Softening LED lights for Portraits

Another video about LED lighting from Will Crockett.

I think I'll try my new LED light in a LightSphere and see what I get. More later.

small lights in big modifiers

A video from my buddy Will Crockett about using smaller equipment so that he can travel lighter.

This may not interest you if you only use Speedlights, as I do, but it got me to thinking about something. I certainly understand the desire to travel light as I work by myself. I also like round light sources like Will. I have been known to use Brolly's because they are round and so the shape of the speedlight head is not as much of an issue. What I was wondering was what is the largest brolly available? The Wescott Orb? Anyone know?  Plus the external battery issue for speedlights is still puzzling me, my Canon battery pack is not all that reliable but on the other hand I don't to burn my speedlight up either.

The latest from my buddy Will Crockett

Ultra Portable Power Portraits Sponsored ProPhotoResource

Ultra Portable Power Portraits Sponsored ProPhotoResource from will crockett on Vimeo.
Here's Will Crockett's new way of lighting premium quality portraits using small, battery powered flashes with BIG results. Visit ShopShootSmarter.com/​ultra to get the full two hour video.

Metal Prints are Magic. - New smArticles Added Every Monday, Here's the Latest...

Check out this video from my buddy Will Crockett. Will has discovered something that has been a favorite of mine for almost a year, Metal Prints. Check out his short video:

Metal Prints are Magic. - New smArticles Added Every Monday, Here's the Latest...

Don't forget that Metal Prints from Bay Photos are available from Music Man5 Photos for your photos. For more details or to come to our studio and see lots of samples just email Mark at mark@musicman5photos.com.

Finally closed the loop on controlling my color!!

Since I'm so happy with my color today let me share a couple of other things.

Your monitors image quality is very important. About six months or so ago I upgraded to the LaCie 324 (one Will Crockett recommends) from a Dell monitor and wow what a difference that made. Check out Will's recommendations here and over at www.shootsmarter.com. Here is a video by Will discussing monitors.

Next I picked up the ColorChecker Passport. The 2nd side of the perfect color triangle is The X-rite ColorChecker Passport! Click Here to see a short video about the ColorChecker Passport.

Now I have closed the loop (completed the triangle or whatever) and created an accurate profile for my monitor!! Now I can create accurate skin tones in my images, something I had been struggling with. I purchased the X-Rite EyeOne Display 2 profiler. Here is a link to a Will Crockett video talking about the important of profiling your monitor and how easy it is to do it.  

If I remember I'll post a before and after image a little later. 

X-Rite EODIS2 Eye-One Display 2 

 

X-Rite ColorChecker Passport 

 

LaCie 324i 24" LCD Monitor, Pro Calibration, 10 Bit P-IPS Panel, 102% NTSC, 98% AdobeRGB, Display Port, DVI-D, HDMI, Component 

WhichMonitorDoINeed

My new LaCie 324 monitor

My new LaCie 324 monitor, originally uploaded by Music Man5.

I should have left the old Dell monitor sitting there so you could see how huge the LaCie is. Great color right out of the box but needs a little tweaking.


Check it out:
LaCie 324, 24" LCD Computer Graphics Monitor with Hood and Calibration Software with NTSC Grade Color Gamut

Thanks Will!!

20091017_002782, originally uploaded by Music Man5.

"Perfecting Portrait Photography"

"Perfecting Portrait Photography", originally uploaded by Music Man5.