for your own test drive, just click on the B1X below to find the one nearest you.  Off-Camera Flash has changed so much of the way photographers create and capture stunning images today. Isn't it time you found out what all the buzz is about?

​If you haven't visited the Profoto blog lately, you're missing out on some terrific content. Seth Chandler shared this behind the scenes backstory about my good buddy Sal Cincotta taking on a nighttime portrait session with Profoto's A1.

Besides watching Sal in action, there's a sidebar story I so appreciate. Along with Sal on the shoot were Michael Anthony and Alissa Zimmerman. Michael, Sal and Alissa along with a dozen or so other members of the photographic community are all involved in Shutter Magazine and ShutterFest. Alissa is the Creative Director for the magazine. Michael, besides being very successful as an artist and one of the country's leading wedding photographers, also writes for the magazine.

So, it's a kick when I see photographs tagged with both Sal's name and Michael's. Nothing beats the power of collaboration when you bring great artists together. And, nothing tops the creativity that comes out of a few good friends hanging out together with a purpose!

​It's an unstoppable combination.

Every image in this short story is a show-stopper. Even the background shot used for the title page above is stunning. Just give it a click to read Seth Chandler's entire post.

Interesting in seeing more of Sal's images, click on the image above to visit his website. Check out Alissa's work as Creative Director by visiting Shutter Magazine. And let's not forget Michael Anthony - just click on his image of Sal and Alissa on the left.

And, to check out the co-star of this post, the A1, visit your Profoto Dealer and the Profoto website. Profoto is so much more than a manufacturer of the finest light-shaping products in the world. They're dedicated to helping you raise the bar on the quality of your images and they never slow down in trying to help you build a stronger skill set!

I'm not sure how I missed sharing this video from Profoto a few months back, but I just watched it twice this morning, and it's so well done. It's not in English, and you'll have to hit "CC" to get the subtitles, but try watching it without any translation. Pay attention to not only the shooting style of Haiyin Lin but the videography as well. 

What I love even more about this is the way Haiyin Lin chose to tell her story.

"Her journey as a photographer began after she graduated from Columbia University in New York City. At first, she mostly specialized in portraits but pretty quickly moved on to fashion shooting for top magazine titles such as Vogue and Harper's Bazaar.

No surprise, then, that Haiyin's initial instinct was to put the Profoto A1 to the test in the familiar surroundings of New York City. But after a little more thought, she came up with an even better concept. "I liked the idea of doing something more in the Chinese tradition, with a model wearing traditional clothes with a modern twist." As a result of this change of heart, Haiyin couldn't have found a location farther from the loud, overcrowded, choked-up streets of Manhattan."

Photography truly is the universal language and the beauty of both Haiyin Lin's images and the way the videographer has told the story is stunning. 
                   
This video was part of Profoto's launch of the A1 last year and appropriately named, "The World is My Studio." Click on either of my favorite screenshots from Haiyin Lin's video to read Steven Hanratty's more in-depth article last November. 

And, if you haven't visited a Profoto dealer to find out what all the buzz is about, what are you waiting for? Just click on the link below to find the dealer or rental house nearest you or the A1 or B1X for more information to help make your world your studio!

Of all the Profoto Tiny Talks I've shared to date, this one has some of the strongest "how-to" content. It's with ​Pye Jirsa, whose short concise videos and posts I've shared numerous times in the Profoto Showcase. No matter what your specialty might be, following Pye is going to raise the bar on your skill set.

If there's one aspect of most photographers' skills that needs a booster shot it's understanding and controlling the light. As Pye starts out in this video, the key to success is to make your work different. Over and again his images show that difference, and I love the way he shares the before and after images to help you understand the setup.

Profoto not only manufacturers some of the finest photographic equipment in the world, but they never stop helping artists capture the very best images.  Pye is working the Profoto's B1 - just click on the banner below to find out more about the new B1X and then visit your Profoto dealer. 

"We will not walk through life with our couples, but our photos go with them."
Mary Marantz

It's well over 12-15 years since the friendship I have with Justin and Mary Marantz first got started. That friendship grew out of my respect for the way they view the importance of exceeding client expectations, quality, and their skill set. In fact, the quote above is one of Mary's opening lines in this Profoto Tiny Talks video.

I can't think of a better way to define the importance of being a wedding photographer! Justin and Mary don't just tell a couple's story but create a family heirloom marking the start of a new family. With every client, they make sure they capture the emotion of the day and tell the story of the bride and groom in a way the couple will cherish forever.

In the 175+ year history of photography, there has never been a bigger list of creative tools to help you capture stunning photographs. Many of those tools are thanks to Profoto's quality, diversity and portability of light, together with one of the largest collections of light-shaping accessories in photography.

If you haven't visited a Profoto dealer or rental house, just click on the banner below.  And, if you're looking for great content to help you raise the bar on your skill set, check out Profoto's YouTube channel. You'll find some of the very best photographers and educators in the industry sharing information to help you become an even better artist.

Yesterday, together with my co-host from "Mind Your Own Business" Chamira Young, we recorded an upcoming podcast with the "King of Lighting," Tony Corbell. It was a great little interview talking to Tony about the new studio he's opened with two other artists, one of them his wife, Mandy. Lots of great insight, and during the conversation the topic of lighting came up and Tony mentioned Profoto. The new A1 is having an incredible impact on his creativity, capturing images in a way he's never had the ability to do before.

So, I thought it would be fun to share two videos, one is the A1 trailer, which is all high-impact. Nothing but great images and video clips of eight different artists in action; six lines of text and one three second narrative - that's it.  It's only a minute long, but as you watch it, think about how you'd tell your story in sixty seconds? It's a great little marketing exercise to think about.

The second video features Hideaki Hamada, a Japanese photographer shooting in an old house outside Tokyo. It's all done with English subtitles, but in all honesty, you don't need anything but music to appreciate watching Hamada-san at work. 

I've spent a lot of time in Japan over my career and there's something about the stunning soft fine art simplicity of his portraits. I grabbed a couple of screen shots to share in this post, but to really appreciate his style, click on either one and you'll be on his website. And, as all great artists, his creativity never slows down. I loved watching him experiment with his application of incorporating the A1 into his natural light portraiture.

On the Profoto blog there's a full story about the shoot. Just click on either image below to read the story and the detail of the day with Hideaki Hamada.

Tony Corbell is recognized as one of the finest lighting educators in the industry, and this three-minute video is one EVERY photographer calling themselves a professional should watch. I realize that's a pretty lofty statement to make, but understanding light is the foundation for every photograph. What good is working so hard to capture the best images of your life if you don't completely understand the process? 

In a three-minute video Tony can only help you appreciate how much you can raise the bar on your images by understanding light. Whether it's natural or manmade, this is an introduction to learning to see it!

Tony has been one of my best buddies for most of my career. That friendship grew out of the respect I have for his passion for the craft, teaching and helping photographers elevate the quality of their work. If Tony's speaking or teaching at any convention or conference you're attending - run don't walk to get a seat! And, at the end of his presentation make it a point to introduce yourself and get Tony in your network.

Tony's no stranger at SCU and last year shared one of his favorite images on "Why?". Click on the image to the right to hear his short sound bite and why it's one of his favorite images.