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.

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
​
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!

That's Vanessa Joy's opening comment in this Tiny Talks video from ProfotoUSA. Every one of these short videos has maximum content and value in minimum time. Obviously you're not going to become a great artist just watching three minute videos, or any videos for that matter - you've got to get hands-on experience and constantly practice.

Your goal is to become so good at seeing the light and understanding your gear you don't worry about getting the shot, only how to match the final image to the vision in your mind's eye. Every artist in our industry, no matter how legendary they've become are always work in progress.

Vanessa Joy is a remarkable artist and educator. She's no stranger to SCU. Check out her "Why?" image shared a year ago. Then click on any of the favorite images I've pulled from her galleries to visit her website to see more of her work. And, if she's teaching a workshop any place close to you, run, don't walk to get a seat!

Vanessa's a diehard when it comes to never compromising on the quality of her images and especially the lighting she uses. If you haven't checked out Profoto's Off-Camera Flash System yet, what are you waiting for? Visit a Profoto dealer or rental house and take the system out for a test drive!

This past February ProfotoUSA launched "Tiny Talks," a series of educational videos featuring some of the most respected artists in professional photography. I love this series because it pulls together great tips on technique and understanding light, always in under four minutes.

We all know it takes more than a series of videos to make anyone a great photographer. You could no more become a great artist just watching videos than you could become a great race car driver watching films, but never getting behind the wheel! However, each speaker on these videos is sharing ideas on how to make your images stronger. They're giving you ideas on techniques to practice and in turn raise the bar on the quality of your photographs.

I love this Tiny Talk with one Profoto's strongest educators, Jared Platt. We've shared a lot of Jared's videos and guest posts right her at SCU. Seeing most of his series over the years is just a click away.

I had some fun pulling a few screen shots of some of my favorite images of Jared's. Click on any one of the images below and check out his work for yourself. Don't forget to put his educational programs on your radar along with his blog. He's always sharing great content.

And, if you haven't checked out Profoto lighting and need a hands-on experience check out one of their dealers or rental houses. Remember, they don't just build great gear, they're helping to build great reputations for some incredible artists!

I love Profoto USA's "Tiny Talk" series, because each video packs in a lot of great content, all from some of the most respected artists and educators in professional photography today. But, even better than "Tiny Talks" is being able to spend time directly with the artist - live and in person!

Matthew Jordan Smith is on the road through June 14 in Canada and the US. Then he's headed to London, presenting on June 19 and Amsterdam on June 21. Here's an opportunity to learn from one of the very best educators in professional photography. Matthew needs to be in your network!

Just click on the tab below to check out the complete schedule and register for the workshop nearest you.

Matthew has been a good buddy for a whole lot of years, but the friendship we have was built on a foundation of respect for his images and passion as an artist. The image of Tyra Banks, which he shares in the video, is one of his most classic portraits and became a cover for Rangefinder Magazine many years ago. 

He never compromises on the quality of an image or his relationship with clients, vendors and friends. He stays focused on his day-in-day-out business and at the same time prevents "getting lost" by focusing on special projects.

His most recent book, Future American President started out as just such a project. In fact, we were working together for SPTV in Kentucky in 2015 when the book first copies of the book became available.

Matthew also never compromises on the gear he shoots with, especially his choice in lighting, Profoto! Check out Profoto's complete product line with a click on the banner below. 

Matthew's tagline on every email and blog post for years has been "Always dream big" and that's exactly what he does.

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
Eleanor Roosevelt

Images copyright Matthew Jordan Smith. All rights reserved.
Click on any image to visit Matthew's website.