Intro by Skip Cohen

If you haven't visited the Profoto blog or their YouTube channel, you're missing an incredible opportunity. Articles and videos featuring some of the finest artists and educators in our industry are at your fingertips. And, they cover virtually every topic about lighting with new content being shared every week.

I particularly like the videos and posts by "The Light Shaper" himself, Andrea Belluso. With each image he shares valuable insight to help you raise the bar on the quality of your own images. This particular post is fun to share because it captures two of Andrea's passions, portraiture and flying. The fact that he's also photographing an old friend adds to the fun of reading the post and watching the video.

Interested in finding out more about Profoto's accessory line - just click on the softbox banner above. And, follow the blog - there's always terrific and relevant content being shared.

Andrea Belluso is an experienced photographer with more than three decades in the business. Once a month, Andrea takes us behind the scenes of a recent shoot to share some of the knowledge he has gained over the years. This time he brings strip softboxes to a murky hangar to shoot an elegant yet dramatic portrait of an old friend of his.

​Flying gliders and taking pictures are two of my greatest passions in life. Being able to combine these two passions is even better! So, needless to say, the day I photographed my old friend and flying instructor Peder Ek (who also happens to be a great photographer) at our flying club was a pretty awesome day at work.

As if that wasn’t enough, I wasn’t just taking Peder’s portrait. At the same time, I was also shooting the finest aircraft we have at our flying club – the two-seated glider Dou Discus. She is such a beauty!
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Right from the start I knew I wanted the image to be an elegant and timeless yet dramatic portrait of an experienced pilot and his beloved flying machine. In short, I wanted something that made Peder justice. He is a thoughtful and straightforward kind of guy. The image should be the same.
So how did I do that?

Lighting-wise, I used four B1 off-camera flashes, three Profoto RFi Strip Softboxes plus two different softbox accessories, and one Magnum Reflector.

The reason why I chose to work with the B1 was simply because it is so easy to work with on location. The reason why I chose to work with strip softboxes, on the other hand, is that I wanted to a soft light that I could shape and control. So, what does that mean, you might ask?

Well, the main light was coming from a B1 with a Softbox RFi 1×6′ equipped with a Softgrid. The Softgrid was added to increase the contrast as well as to reduce the light spread. Like mentioned before, I wanted some drama in the image. This was achieved by using side lighting on Peder. In other words, I placed my main light to the right of Peder, so that the light hit him from a 90° angle from the side.
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It is also worth mentioning that the reason why I prefer using RFi Softboxes is that they have a deeper shape than most softboxes. The deeper shape gave me more control and an even deeper and more intense light, which was just perfect for what I wanted to achieve.

I used a second Softbox RFi 1×6′ to light the front of the aircraft. I did not use a Softgrid on this light – only the included internal and external diffusers. The recessed front of the softbox was in this case enough to control the light spread. This gave me a nice looking outline on the nose and the cockpit of the plane.

The third and final Softbox RFi 1×6′ was used to light the part behind the cockpit. This softbox was equipped with a Stripmask, which is an optional accessory that is mounted onto the strip softbox to create an even narrower light spread  The longer shape of the strip mask gives me a very soft light in one direction, while its narrow width gives me a much harder light in the other direction. This created a lovely narrow light on the back of the fuselage.

The two highlights created by the two strip softboxes can clearly be seen in the final image. There is one to the left of Peder, and one to the right, working together to reveal the Dou Discus’ beautiful, curved shape.
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I think results such as these are really simple to achieve if you just remind yourself from time to time that a highlight is simply a reflection of the light source itself.

The fourth B1 was a equipped with a Magnum Reflector. The effect from this light is really subtle. I just wanted to add a bit more light to the wing in the back.

Last but not least, I used the Air Remote to control and balance my four lights. The air sync is also built into the grip of the Phase One camera that I used, communicating directly with the Profoto flashes. That made my life a whole lot easier!
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We had a very satisfying day at my Flying Club among friends and with wonderful technical toys such as gliders, cameras, flashes and light shaping tools.

Profoto is so much more than just a great manufacturer of state of the art lighting equipment. Their focus on education and support for the industry is always helping artists build a stronger skill set, and in turn their business.

I found this short video below in their YouTube archives. It's part of their Master Series from four years ago and features Jeremy Cowart. This video, while not a how-to technique piece about lighting and portraiture, makes a significant how-to point about the importance of giving back. Jeremy talks about the power of the camera and the photographer's ability to be a humanitarian.

"It's amazing to see that a camera can help somebody...I think we take our cameras for granted...most people around the world don't have access to cameras and getting their picture taken...it's amazing to take somebody's picture for the first time."

I love the fact that Profoto included this video as part of Jeremy's Master Series. He's a talented artist and how Jeremy gives back is just as important as the technical components of his skill set.  Jeremy needs to be on your radar. Click the image above to visit Jeremy's website, and put his blog high on your list of photographers to follow!

There are twenty-five different videos in Profoto's Master Series with seven of them featuring Jeremy. Other artists include Gary Land, Greg Heisler and George Holz. They're all relatively short, but loaded with good solid content and techniques that are timeless - Just like the quality of everything Profoto manufactures.

Intro by Skip Cohen

​There's an incredible amount of helpful content on Profoto's blog and so many of the posts are timeless, as artists from around the world share their expertise and experiences.

With summer well underway and many of you traveling all over the world, this article by Fredrik Franzén out of the archives seems so timely. Fredrik's post is about Jasper Doest and features the B1 Off-Camera Flash System. As I've written many times before, the B1 and B2 are "game-changers" especially in remote shooting locations.

Having the ability to shoot with off-camera flash, especially as an outdoor wildlife photographer, is exactly what makes Profoto's off-camera flash systems game-changers. As Jasper Doest writes:

"Profoto calls it nothing more than a off-camera flash, which is exactly what it is. But after testing I found it is way more than that. This flash has the maximum output of 500Ws, roughly ten times stronger than an average portable speedlite. That might seem like an overkill, but since the energy range can be brought down as low as 2Ws, the light can be adjusted beautifully well."

Click on the Off-Camera Flash System image to the right to find out more about the B1 and B2 family. Better yet, find the closest Profoto retailer and check out the system hands-on.  And, wander over to Profoto's blog. It's loaded with outstanding content and can be searched by application, getting you to the most relevant information as quickly as possible.

Profoto doesn't just make outstanding lighting equipment they're helping to make more creative and outstanding artists!

 by Fredrik Franzén
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Fashion photographers, commercial photographers, product photographers – they all shoot with flash. Amongst nature photographers, on the other hand, the use of flash is less widespread.  But Jasper Doest shoots with flash. And he just tried the Profoto B1 off-camera flash. Here is what he has to say of it, in his own words:  

In the field of nature photography, there’s still some hesitance against the use of artificial light sources. I don’t agree with this. Just as long as you use your flash in an appropriate way.
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Try to practice balancing the light on a stuffed animal or a human model. You’ll notice that if you point your flash directly at your model at full power he or she is not going to be happy. It could even cause temporarily eye damage. So be careful with this. Another reason why you do not want to do this is that it creates very harsh flat light. Artificial light is meant to control the quality of light, not as a compensation for lack of light quantity. When you learn how to control the quantity and to balance the light from the right angles you will find that using a flash unit in a natural environment does not cause any problems for you and the welfare of the animals.

I remember struggling with flash some years ago. The light wash harsh and it wasn’t until I started experimenting with off-camera flash that I started to understand the power of this magic little light source. As I gained knowledge, frustrations appeared as well. While speedlites are nice and compact, they do not keep track of the camera while bursting several frames per second. Also, the output wasn’t as always as consistent. However, there was no other option for me, unless I’d start using external battery packs, which would be a big loss in flexibility.

Then, the announcement of the Profoto B1, at the end of last year, draw my attention. Perhaps this flash unit is best described as a battery-powered, cordless flash. Profoto calls it nothing more than a off-camera flash, which is exactly what it is. But after testing I found it is way more than that. This flash has the maximum output of 500Ws, roughly ten times stronger than an average portable speedlite. That might seem like an overkill, but since the energy range can be brought down as low as 2Ws, the light can be adjusted beautifully well. While doing so, you gain a lot in recycling time compared to a regular speedlite. This is a huge advantage. You often start firing a short burst of frames when the action starts, shooting through the actual moment. Often you’ll find that at the ultimate moment your speedlite didn’t fire. The quick recycling time of the B1 makes firing bursts up to twenty frames per second a piece of cake. Now your flashlight will be able to keep track of fast camera’s like the Canon EOS-1D X.

​It gets even better when used with the Air Remote TTL-C, although it is a pity this only works with Profoto flashes. It would have been great if this would have worked with speedlites as well, so that you can easily combine different lightsources. But one has to switch to the optical slave mode on the Profoto B1 in order to do that. However, the Air Remote TTL-C remote proves to be a great tool. The remote allows you to control multiple flashes remotely from your camera to find the right balance for your shoot.

I happily took the Profoto B1 for a spin in Portugal and Ireland last month in combination with two of Profotos many Light Shaping Tool. I decided to use the Softlight Reflector White for my wide-angle approaches as well as the NarrowBeam Reflector for long distance work. Although the NarrowBeam reflector is not recommended by Profoto in combination with the Profoto B1, it does extend the range to a certain amount. While I used to work with softboxes, I decided to go for a Softlight Reflector White as it is less sensitive to wind. Softboxes often start flapping in the wind, which doesn’t work well when working with wild animals. A hard reflector like the Softlight Reflector works a lot better that way. The light has slightly more punch than a softbox, but I actually liked that and the light still curves very nicely around your subject. The large surface creates a beautiful soft light, nicer than I used to see with the speedlite-softbox combination and also the ‘catchlight’ in the eye is round, which makes it all look very natural.

At one point the wind did get a bit too strong though and got grip of the reflector. The whole set hit the rocks and for a second I thought I would have ruined my photoshoot. While there was some cosmetic damage on the outside of the flash unit and the reflector, I was amazed to find out the B1 worked just fine after the incident. It was the ultimate test. The B1 was Jasper-proof. Something I can’t really say for some of the equipment I’ve used over the years while working under rough circumstances.

That convinced me. The Profoto B1 is now part of my regular toolbox. Later this year Profoto will announce a firmware update for the B1, which will enable HiSpeedSync. After this update, I will only use speedlites when a compact system is required.

With the 2016 wedding season well underway, I wanted to share three of my favorite videos from Profoto USA's "Walk Through a Wedding" series with Justin and Mary Marantz.  The number of weddings in the United States continues to be pretty stable. I found some interesting statistics on the SoundVision.com site:

• 2.3 million couples wed every year in the US. That breaks down to nearly 6,200 weddings a day
• the average age of a bride in the US is 25.3
• average age of a groom is 26.9
• average number of guests invited to a wedding is 178
• one-third of those getting married each year have been married before​

At the same time, the wedding photography market has never been more competitive!  When you look at the skill set of many of the wedding photographers in the business currently, it becomes obvious that all photographers were NOT created equal. 

There are some very special skills you need to have to make your work standout. At a time in the photography industry where so many artists think the key is their camera and have taken some serious shortcuts in their education, many of you have an opportunity to raise the bar on the quality of your images and exceed client expectations.

I chose these three videos to share again for some very special reasons:

The Iconic Bridal Portrait: Can you pose and light a stunning traditional bridal portrait? It's a skill set that's missing for so many of you. Plus, Profoto's Off-Camera Flash and their focus on education is making it even easier for you to understand the technique involved. 

"Groomals:" Everyone worries about the bride, but don't forget the groom has a family too. Apply the same skills to a traditional portrait with the groom that you do with the bride, along with telling the story as the groom is getting ready. Regardless of the traditions around which side of the family is paying for the photography, it's important to make sure you've got images both families will appreciate.

Get the Details: Details help tell the story, and they're everything from ring shots, cake details, and the flowers, just to name a few. But, once again you need the skill set. Take the time to understand close-up and macro photography and then create images different from what all your competitors are showing.

Profoto not only makes the finest lighting equipment in the industry, they also never stop focusing on education. For example, Tony Corbell, considered by many of us to be one of the great masters of lighting is on the road all over the U.S. Just click the link below for the most up to date schedule.

And, Justin and Mary did twenty videos in the "Walk Through a Wedding series. Each one is short and to the point, giving you help on creating a wedding album that's truly deserving of becoming a new family's first heirloom!

Remember too, this is a word-of-mouth business and the more you exceed client expectations, the better your chances of becoming habit-forming!