Author: michael

100.000+ Readers and the new Lighting Notebook

michael

Thanks a ton to the 100k photographers who read Good Light! Mag on their mobile devices!
Celebrating this important milestone we decided to launch a collection of lighting setups in form of an eBook.
We are happy todo what we had never done before: off…

Swinging and The Sunday Times

michael

While we were producing material for our series on Spicy Holiday Photos on Lanzarote, a British newspaper reached out to Emily and me for an interview regarding swinging and alternative lifestyles. The Sunday Times sent the awesome journalist…

Deadline March 15th: Submit a spicy photo and get published!

michael

Got a spicy photo that would be awesome in Good Light! Mag? Submit them to our photo contest!

The rules are simple: Share a photo that is in some way or another related to a spicy lifestyle.

The deadline is March 15th 2015.

Entering the contest is free. There are no submission fees.

We will announce winners in two categories:
Grand Jury – Win a publication in Good Light! Magazine and the ViewBug blog as well as a free 1-year membership in Michael Zelbel’s photographer coaching club ProPortfolioClub.com 

People’s Choice – Win a publication in Good Light! Magazine and the ViewBug blog as well as a free 1-year membership in Michael Zelbel’s photographer coaching club ProPortfolioClub.com

This photo contest is powered by our awesome cousins from ViewBug. Check it out and
 

Share photos your spicy photo! 

==> http://www.goodlightmag.com/photo-contest

 

If you win in the one or the other category, then we will see your photo in Good Light! Magazine Issue 17 and I will welcome you in my photographer coaching club.

I wish you good light!
Michael

 

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Issue 13: Romance

michael

Issue 13 is out. Hopefully you are subscribed to Good Light! Mag. In this case the issue is ready in your app or in your inbox. If you are not subscribed, then do it right now over here. 
Readers really loved the photo tips from Lanzarote in …

Phottix Indra500 Quick Start

michael
My brand new Indra500 (with battery pack) arrived last weekend and I was eager to try it out. I did a quick photo shoot with Playboy Playmate Coxy Dominika here in Düsseldorf.

Quick Start – here’s how I have setup the Indra for this shooting:
 
  • Battery switch: High Speed (no worries, it lasts very long)
  • Menu 1 / Option 2, Modelling Light: 09 (I wish it would go up to 20…)
  • Menu 1 / Option 3, Mode TTL (I dial in manual settings on the Odin)
  • Menu 4 / Option 1, RX: Odin-C (because I use my Odin for Canon controller)
  • Menu 4 / Option 2, Quick flash mode: Activate (I want it to fire in any case)
  • Menu 4 / Option 3, Ready beeb: Deactivate (with a strong flash I don’t need it unless I shoot it on full power)
 
In case I figure out better options I am going to update you. Make sure you are on my list.
I found that the Indra500 blends in perfectly with the lighting gear that I’m using all the time, which is the Odin radio controller and a few Mitros+ speedlights.
I tried it out for a couple of photos inside my warm and cozy home studio and then took my tests outdoors at Düsseldorf’s Media Harbor, which was kissed by sunshine but blistering cold at the same time.  
 
Controlled by my Odin Radio Transmitter
I control the Indra with the Odin from on-camera exactly like I usually control and trigger my off-camera speedlights. Often we’re shooting with two cameras alternating in my photoshoots. Then we’re using a Mitros+ speedlight in parallel as the second controller on the other camera. The Indra can be controlled with that one as well. 
 
Performance
I shot a rapid fire series of Coxy of her shaking her head, her lovely curls flying in the air. The performance of the flash was solid, no misfires or outtages.
 
TTL
I also tried out shooting the Indra in TTL mode varying my flash to model distance between 3 feet and 15 feet. All exposures were perfect. In some situations, it’s really handy when a flash supports TTL. This is true at events, for example, where I have to switch apertures from f/2.8 for portraits to f/5.6 or f/8 for group shots, and I cannot control the distance of my subjects from the flash so well. 
 
Power: Portrait at f/40
On a side note, it’s always good when the flash has got a strong power reserve, and the Indra has got a powerful 500w/s. To test the limits, I tried to shoot a portrait at f/40. And it works beautifully. Usually, I will never shoot at f/40, but the power comes in handy. Especially, when you’ve got light-hungry light modifiers such as big softboxes and of course when shooting outdoors, using High Speed Sync. 
 
High Speed Sync
To test this out, I took Coxy outdoors by a canal in Media Harbor. We produced a portrait with shallow depth of field at f/2.8. On this bright day I had to go to 1/8000s with my shutter speed in order to darken the sky to a nice, solid blue. 
Stopping down to f/5.6 finally gave us a day to night portrait with a very dark ambient. 
 
Working with TTL Groups
I also added a hair light by placing a speedlight behind the model, added it to group B on my Odin controller, and disabled TTL for this group, since the camera cannot really measure a hairlight. I kept it on manual on ¼ power. The Mitros+ speedlights are also High Speed Sync capable and the Odin controller handles multiple groups very well.
And that’s what I mean when I say that Indra blends perfectly into my existing gear and that’s how I’m going to use this flash.
 
Look up the detailed Indra500 specs in the Adorama store. You can order the Indra there, but it won’t be shipped before February 26th because businesses in China are closed during Chinese New Year.
 
What would you like to see?
If you have any ideas what I should try out with the new Indra, then please drop me a comment!
 
I wish you good light!
Michael 
 

Setting Up Soft Light Shouldn’t Be Hard

michael

How do I get my light so soft in my photo shoots? It is perhaps the question which I am asked most frequently, with people asking about buying a bigger umbrella or some secret photography technique. I will share with you the exercise I do in order to get a feel for the softness of any new light modifier that I add to my box of lighting tools.

 
More tips on maternity photography in my eBook:
 
You may not always have access to modifiers in different sizes, but you will pretty much always be able to control the distance between your subject and your light source. That’s the reason why I suggest to exercise using your modifier at various, defined distances and compare the results. By practicing this, you will be able to master light and consciously shoot photographs with the right lighting attitude.
 
Here’s your exercise: When you are setting up your light source then measure the distance between the light source and the point of contact. Start the exercise by placing the soft box quite far out, about 8 feet from the subject. The light will be quite hard, but you will know what that looks like. Then move the light 2 feet closer, and shoot again. Take some time to note the difference between the two images. When I did this exercise shooting a baby belly, which is a comparably big object, I did not notice much of a difference until the light was just 4 feet away. 
 
This is also the distance you typically start noticing that you are getting the sort of light you are looking for. At 2 feet away, the attitude of the light is markedly different and will suit a great deal many purposes.
 
Finally, move the light source 1 foot away from your subject. It will do no harm to your model and it will help you become more confident with incorporating light choices into your shoots. When all of this is done, you now have a set of images which will inform future lighting choices, and will help you find the perfect distance you need to get the shot you are looking for.
 
I wish you good light!
Michael 
 

Win Kevin Tang’s Glamour Training

michael

Publishing his hot magazine Amped Asia Kevin Tang has done a countless number of successful glamour photo shoots. He shares his tips, tricks and recipes in

Glamour Training.

This week PhotoWhoa is giving away 10 copies of this training (value $49 each) to our awesome Good Light! Readers and viewers. 

=>  Click here to enter the giveaway on Facebook

With a bit of luck you will soon recreate Kevin’s light and poses and shoot your own magazine-quality glamour photos.

I wish you good light!
Michael

It Made Click! Glamour Model Rates

michael

There are people who have strong opinions about what is a fair compensation for amateur models doing sexy photo shoots that are conducted by hobby photographers. 

Before discussing what pricing should be, etc. it is important that we define some aspects before moving forward.
 
What is an Amateur Model?
An amateur model is a woman that is the middle ground between a pretty girl with zero experience and a professional model. Although an amateur model has experience with being in front of the camera, she will not have as much time or experience as a model that is under the professional umbrella. This is a model that is not represented by an agency, etc. She enjoys having her picture taken, but this is not what she does for a living. 
 
What is a Hobby Photographer?
This is a photographer that is not consistently paid for their work. For the most part, they are photographing concepts due to the enjoyment of the craft and an occasional publication submission.
 
What is considered a Sexy Photo Shoot?
A sexy photo shoot is one that consists of artistic nudes or lingerie themed photos. This is not a shoot that calls for a woman to look sexy in an evening gown, etc. It is also not about pink shots, but a sexy, artistic rendering of a concept derived by a client or the photographer himself. 
 
What is fair?
Now that we have defined the basic terms of this quandary, let us tackle it head on. Universally it has been deemed acceptable for an amateur model to be paid $50 per hour for her participation in a sexy photo shoot. There are hobby photographers that are most likely twisting their faces right about now. But let’s take a deep breath. I know that many of you feel that if you are not being paid, that you should not be paying a model; and especially not one that is not a professional. Well, you have the choice of seeking out a model that is willing to shoot TFP; but there is a reason why you chose the model that requires payment.
 
It is perfectly ok for a model to ask for payment given that she is giving up the rights to her image in regards to the shoot and she must handle hair and make-up (in most cases) herself. Not to mention, many of you had your disappointments with models that work solely for TFP. Models that work for payment tend to be, on average, more experienced and more professional. You will be left with stunning pictures for your budget class. It is a win-win for both parties involved.
 
On the other side of the spectrum, I also know that there are models that are dropping train cases thinking that the unveiling of $50 per hour is going to be the muddying of the model payment tier. Dear darlings, be aware that this minimal fee will do nothing to the fees that professional models can charge. As an amateur you in no way can command the same wages and/or perks of a professional or super model. Anyway, the gigs paying $50 are in another league than the ones paying professional wages. There is no overlap, hence no damage done to the industry.
 
In the video above I go into more detail about this and point out how supermodels are also working for these low rates sometimes and why it makes good sense for them.
 
For us photographers, this is a clear pointer how we can attract the right talent within the budget that we have. So check out the video and please give it a thumbs up!
 
I wish you good light!
Michael 
 

Giveaway: The Fine Art Nude DVD

michael

From Phottix and Lindsay Adler
Photographing the human body is an art of its own: the light flatters the nude form in very intricate ways. New York fashion photographer Lindsay Adler released a master class DVD that goes into great details on the tools…

Issue 12: Sunshine in your heart

michael

Issue 12 is just published. If you are a subscriber, then you already have the issue in your app or in your email. If you are not subscribed, then quickly fix it here. 
With this issue we want to bring some much-needed sun into your (he)art. …