Good Light Anytime

Despite 300+ days of sunshine a year here in lovely Colorado, we still get a bunch of gray days. No worries! Sometimes these make for much more flattering portraits than on a harsh sunny day. And with the benefit of portable small flashes, you can get away with much more than you'd think. I like the way the white color scheme of clothing in this family portrait below works with the white tones in the sky. Makes for a richer portrait, in my opinion.

Off Camera LIghting in Iwo Jima?

So there's not exactly a patriotic Stars and Stripes being hoisted here, nor an island in the Pacific won after an heroic battle. But we have to settle for what's at hand--a putting green and one of those flags from the hole. But in the spirit of WWII, my groomsmen obliged me by striking a familiar pose.

Lighting-wise, we had a dramatic sky threatening to explode rain and electricity upon us. So working fairly quickly, I had my assistant throw on a couple of SB800 strobes on a monopod and light these guys from my side, all while darkening up the sky to show some of the rough weather coming on strong. Result gives the guys much more depth and a dramatic, 3-D appearance.

See just what these guys and the gals were up to here.