It's a kick to catch up to Lindsay Adler for this new episode of EDU10. She shares some great insight, not just into things she's able to do today, but I asked her what advice she'd give a new photographer about lighting. EDU10 is all thanks to the Profoto team. They never slow down in manufacturing the finest lighting gear in professional photography. 

EDU10 is all about education, lighting, technology and the ever-changing landscape of growing creative tools. It's also a great way to introduce you to some incredible artists.

Based out of New York, Lindsay's best known for her fashion and beauty work, although I doubt there's anything she can't photograph. Her passion for the craft sets the standard for everything she does from being an artist to an educator to an author. And, let's not forget a friend to so many of us in the industry.

These podcasts are intentionally meant to be short and to the point, but don't underestimate how much great information Lindsay packed into just six minutes!  We did a full podcast with Lindsay on Mind Your Own Business a couple of years ago, and I remember her talking about having her own business at age 15. How incredible to know what she wanted to do as a career at that age. She's never stopped learning, experimenting and pushing the edge of the envelope to become one of the most creative photographers in the industry today.
 
I ran across the short video below on YouTube from Creative Live featuring Lindsay and a "Creative Challenge." It's an excellent way for you to get to know her style and her ability to walk the talk when it comes to experimenting.

​Check out more of Lindsay's work with a click on any of the images I chose for this post. And, check out the Profoto family of outstanding lighting gear with a click on any of the products below!

If you take the time to explore the Profoto website, you'll uncover some remarkable content, and in all shapes and sizes including videos and posts. I stumbled upon this article by David Bredan. He shared five excellent tips about photographing watches, but I wanted to make it more. What he's really done is give us a formula for great macro images and each photograph he shared was outstanding. 

So many of you, especially wedding photographers need help with your macro work. While David's article is very specific to photographing watches, there's still a lot of relevant content in each of his five tips.

From tips of "Know Your Watches" to "Know Your Gear" and on to the environment, light and on-camera flash, David's recipe has relevance to other subject matter. For example, for wedding photographers, ring shots are your most common challenge, but there are also detail photographs that add to your storytelling and the album. 

And for those of you who are thinking that it's just not the same because David's working in a controlled environment you still need to understand exposure and composition. You've got the same goal, to produce a finished product that exceeds client expectations. 

David shared some solid advice in the first section of his article: "...after having shot over 80,000 watch images just over the last four years of using my trusted D810 that's been recently complemented by a Profoto A1 – is to spend as much time taking pictures of as many watches as you can..." You've got to do the same by practicing and developing your macro skills on rings, cake knives, jewelry and yes, watches. Every wedding is unique, and with each client, different items become an essential part of their story.

Profoto is always focused on manufacturing the very best products, but like David, they're also focused on helping you produce results that demonstrate your skill set and understanding of great lighting technique. Finding the Profoto dealer or rental house nearest you is just a click away. Isn't it time you found out what all the buzz is about?

Click on either of David's images above to visit the aBlogtoWatch website. There's a lot of stunning product photography shared.

Over the years I've shared so much great content from Profoto's archives, especially from YouTube. Well, here's one we missed and while it might be a few years old, the "Light Shaper" himself, Andrea Belluso, packs a lot of outstanding content into this three-minute video. There's no expiration date on excellent technique and education - especially in understanding lighting and stunning portraiture!
 
​Profoto never slows down, not only manufacturing the finest lighting equipment in professional photography, but on their focus on education and helping photographers build a stronger skill set. Check out the Profoto Gallery of images all captured both indoors and out with umbrellas. 

If you haven't listened to the EDU10 podcasts yet, they're short pieces thanks to some of the most creative artists in the industry. Click on the thumbnail to listen to two of the newest, Traci Magolosky and Bobbi Lane. Stay tuned, because there's a new EDU10 coming every month!

• ​​ShutterFest: As a hands-on event, every attendee has an opportunity to work with Profoto gear with one of the largest loaner "libraries" of equipment on the conference circuit.  Just like checking out a library book, you've got an opportunity to use the equipment in an environment totally focused on helping you better understand lighting.
• Profoto Educators and Conventions/Workshops: Throughout the year you'll find some of the best educators in lighting speaking and teaching at the various conventions, as well as on the road with their own workshops.
• Rental Houses and Retailers: Profoto's dealers and rental houses are just a click away with one of the best networks in the industry! 

Being a great photographer starts with your passion for the craft, but from there it's a never-ending focus on education. Technology is continually changing, and along with it, you have to stay current with your skill set. Profoto's created the right mix, but it's up to you to push the edge of the creative envelope and capture the very best images and ultimately exceed client expectations.

Many years ago I was sitting in a presentation with the legendary Don Blair. Most of you never knew him, but he was considered one of the best portrait artists, and lighting educators in the industry. Well, there he was in his mid-seventies taking notes during the workshop. When I asked him what he was doing, with no hesitation whatsoever he responded, "My man - this guy's ideas, and how he's lighting these models is incredible. I've got to learn this stuff!" Right up to a few weeks before he passed away, he never stopped learning!

You've chosen a career where you can never slow down on your educartion, and Profoto's made it a point never to stop building great gear and helping you all along the way. They're giving you the tools you need to keep being the very best!

Enjoy the three short intro videos below. Check out the complete collection of online courses by visiting the Profoto Academy.

​Traci Maglosky joins me in this new episode of EDU10 and shares some great insight into things she's able to do today, all thanks to Profoto Technology. The Profoto team never slows down in manufacturing the finest lighting gear in professional photography. But, they don't stop there.

EDU10 is all about education, lighting, technology and the ever-changing landscape of growing creative tools. This series is all thanks to ProfotoUSA with short podcasts about creativity, and how some of the industry's most respected artists are fulfilling their mind's eye visions with Profoto's technology.

Traci Jean Photo Studios is located in Cincinnati, Ohio with a focus on people, primarily maternity, newborns, seniors and weddings. One conversation with Traci and there was no question how much she loves this business. Along with that love comes a deep respect for quality, building relationships, and capturing images that exceed each client's expectations.

Traci shares some great content in this new short podcast. One of the things I love about her business model is the logical connections between her specialties...high school seniors get married giving her a steady stream of potential bridal clients. Brides start families and Traci's skill set in maternity, and newborn photography comes into play.

She's reinforcing relationship building every time she picks up her camera. Now throw in stylized sessions, and her creativity as an artist and the circle's complete. She's got the passion, the skill set and the gear for stunning images that make her habit-forming.

Headed to WPPI at the end of this month? Traci needs to be on your radar - her events calendar is just a click away. She'll be on the Olympus Presenters Stage, and also hosting a WPPI Photowalk on February 28.

Her short promotional video really says it all, but that didn't change the fun I had grabbing a few of my favorites for screenshots. Check out more of Traci's work with a click on any of the images I chose for this post. And, check out the Profoto family of outstanding lighting gear with a click on any of the products below!

There's so much great content available on the Internet and especially on the Profoto website. I ran across this post in the "Inspirations" feature in the Profoto Archives, and there's a significant reason why I wanted to share it.

So often over the years, especially going back to my Rangefinder Magazine days, I'd hear photographers comment on a particular cover. The usual comment was, "I could have shot that!"  The reality is they didn't, but it goes much deeper than that - they never tried. They weren't working to build a reputation as one of the very best. They hadn't done any relationship building with the staff. Mostly they were sitting around and waiting to be discovered!

What I love most about this post, "Alexvi Reveals How He Created a Cover for GQ Magazine," is that Alexvi really does share his vision combined with his thought process in delivering an outstanding image as the finished product. Part of that process is also thinking through the format of the magazine.

From the post, Alexvi wrote:

Vicson, the creative director of GQ China, came out with a fun and bold idea – the ten people in the photo are standing in a circle, and they are all looking down at the camera. Due to the different distances between the subjects and the camera, there would be an overlay relationship between the models.

To test whether the idea was feasible, they arranged ten staff members as models to simulate the shoot and identify potential problems. The lighting setup was designed to imitate the natural sunlight from behind, while the subjects' faces also needed to be lit.
​
The whole image would be folded twice and thus divided into three sections while avoiding broken lines on the subjects' faces. At the same time, the full-width image had to be well composed for the fold-out.

​The challenge we'd so often see at Rangefinder was photographers submitting work that didn't fit the cover size. First, it's a vertical format - so, horizontal images just don't work. Second, there are specific areas of the cover for the title and an open space for the address label. If you're submitting work to any magazine and hoping to be published and scoop the cover, you've got to take the time to consider the format and needs of the magazine. Just submitting beautiful images isn't enough!

There's a lot of outstanding insight in this story and it's well-worth reading the entire post. Alexvi should also be on your radar. He's a phenomenal artist.

"Alexvi is a well-known Chinese photographer. He is the photographer with whom Ang Lee most frequently cooperates in China, and he documents the daily life of Ozzy Osbourne. He has also shot for directors, actors, singers and most celebrities in China.

Alexvi, born in 1984, is a Profoto China ambassador and a master at balancing art and commerce. He collects inspiration from his daily life, which makes his work with diverse perspectives silent but profound. In a sense, he can be regarded as an artist rather than a fashion photographer.­

He is the founder of ASTUDIO and has shot covers for several fashion and art magazines, such as Chinese GQ, Esquire, Bazaar Art, ELLEMEN and Traveller.

In 2015, his photo book “Lonely Planet” won the Photobook Awards Martin Parr Edition at Lianzhou Foto Festival, and in June 2016 his project “Peking Apartments” won the Fine Art Photography Awards in London. In addition to his work as a photographer, Alexvi is also a director and director of photography. In 2016, he curated an exhibition at UCCA, one of the best known art galleries in China. The exhibition involved nine influential Chinese artists."

Check out the entire article from "Inspirations" with a click on any of the images above. And, take the time to find the Profoto dealer nearest you. Isn't it time you find out what all the buzz is about. Profoto never slows down in manufacturing the finest lighting gear in professional photography.

EDU10 is all about lighting, technology and the ever-changing landscape of growing creative tools thanks to ProfotoUSA. These shorts podcasts are all about creativity and how some of the industry's most respected artists are fulfilling their mind's eye visions with Profoto's technology.

The Profoto team never slows down. They believe in manufacturing the finest lighting gear in imaging, but stay focused on education, and helping artists create and capture some of the most beautiful images in photography.

I caught up to Bobbi Lane this week for the first episode of EDU10 in the new year. She's an artist, educator, author and a good friend to so many of us in the industry.  

We're down to the wire on a list of special offers in photography. I don't want to waste time or space with a lot of text, so everything below is linked to the appropriate program and manufacturer. There are some terrific deals out there right now, but it's a narrow window, and the opportunities are closing fast.

Profoto's promotion on the incredible A1 ends on December 31, 2018. Just click on the banner below to link to the product and find out what all the buzz is about!

​Every professional photographer is looking for ways to increase their profitability and Marathon Press is always there with great promotions. Their Buy-One-Get-One (BOGO) offer on holiday cards ends on December 31. Here's your chance to cut your costs per card literally in half! And, even if you no longer need cards, check out their various products and programs, so you don't miss out next year!

You've got two different promotions worth checking out. Their holiday savings program ends on January 5, and includes other lenses beyond what's shown below. And, registration for their VIP club, which is pretty remarkable. You've got until January 15 to register. 

Photography is one of those skill sets where you can never slow down on your education. No matter how much you feel you know and understand about the craft, there will always be more to learn. With that education comes a need for a continuous supply of creativity as technology keeps pushing the envelope and giving you more tools and concepts to help you capture outstanding images! Just click on the banner below and check out SLR Lounge Premium. It's an annual membership fee providing outstanding content to help you stay on track to becoming the very best...all year long!

,Just about every Mirrorless Monday a member of the LUMIX team has shared a great image and insight into their passion for photography. Right now Panasonic has some outstanding offers on a variety of LUMIX cameras and it's well worth the time to take a scroll through their online store. Just click on the banner below.

​It's not really down to the wire, because PhotoShelter has this program ongoing but concerning timing, it's the perfect solution for so many of you. Just because we're headed into the slow season, doesn't mean it should be quiet for you. 

NOW is the time to clean up your website and raise the bar on your presentation to your target audience. PhotoShelter makes it so easy and with downtime coming up for many of you, it's time to stop procrastinating and clean up your website and galleries!

If you try and figure out how old photography is on the Internet, you'll find a lot of different opinions.  For me, I'm going with 1822 by a French Inventor, which puts us at 196 years old. The only reason I'm sharing this is that I keep writing about photographers having the most number of creative tools in the ____ year history of photography.

Well, it's time to add another one, that can help bring your skill set to a whole new level, Profoto's Phone App (Beta) for the B10.  Watch the short video above, then check out the five categories of creative support the App provides.

It all starts with "smart remote control," and through the five benefits Profoto describes on their website, this App gives artists a new level of control.

Profoto never slows down in the quality of their products, support for the professional photographic community or their focus on education!

To find out more about the App, click on any of the screenshots in this post. And, finding out about the B10 is only a click away. Plus, the promotion on Profoto's A1 ends on December 31, 2018. Check out the full line of equipment with a visit to your local Profoto retailer. Just click on the banner below to find the one nearest you.

I grabbed a screenshot from their first stop on the "umbrella tour," deciding on the shape. Next came deciding on the fabric, followed by the size. There are so many of you who don't understand the full range of creativity an umbrella can add to various images.

There's a lot of great content in this section, including videos, inspirational stories, and segments taking you "behind the scenes," as various artists demonstrate how they're using Profoto products, especially umbrellas. 

But don't take my word for how good the information is, click on any of the images in this post and visit the section for yourself. There's even a section to help you accessorize your choice with umbrellas, giving you more diversity and the ability to turn your umbrella into a softbox! 


While you're on the Profoto site, check out the lineup of "family members" in their Off-Camera Flash System. And, there's a great promotional offer going on right now, until December 31, 2018 on Profoto's On-Camera Flash System with the A1! 

Now and then a product shot comes along that's just fun to share. I loved this image of Tina from the post.  Two things hit me - first, Oscar May clearly captured the essence of the artist posing with her gear. Second, is how Profoto with their extensive family of light-shaping tools and the portability of their On-Camera and Off-Camera Flash Systems have changed the way photographers capture images...anywhere and at any time of day!

​There's a terrific promotion going on with the A1 right now through the end of the year. And, check out why the A1 is so remarkable with a click on the banner below.

In the 190+ year history of photography, photographers have never had more creative tools to work with than today. Many of them are all thanks to Profoto! Isn't it time you found out what all the buzz was about?

"My clients hire me because I add an editorial feeling to their wedding images."
Jana Williams

As you watch this video think about how you'd tell your story, and all in just two minutes. Every client is looking for something different from their photographer. Jana talks about her work having an editorial style, which is how she likes to capture and create. But, click on either image I captured in this post to visit Jana's galleries, and you'll see some beautiful work and understand, while her passion is more to the lifestyle side, her skill set and choice of gear allows her to pretty much capture whatever her clients need.

But there's one more aspect of this video I wanted to share, and it's the location where she's shooting. Jana's based in the Los Angeles area and right now, the area is being destroyed by the fires. And, while the backdrop of the rolling hills where this video was filmed might not have been directly affected by the fires, for sure Jana's images over the years have captured many of the areas most beautiful locations, now destroyed. 

So many of us have written and talked about the responsibility each photographer has to never compromise on the quality of an image, but it's not just about the subjects who you photograph. It's also about the surroundings and the timeless beauty of the locations where you photograph.

There's a lot you can learn by watching other photographers working, even in a short video. Profoto never slows down in developing more tools to help photographers raise the bar on the quality of their images and in their focus on education as well.

Find out what all the buzz is about with a visit to your Profoto retailer or rental house. Just click on the banner below for more information. Then, take their Off-Camera Flash System out for your own test drive. You'll never be disappointed with the results.

A couple of months ago Profoto announced the new B10. Once again they created their own little paradigm shift by expanding what photographers can do with light...anywhere!

Going back to my Hasselblad days, I spent a lot of time in Scandinavia, but never enough time in Norway. I'm excited to share the video below.  It not only features the work of Frøydis Geithus but demonstrates the portability of the new B10 and the potential to control the light at any time of the day and in virtually any environment.

Frøydis is hiking through the mountains of Norway without any restrictions on her creativity. There's a lot of good content in this video, and as always, Profoto does a great job in sharing her images and each "recipe" along the way.

One of my favorite segments in the video was the clip where she's got her subjects in the mountains, and it's well into dusk. Nothing slows Frøydis down. I grabbed a screenshot just to show the freedom the B10 gave her to merely be creative. She's working in the dark!

I also appreciate the way Profoto has been sharing the gear used with each image. They're not only the leader in lighting technology but often in online education.

You can learn so much watching other artists work, regardless of their subject matter or where they're working. Click on the image above to visit Frøydis' facebook page. She's photographing all over the world and shares a lot of great images.

Isn't it time you visited a Profoto dealer or rental house? Take the B10 out for your own test drive and you'll immediately understand what all the buzz is about! Just click the banner below to visit the Profoto website for more information.

We started the "Why?" series to introduce you to some of the most respected artists and educators in professional photography but with each new episode the dynamics keep expanding. Mark Toal, one of our past guests on "Why?" compared the challenge of picking one of his favorite images to being asked, "Which of your children do you love more?" It's an impossible task.

Pye Jirsa shares two of his favorites in this new episode, and right from the beginning, he comments on the images not being his "most dramatic, epic or impressive", but at the very top of the charts because of the reaction from his clients. And, that's what makes the "Why?" series, so special and fun to share.

Great images aren't just about technique but the reaction from the client. Being a professional photographer is about building relationships, not just capturing memories. With these images from Pye's favorite list, he not only captured a memory, but he also created one.

Based out of Southern California, Pye is part of the award-winning team of Lin and Jirsa. He's no stranger to SCU and over the past two years, thanks to Profoto, we've shared at least ten different posts and videos featuring Pye as one of the industry's finest educators. Even with this short podcast, you'll pick up more tips on lighting.

Looking for outstanding educational content? Check out the SLR Lounge with a click on either of Pye's images in this post. And, take the time to look at the Lin and Jirsa galleries featuring dozens of beautiful photographs. Their galleries are a blueprint demonstrating one of the most important aspects of building a successful business as a professional photographer - they know how to tell each story!

Pye captured the images with Profoto's Off-Camera Flash System. Just click on the banner below to visit Profoto's website, and then get yourself into a Profoto dealer or rental house, and take the finest gear in lighting today for your own test drive!

A few weeks ago Profoto announced a new member of their Off-Camera Flash System family, the new B10. There's a lot of buzz out there about this remarkable new light. Creating all the noise are some of the most diverse artists in the industry, and I love the way Profoto announces a new product to build the backstory.

One aspect of the new launch is a series of short videos featuring photographers from all over the world taking the B10 for a test drive. Over and again, the work being shared is pretty interesting, and you can learn so much watching other photographers work.

In this new video, French photographer, Little Shao takes the B10 to Seoul and spends a day with a group of epic breakdancers. In under three minutes, he shares several of his favorite images together with some good solid narrative of what's in his mind's eye each time he clicks the shutter.

Find out more about the new B10 with a click on the banner below. And, finding a Profoto dealer is just click away. To see more of Little Shao's work click on any of his images.

​Profoto never slows down in their product development to provide photographers with the very best tools to raise the bar on the quality of their images. Today photographers have the most creative tools in the history of photography. And, Profoto is helping you take control of the light to a new level!

EDU10 is all thanks to ProfotoUSA. The Profoto team never stops working to help you raise the bar on the quality of your images. They not only believe in manufacturing the finest lighting gear in imaging, but they stay focused on education, and helping artists create and capture some of the most beautiful images in photography.

JB Sallee joins me on this new episode. He's a photographer, an artist, an educator and a good friend to so many of us in the industry. Working together with his wife DeEtte for the past fourteen years, they've built a reputation for unmatched quality.

Their specialty is primarily on people - families, children, brides and grooms but the list goes on and on. And, spend just a few minutes with him and you'll find his passion for the craft is pretty much unmatched. Repeatedly in WPPI print competition, he's led the way with top honors, year after year. 

Just recently he returned from a Profoto trip to Alaska with some of the most talented artists in professional photography today. It was an introduction to Profoto's new B10, but in addition, an exchange of ideas and creativity.

In this new episode, JB shares some terrific insight into how their work has changed thanks to Profoto's Off-Camera Flash Systems. They now have the ability to truly control the light - no matter what time of the day, or for that matter where they are.

Click on any of Salle images in this post to visit their website and see more of their work. I've only grabbed a handful of my favorites, but you'll see how hard it is to do the minute you "scroll" into the Sallee galleries.

And, check out the new B10 along with Profoto's complete product line with a click on the B10 above. Then, get yourself into a Profoto dealer and check out what all the buzz is about!

Last week and right on time, Profoto introduced the new B10. I shared the trailer video for the launch featuring Two Mann Studios and Joseph Radhik last Wednesday. But, there's a lot more to the story, and I like the way Profoto's put this backstory video together about the B10 and why it's a significant part of the family.
 
Going back to my roots at Polaroid and working with many other companies in the industry over the years, so often new products were introduced by accident, rather than through research and defining an actual need and benefit. I love this background video on the new B10 because it introduces you to the thought process behind the product. It's not an accident but is well-defined with a purpose and benefit to helping photographers control the light.

The video gives you a chance to meet the people involved, and they've made sure they don't miss anything in the development process from the B10 itself to the compatible accessories and even the design of the backpack. I love the comment from Jacob von Matern, the designer of the pack, "Because like the B10 the bag too has to work flawlessly. It's a combination of all the details in perfect harmony."​

It's time to get yourself into a Profoto dealer and check out what all the buzz is about. Just click on the banner below to learn more about the B10. Profoto never slows down in helping photographers raise the bar on the quality of their images and their ability to control the light wherever they go!

Last week I shared a post from Profoto that was just a teaser about something new coming on September 12. Well, true to form and always keeping their promises, meet the new B10! Just a little bigger than a medium-sized zoom lens, here's Profoto's opening description:

Size matters, it does. Because how much gear you have to carry matters. How much space you have to set up and work in matters. Being able to move fast, getting in, getting out and nailing the shot matters.

That's why when Profoto set out to create the Profoto B10, their brand new cordless off-camera flash, the company first considered size. Or rather, a lack of it. “We designed the B10 to be small,” said Göran Marén, Product Manager at Profoto. “Just a little bigger than a medium-sized zoom lens. That means you can fit it in your bag with the rest of your gear and because it’s cordless and lightweight, it’s easy to bring and set up anywhere. That said, this is in every way a Profoto light, so the power and quality of light is essential.”

Two of my favorite images shared with the B10 announcement are from Two Mann Studios and Joseph Radhik. If you've followed the SCU blog, their work isn't new to you. They're award-winning wedding photographers who never compromise on the quality of their images. Click on either image to see visit their website and see more of their work.

In Profoto's new B10 section on their website, there's a statement that combined with Profoto's legendary reputation for quality and performance says it all:

And, this short two-minute video will give you an even better perspective on the size of the B10 and how it really is designed to make life easier!

Click on the banner below and meet the newest member of the family. Then get into a Profoto dealer and find out how the B10 can join your family!

I LOVE teaser campaigns and nobody does it better than Profoto!  We've all heard the expression, "good things come in small packages." Check out the short video tied in with this announcement that came out yesterday and then circle September 12 on your calendar! 

All of us know technology never stands still, and that certainly sums up Profoto's never-ending focus on groundbreaking lighting products. Click on the light above and link to the announcement, then watch the twenty second video!

Another game-changer is about to hit the industry!

One of the things I love about all the content shared on Profoto's blog, and YouTube channel is that the information is timeless. There is no expiration date on technique, passion for the craft or an understanding of lighting.

As the leader in lighting technology, they're dedicated to making sure their support to the photographic community is just as remarkable as their product line. They never slow down sharing great content featuring some of the most respected and talented photographers in the world.

In this short video featuring fashion photographer Pauline Darley, she puts Profoto's B2 Off-Camera Flash System to work. She shares a lot of great insight in this video, and you can learn so much watching another photographer at work. ​
​
This quote from the video says it all, and sums up why so many photographers love working with their Profoto gear...consistent performance.

In a professional's work, consistency is everything!
Pauline Darley

This video was part of a terrific blog post originally. Click on any of Pauline Darley's images to read the complete story.

If you haven't visited a Profoto dealer, isn't it time to find out what all the buzz is about. Just click on the banner below for information about the complete Profoto line, and while you're visiting their website, stop by "Inspiration" for some of the most dynamic content in imaging.