"No one regrets taking photos. People only regret NOT taking photos." Ana Brandt I love these short videos Profoto has on their YouTube channel because they share so much about the featured artists and in turn their technique. They're always educational, demonstrating Profoto's never-ending quest to help photographers raise the bar on the quality of their images. Ana Brandt is in the spotlight with this video. Based out of California, her passion centers around maternity and newborns. Her website and galleries are just a click away. It's remarkable how much you learn about Ana in just four and a half minutes. Think about how you'd tell your story of working with a client. For example, I love the preparation part of the video as Ana works with "Mom" to decide on the outfit along with the look and feel of the portrait. Later, you'll see Ana working with the client on a maternity shoot. Then there's the setup for the portraits themselves - how she's lighting each subject, the accessories she's using and the way she wants the finished image to look. If you haven't made it to a Profoto retailer or rental house for your own test drive, just click on the B1X below to find the one nearest you. Off-Camera Flash has changed so much of the way photographers create and capture stunning images today. Isn't it time you found out what all the buzz is about?
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Images copyright Elario Photography. All rights reserved. Welcome to EDU10, a unique podcast series for photographers, sponsored by ProfotoUSA and focused on ideas to help you raise the bar on the quality of your images. "EDU" is short for education, while "10" is all about keeping the information we want to share short and to the point. We're going to do our best to keep it to ten minutes and focus mostly on one unique topic, things you can do with lighting today that you couldn't do in the past! JP Elario joins me on this first episode. It's a kick to talk with him because I've watched him grow up in this industry. I first met him when he joined his father, Joe, in the early 90's at what was then PhotoEast Expo in NYC. JP was a teenager, hungry to learn and focused on the pursuit of his career as a wedding photographer. Here we are a whole lot of years later, and he's become one of the best photographers in the country. From that spark of passion way back when, I've watched him emerge an artist, educator, business owner, husband, passionate Dad, and always a great friend. He never compromises on the quality of an image or his relationships. In the last few years, Profoto has completely changed the landscape of lighting with their Off Camera Flash Systems. I remember the B1 first being introduced and photographers referring to it as the "Game-changer." Profoto has never slowed down and continue to expand the selection of tools artists have to capture some of the best images in the world! Click on either of JP's images to visit Elario Photography and see more of his work. Then, click the banner below and get to know the lighting gear that's fulfilling more and more photographer's mind's eye visions every day! If you haven't visited the Profoto blog lately, you're missing out on some terrific content. Seth Chandler shared this behind the scenes backstory about my good buddy Sal Cincotta taking on a nighttime portrait session with Profoto's A1. Besides watching Sal in action, there's a sidebar story I so appreciate. Along with Sal on the shoot were Michael Anthony and Alissa Zimmerman. Michael, Sal and Alissa along with a dozen or so other members of the photographic community are all involved in Shutter Magazine and ShutterFest. Alissa is the Creative Director for the magazine. Michael, besides being very successful as an artist and one of the country's leading wedding photographers, also writes for the magazine. So, it's a kick when I see photographs tagged with both Sal's name and Michael's. Nothing beats the power of collaboration when you bring great artists together. And, nothing tops the creativity that comes out of a few good friends hanging out together with a purpose! It's an unstoppable combination. Every image in this short story is a show-stopper. Even the background shot used for the title page above is stunning. Just give it a click to read Seth Chandler's entire post. Interesting in seeing more of Sal's images, click on the image above to visit his website. Check out Alissa's work as Creative Director by visiting Shutter Magazine. And let's not forget Michael Anthony - just click on his image of Sal and Alissa on the left. And, to check out the co-star of this post, the A1, visit your Profoto Dealer and the Profoto website. Profoto is so much more than a manufacturer of the finest light-shaping products in the world. They're dedicated to helping you raise the bar on the quality of your images and they never slow down in trying to help you build a stronger skill set!
I'm not sure how I missed sharing this video from Profoto a few months back, but I just watched it twice this morning, and it's so well done. It's not in English, and you'll have to hit "CC" to get the subtitles, but try watching it without any translation. Pay attention to not only the shooting style of Haiyin Lin but the videography as well. What I love even more about this is the way Haiyin Lin chose to tell her story. "Her journey as a photographer began after she graduated from Columbia University in New York City. At first, she mostly specialized in portraits but pretty quickly moved on to fashion shooting for top magazine titles such as Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. No surprise, then, that Haiyin's initial instinct was to put the Profoto A1 to the test in the familiar surroundings of New York City. But after a little more thought, she came up with an even better concept. "I liked the idea of doing something more in the Chinese tradition, with a model wearing traditional clothes with a modern twist." As a result of this change of heart, Haiyin couldn't have found a location farther from the loud, overcrowded, choked-up streets of Manhattan." Photography truly is the universal language and the beauty of both Haiyin Lin's images and the way the videographer has told the story is stunning. This video was part of Profoto's launch of the A1 last year and appropriately named, "The World is My Studio." Click on either of my favorite screenshots from Haiyin Lin's video to read Steven Hanratty's more in-depth article last November. And, if you haven't visited a Profoto dealer to find out what all the buzz is about, what are you waiting for? Just click on the link below to find the dealer or rental house nearest you or the A1 or B1X for more information to help make your world your studio! Of all the Profoto Tiny Talks I've shared to date, this one has some of the strongest "how-to" content. It's with Pye Jirsa, whose short concise videos and posts I've shared numerous times in the Profoto Showcase. No matter what your specialty might be, following Pye is going to raise the bar on your skill set. If there's one aspect of most photographers' skills that needs a booster shot it's understanding and controlling the light. As Pye starts out in this video, the key to success is to make your work different. Over and again his images show that difference, and I love the way he shares the before and after images to help you understand the setup. Profoto not only manufacturers some of the finest photographic equipment in the world, but they never stop helping artists capture the very best images. Pye is working the Profoto's B1 - just click on the banner below to find out more about the new B1X and then visit your Profoto dealer.
"We will not walk through life with our couples, but our photos go with them." Mary Marantz It's well over 12-15 years since the friendship I have with Justin and Mary Marantz first got started. That friendship grew out of my respect for the way they view the importance of exceeding client expectations, quality, and their skill set. In fact, the quote above is one of Mary's opening lines in this Profoto Tiny Talks video. I can't think of a better way to define the importance of being a wedding photographer! Justin and Mary don't just tell a couple's story but create a family heirloom marking the start of a new family. With every client, they make sure they capture the emotion of the day and tell the story of the bride and groom in a way the couple will cherish forever. In the 175+ year history of photography, there has never been a bigger list of creative tools to help you capture stunning photographs. Many of those tools are thanks to Profoto's quality, diversity and portability of light, together with one of the largest collections of light-shaping accessories in photography. If you haven't visited a Profoto dealer or rental house, just click on the banner below. And, if you're looking for great content to help you raise the bar on your skill set, check out Profoto's YouTube channel. You'll find some of the very best photographers and educators in the industry sharing information to help you become an even better artist. Yesterday, together with my co-host from "Mind Your Own Business" Chamira Young, we recorded an upcoming podcast with the "King of Lighting," Tony Corbell. It was a great little interview talking to Tony about the new studio he's opened with two other artists, one of them his wife, Mandy. Lots of great insight, and during the conversation the topic of lighting came up and Tony mentioned Profoto. The new A1 is having an incredible impact on his creativity, capturing images in a way he's never had the ability to do before. So, I thought it would be fun to share two videos, one is the A1 trailer, which is all high-impact. Nothing but great images and video clips of eight different artists in action; six lines of text and one three second narrative - that's it. It's only a minute long, but as you watch it, think about how you'd tell your story in sixty seconds? It's a great little marketing exercise to think about. The second video features Hideaki Hamada, a Japanese photographer shooting in an old house outside Tokyo. It's all done with English subtitles, but in all honesty, you don't need anything but music to appreciate watching Hamada-san at work. I've spent a lot of time in Japan over my career and there's something about the stunning soft fine art simplicity of his portraits. I grabbed a couple of screen shots to share in this post, but to really appreciate his style, click on either one and you'll be on his website. And, as all great artists, his creativity never slows down. I loved watching him experiment with his application of incorporating the A1 into his natural light portraiture. Images copyright Hideaki Hamada On the Profoto blog there's a full story about the shoot. Just click on either image below to read the story and the detail of the day with Hideaki Hamada. Tony Corbell is recognized as one of the finest lighting educators in the industry, and this three-minute video is one EVERY photographer calling themselves a professional should watch. I realize that's a pretty lofty statement to make, but understanding light is the foundation for every photograph. What good is working so hard to capture the best images of your life if you don't completely understand the process? In a three-minute video Tony can only help you appreciate how much you can raise the bar on your images by understanding light. Whether it's natural or manmade, this is an introduction to learning to see it! Tony has been one of my best buddies for most of my career. That friendship grew out of the respect I have for his passion for the craft, teaching and helping photographers elevate the quality of their work. If Tony's speaking or teaching at any convention or conference you're attending - run don't walk to get a seat! And, at the end of his presentation make it a point to introduce yourself and get Tony in your network. Tony's no stranger at SCU and last year shared one of his favorite images on "Why?". Click on the image to the right to hear his short sound bite and why it's one of his favorite images. As you start to think about the new year, pay attention to what's gong on over at Profoto! Manufacturing the finest lighting equipment in the industry, they never slow down in helping expand your skill set and capture the best images of your career. And, if you haven't checked out Profoto's lighting line click on any of the links below. And, while you're on their website check out their light-shaping tools, air remotes and accessories! Time to visit one of their dealers or rental houses? You'll never be disappointed, but don't take my word for it, go for a test drive yourself!
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Our Partners"Why?"Check out "Why?" one of the most popular features on the SCU Blog. It's a very simple concept - one image, one artist and one short sound bite. Each artist shares what makes the image one of their most favorite. We're over 100 artists featured since the project started. Click on the link above and you can scroll through all of the episodes to date.
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