This is the fourth video I've wanted to share with you featuring Joe McNally talking about lighting. If you need help understanding lighting, nobody does it better or put things into a more concise package than Joe with each of these short videos.

This one is a little longer than the previous ones Profoto USA shared. Joe's working with Profoto B1's and over six minutes demonstrates a whole series of different techniques and challenges. Play it full screen and after just a minute or two you're going to feel like you're standing right next to him.

I've shared a few images from this video. Each one is stunning, but remember these are just screen grabs to give you a feel for what he's demonstrating. 

The video is called "Control of Light."  It might well be one of the most important techniques you need to understand as a photographer. Joe's an outstanding instructor. If he's speaking at any workshop or presentation near you, run to get a seat. 

Here's Joe's teaching/speaking schedule for August and September with all the links:

August 1 - 2: Santa Fe Workshops: Intensive: Using Nikon Speedlights - Santa Fe, NM
August 2 - 7: Santa Fe Workshops: Location Photography & Lighting - Santa Fe, NM
August 10 - 13: Photoshop World - Las Vegas, NV
August 21: Kelby One Live: The Moment it Clicks Seminar Tour - Orlando, FL
August 24: Kelby One Live: The Moment it Clicks Seminar Tour - Miami, FL
September 6 - 13: Joe McNally Workshop - Edinburgh, Scotland
September 19 & 20: Gulf Photo Plus Pop Up - Seattle, WA

One of Joe's favorite subjects to photograph are athletes. To check out more of Joe's work, click on the gallery below and then kick back and enjoy the images.  

Joe McNally needs to be on your radar. Check out all of his galleries, website, blog and teaching schedule with just a click of your mouse.

by Skip Cohen

As much as I love being part of the photographic industry I have a frustration with something I hear all the time from artists when they talk about their technique. Too often somebody will describe themselves as a "natural light specialist".  It's become the catchall explanation for a bigger challenge, not understanding how to work with studio lighting.

Look, we all love natural light, but you can't be a great artist without learning how to control and create using light, from virtually any source. These short educational videos from one of my favorite photographers and educators, Joe McNally, pack an incredible amount of information into a short amount of time. Even if you're a seasoned veteran, Joe gives you a short refresher course with each new topic. 

In this video, thanks to Profoto USA, in just three minutes Joe gives us a lesson in understanding lighting ratios. It's the foundation for helping you build stronger images and create more impact with each photograph.

We all have our industry heroes. Well, Joe McNally is one of mine. He's  one of the finest instructors in our industry and never stops working to help more photographers raise the bar on their images. 

One trademark of Joe's is to never compromise on the effort it takes to capture outstanding images. The tab below will take you to his website and workshop schedule. If he's doing a program near you, run don't walk to get a seat. You'll find him more than approachable and always willing to give back as much as his students can handle.

It's no coincidence these incredible educational videos have been developed by Profoto USA. They never stop working to help photographers create outstanding images. In the same respect, their product development team has become legendary. Their new B1 and B2 Off-Camera Flash Systems are game-changers. They've added a new element to every artist's creativity tools. If you haven't checked out the B1 and B2, they're just a click away.

I don't usually quote Hillary Clinton, but I can't think of a better way to describe what you're about to watch in the short video below.  

Yesterday I shared a post with images by Sherry Hagerman, a wedding and portrait photographer from Chicago.  She recently won a Marie Antoinette shootout and being a fan of her work, I wanted to show the images here at SCU.

I just watched the behind the scenes video from the shoot and besides Sherry being in her element, I was fascinated by the number of people involved. You'll see models, stylists, makeup artists, photo assistants and I'm sure another dozen people not shown on camera. It truly "took a village," including Profoto's B2 Off-Camera Flash System, which gave Sherry the flexibility to maximize her creativity.

Participating in shootouts and entering prints in competition is a great way to keep testing and fine-tuning your skill set. Programs like this challenge your creativity and force you to elevate your game. Plus, there are friendships that come out of programs like this and expand your network.

by Skip Cohen

There's a lot written all the time referencing how great equipment leads to great images, as if owning a good camera is going to make you a terrific photographer. Then, somebody always writes, "Cameras don't make pictures, photographers do!"  Well, I'm a big fan of good gear, especially lighting. I know that great equipment doesn't make great artists. However, I do know that terrific images are a mix of ingredients, starting with the skill set of the artist and ending with things like the quality of light, efficiency and flexibility of the gear and so on.

That's exactly what Profoto set out to do when they launched the B1 Off-Camera Flash System last year and then followed it up with the B2 System at WPPI this past March. In fact scroll through the posts and videos here in the Profoto Showcase and you'll meet some of the very finest artists in our industry all talking about Profoto gear, especially the B2 system.

I've shared a few posts about our good friend, Sherry Hagerman. Her image above won first place in the Chicago Marie Antoinette photo shoot! There were a lot of talented artists in this shootout, all great at their craft. However, the image that won, was Sherry's and two Profoto B2 Off-Camera Flashes contributed to the outcome. 

I've had the four images in this post on my desktop for several weeks, waiting until the winner was announced, whoever it was going to be, so I could share them. I remember Sherry asking me for advice on which image she should submit and me writing back, "I'm the worst person in the world to ask on stuff like this!" She laughed and then made her decision, obviously one the judges loved.

Check out more of Sherry's work on her website at Allusion Photography. Then, swing by Profoto and catch the latest in great gear and terrific content on their blog. 

What I love most about them as a company though, is they never slow down. There are more accessories being added all the time and more educational content to their site and blog. Best of all there's a never-ending commitment to helping photographers raise the bar on the quality of their work.

Last week I shared the first presentation in this new series of short and concise educational videos from Profoto USA. I made the following comment about Joe McNally in my post:

Joe is the epitome of so many different things we admire about our favorite artists. He's the ultimate teacher always looking for a better way to help more photographers raise the bar on their images. He never compromises on the quality of his images or the effort he puts into getting the shot. He couldn't be more open about his love for the craft. If you're lucky enough to take a class with him somewhere on the planet, you'll find him more than approachable and willing to give back as much as his students can handle.

Joe's back with another outstanding video, this time explaining High-Speed Sync. As always, especially with Joe, it's amazing how much information is packed into this under three minute video. Even if you totally understand the concept, Joe does such a great job explaining it that you're bound to pick up something new. 

Profoto's B2 Off-Camera Flash System allows you take high-speed sync to a completely new level working with shutter speeds previously unheard of when synchronizing with flash!

Interested in seeing more of Joe McNally's work? Just click on any of the galleries below.

Joe also sets the standard for terrific workshops and presentations. Keep track of his schedule with a click to the link below.

We're an industry all about passion - for the arts, for quality, for education and always for pushing the edge of the envelope. We're also an industry with some amazing iconic artists.  Whether you're just starting out or a seasoned veteran, somewhere in your career you've got an icon or two you've studied with, admired or maybe still have on your bucket list to meet some day.

At the top of my list was Joe McNally. "Dinner with McNally" was on my list for years until we pulled it off a few years back in Chicago.  But, I want to explain why he's on my bucket list.

Joe is the epitome of so many different things we admire about our favorite artists. He's the ultimate teacher always looking for a better way to help more photographers raise the bar on their images. He never compromises on the quality of his images or the effort he puts into getting the shot. He couldn't be more open about his love for the craft. If you're lucky enough to take a class with him somewhere on the planet, you'll find him more than approachable and willing to give back as much as his students can handle.

When Profoto launched a complete series with Joe taking us through one technique after another, they gave the industry the opportunity for more people to get to know his style and his expertise. So, even if meeting Joe is still on your bucket list, now you've got a chance to meet him in Cyberspace.

In this video, Joe explains Profoto's TTL system. It's amazing how much information he shares in just under four minutes! His comment about why TTL says it all:

                                                   "First frame. Right out of the box. Gets me in the ballpark!"

I was looking at his images to pick out a few for this post and finally gave up trying find several favorites. Click on any of the groups below and you'll be launched into a world of stunning images, each one leaving you mumbling the word "wow". And, these are just three of his portfolios.

Check out Joe's workshop schedule. If he's teaching in your area, run, don't walk to grab a seat!  And, here's the link to Profoto's amazing Off-Camera Flash System, Joe's co-star in this series of outstanding videos!