Profoto isn't just a leader in manufacturing some of the very best lighting equipment in the world, they're also a leader in education and great content. I clicked on "Inspiration" on the website and it opened the flood gates to one story after another. Each profile is unique, demonstrating a special talent or application. True to the topic description, they're inspirational!

I pulled the three links to the stories above to show you the format and give you a sneak peek into what's waiting for you on the website. Just click on any of the three stories to enjoy more stunning work and be introduced to some incredibly talented artists.

But, I wanted to share one more. the post about one of my favorite photographers and friend, Brian Smith. Seth Chandler did a terrific job of capturing this story about Brian's experience working with Profoto's B1 Off-Camera Flash System while photographing a fire-breather. 

Interested in seeing more of Brian's work? Just click on any of his images below to visit his website and galleries!

by Seth Chandler
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Whenever Pulitzer-prize winning photographer Brian Smith works with new equipment, he likes to put it to the test in the field. Recently, he tried out Profoto’s new Sony-compatible Air Remote TTL-S by photographing a fire-breather on location in the limited window of the golden hour before sunset.

To get his images, Brian used three Profoto B1 Off-Camera Flashes, one light with the OCF Beauty Dish White above facing the subject from slightly above and two B1s with Profoto Zoom reflectors and ½ CTO gels behind the subject. He and fire eater Cirque Bishop started by doing some test runs to get the framing right and get some ideas for different options.

“Getting the light to 95% of what you want is one thing. That last 5% is difficult,” he explains. “The back lights create a rim. They open up details but keep the feeling that you want. They don’t overpower the scene but show it the way they eye sees it but the camera doesn’t otherwise capture.” 

Staying out of the line of fire

When shooting, Air Remote TTL-S was not only immensely useful, it was almost a life-saver.

“A big plus was the ability to change the output of the flash heads from the Air Remote instead of literally walking through the line of fire.”

Brian also took a close-up portrait of Cirque wearing hoodie using through-the-lens metering and high-speed sync. “I had not used Profoto with TTL or HSS, so I used both,” he says.

“High-speed sync is great for when you want a rich, saturated background but shallow depth of field.”

And what did Brian think of the Air Remote TTL-S after 30-odd years of shooting manual?

“It definitely won me over. I particularly like that once you have a TTL exposure you like, you can simply switch the remote to Manual to lock in that flash output.

Every one of Profoto USA's Tiny Talks videos packs a lot of incredibly helpful information into every episode, and this episode with Sandy Puc is no exception.

If there's one serious lesson to take away after watching this video is the fact that "Sam" takes on Mother Nature again and again. Bright sun, little or no sun, even an upcoming dark storm, Profoto lighting on location together with her incredible skill set never slows down her ability to exceed client expectations and deliver stunning family portraiture.

Time and again I hear photographers talk about shooting outdoors at ideal times of the day. However, if you know what you're doing, then any time can be the right time! You don't need to wait for Mother Nature to be on your side.

Wander over to "Sam's" website with a click of you mouse on any of the images below. Since the video above focused on families, I pulled a few of my favorite seniors and children to share, but there's a common theme to every Puc image - she never compromises on the quality!

And Profoto never compromises on the quality of their gear. If you haven't checked out Profoto lighting - what are you waiting for? Visit their home page with a click on the banner to the right and check out the B1 and B2 Off-Camera Flash Systems while you're there!

by Skip Cohen

The fun of this industry is in the people you meet and the friendships you make along the way. Brian Smith and I don't catch up that often, but it's always good to see him, usually at a convention/conference we're both attending. As a Pulitzer Prize winning photographer, it's obvious looking at Brian's galleries he never compromises on the quality of an image, especially with his lighting. And, while we all recognize that a Pulitzer Prize is at the very top of the list, it's only one aspect of the awards Brian has received over the years, and the respect he's earned from the photographic community.

​He packs a lot of outstanding content in this just under five-minute Tiny Talks video, including lighting diagrams on many of his images. After watching the video I wandered over to his website and this is really where the fun of looking at his work kicked in.

​I had a hard time picking my favorites to share in this post, especially in his "Projects" galleries.  Brian's work is incredibly diverse, and while he might be best known for his work with celebrities, it's obvious there's nothing he can't photograph! Click on any of his images in this post to link to his website and galleries.

In the mean time, if you haven't taken Profoto lighting out for your own test drive, it's time to visit one of their dealers. Profoto is building the finest lighting equipment in the world and in the process helping to create some of the most incredible images!