Finding inspiration - Part 1: Jill Greenberg

I have a very enquiring mind; if I don't quite understand something I'll generally do everything I can to turn confusion into sense. (God bless the internet!)

I do a lot of reading, and it amazes me that sometimes the smallest of articles can become an amazingly complex rabbit-hole of insight, where each question leads to another that needs answering. Sometimes the journey takes you to some amazing places, or provides you with a whole treasure trove of new ideas to explore.

Honestly, I don't know how people like me survived these burning questions before the internet became such a big part of our daily lives.

Sometimes these little searches yield some real gems, and open my mind to something else.
Sometimes it's just amazing to take stock of whatever revelation has been made known to you and then work your way back to the initial switch that set the whole process in motion.

The train of thought that got me acquainted with the work of Jill Greenberg is such a journey, and one that I thought would make a great blog post.

More info after the jump.


I had an absolutely fantastic birthday this year; I had a great day with a wife who I love immensely, and spent a great evening enjoying the company of good friends.

I also received an amazing book as a gift - Photo Wisdom by Lewis Blackwell

As a self taught photographer I will admit that I know very little about the big names in the field.
As amazing as this book is for the visual feast it provides, for me the real value lies in what each photographer has written.
I found it ironic that there were so many images that I remember seeing before, but had no idea of the photographer behind that image.
Sometimes the photographer's story - the passion and the motivation behind the image are just as inspiring as the pictures themselves.

I've also made the decision to start learning about the Photographic Greats and spend time looking at he work they've created.

And so it was that I got stuck on Jill Greenberg's chapter and the words she had written.
One particular paragraph stood out for me though, as it re-iterates a feeling I've had that I wish I could somehow express to potential clients; Photographers know that photography is not simply about arriving with a camera and taking images. There is work involved - lots of it!

"The actual shoot doesn't usually take that long. A shoot day is a few hours, but if you are shooting a celebrity you might only have fifteen minutes or an hour. It is more about the preparation - the pre-production is the most time, second is the post production, and the actual shooting is usually the least amount of time."

And so I decided to jump on the internet and learn a little more about Jill Greenberg and take a look at other work she has created.

What struck me immediately was, again, the fact that there were images I had seen before and been amazed by.
Prime example is the image of Michael C. Hall, T.V.'s Dexter Morgan.



I won't even try and deny the fact that I'm intrigued by anything sinister or creepy.
As such, Dexter is a show I've been crazy about ever since I started watching it.
If you've never watched Dexter you won't know what I mean.

As much as I love the series' storyline, I have to admit that it's the mixture of music and amazing visuals that captivate me.
I remember being thrilled by the opening title when I first saw it.



Talk about combining some inspired thinking with great execution.(pun almost intended!)

But I digress.

Jill Greenberg is herself no stranger to controversy.

She once landed in hot water after doing a portrait shoot of Senator John McCain for Atlantic Monthly magazine.

The following paraphrased off Wikipedia:

In August 2008, Greenberg was hired by The Atlantic to photograph John McCain for the magazine's October 2008 cover. Once the magazine hit the newsstands, Greenberg admitted to a photo industry magazine to shooting additional images, to depict McCain in a sinister light, so that she could create her own political art. Greenberg also posted to her website altered versions of photographs.

The Atlantic said of Greenberg, "we expected her, like the other photographers we work with, to behave professionally. Jill Greenberg has obviously not done that. She has, in fact, disgraced herself, and we are appalled by the manipulated images of John McCain she has created for her Web site."

Similarly, controversy arose after her "End Times" exhibition, which depicted child models in various states of distress and misery.
Questions were asked as to the methods used, and a lively debate was started.

Being new to the story I found quite a number of interesting pieces online.

It's interesting to see the how polarized the response to photography can be.
I'm reminded of a Facebook group I saw which denounced the work of Anne Geddes as tantamount to child abuse. Go figure!
I suppose, given the world we live in, it would be hard to find a subject or issue which the whole world would view in the same light.

Makes you think.
Not bad for a morning's reading!

So wherein lies the inspiration?
Firstly, it's always great to have beautiful imagery to be inspired by, and some of the portraits Jill Greenberg has taken honestly amaze me.

Secondly, controversy aside, it's interesting to catch glimpses of a photographer's emotions and beliefs resonating through their work.
Though I do feel sorry for John McCain, I'm astounded by the nerve it must have taken to create and display those images and the strength of the motivation behind that action.
I admire work with a message - though the fact that the message cannot always be separated from its method of creation is worth bearing in mind.

I hope one day to produce work that has a significant meaning to me, and that resonates within the consciences of my audience.

Bottom line for me today: Great pictures paint more than a thousand words.

I look forward to making a number of similar discoveries as I delve deeper into the book.


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Having a little fun...

There's something refreshing about working with clients who REALLY want to be photographed, and who put as much effort and planning into a shoot as you do.

I had the pleasure of working on a few different ideas with Shane and Catherine in May.
Shane's sister had bought a voucher off me as a Christmas present, as she was sure they'd want to do something strange and outrageous.

When I first met them I was immediately convinced that we were going to have a lot of fun, and that there would be plenty of opportunity to aim for something a little out of the ordinary.

They both were involved with local theatre, and had access to a whole heap of costumes, accessories and props.
Aside from this, Shane's sister runs one of the local preschools, and they were really keen to use it as a backdrop for one of the shoots.

We met up there one Sunday afternoon to take a look around and see what ideas might be feasible.
And so the the building blocks storyline was born...




Shane and Catherine are now living and working in the UK, and I wish them well with their endeavours.
All I can say for sure is that a little corner of England is about to get a whole lot wackier!
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It's not what you know...

My progression from doctor to photographer has led me down some pretty interesting paths.
Despite my penchant for planning and preparation, I still find myself faced with situations that I had not foreseen.

My biggest disadvantage was having no solid business knowledge - as a doctor it is almost unnecessary. (Who needs to know about marketing when you work in a hospital or general practice?)

Recently I took a month's unpaid leave to sit back and think about what needed to be done to address these deficiencies.
It was during this time that a friend of mine, who runs the local Paper Plus store, spoke to me about attending a BNI meeting as his guest.

And so began my journey down yet another rabbit hole.


BNI (Business Network International) is a business and professional referral organisation whose primary purpose is to exchange qualified business referrals and develop word-of-mouth marketing techniques.

There are thousands of chapters worldwide whose members meet weekly over breakfast to discuss their businesses, network and exchange referrals.

I was warned beforehand that I'd need to speak about myself and my business for 60 seconds (As everyone else does)and that the meeting would last for approximately 90 minutes.

I was prepared to feel quite isolated and intimidated, after all, I'm no business magnate. (And some of the members are quite influential within this town's business community)

However, my trepidation was completely unjustified, and rather than feel awkward, I actually left that morning with work in my pocket. (An occurrence which was to repeat itself at my second and final obligation-free visit the following week)

In fact, Fusion at Work was a direct referral from my second visit.
(Needless to say, I didn't think twice about applying for membership!)

And once again, serendipity came knocking.
During the shoot for Fusion at Work, Jaki took a look at my portfolio, and was impressed enough to push for me to do a 10 minute presentation as soon as my membership was approved.

This happened rather quickly. (Two weeks ago, in fact)
I was adamant that I had to keep the talking to a minimum and focus on the imagery.
So I spent a few nights perfecting the slide-show that prefaces this post, and stepped up to the plate one Thursday morning.

I wowed them.
I hit those 10 minutes right out of the park.
I handed out more business cards in one morning than I have in the past 6 months.

Long story short, I have work coming in as a result of that presentation, that when complete, will more than cover my BNI membership for the year. (And hopefully the breakfasts too!)

I suppose this post is more business centred, and the conclusions I want to highlight sound like common sense, but they often need to be stressed again.

Word of Mouth advertising cannot be bought.

For photographers, who sell a visual product, talking about your work will convince no one - your images need to be out there ready to pounce on hungry eyes.

Investments in advertising and promotion are vital. (But there are smart and foolish ways of doing this)

Always show only the best work you have - Don't let work which you're less than satisfied with see the light of day, or worse, potential clients.

It's not what you know, it's who you know.





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Corporate Portrait: Fusion at Work

I was recently approached by Jaki George-Tunnicliffe from Fusion at work for portrait images to enhance her website.

Corporate portraiture is an area of photography with very few grey areas; it can either be a breeze from the start or it can provide a string of headaches that make you seriously question your own abilities to meet your client's expectations.

Thankfully, Jaki falls into the first category, and even though things ran smoothly and pleasantly, there are still a few learning bites worth mentioning.

Catch you on the other side of the jump.

The nice thing about corporate portraiture is that your client almost always knows exactly what image they want to portray.

I approach all of my clients in exactly the same way: I insist on a face to face meeting to talk a few things through.
This serves many purposes: It is an opportunity to break the ice. It gives you a chance to make a first impression before the day of the shoot, and importantly, it gives you a chance to find out what your client wants.

Jaki's brief was simple:
1) 3-5 images
2) Varied outfits and looks
3) The images needed to convey energy, professionalism and a sense of fun

This brief was soon extended to include a few shots of Lisa, who works as Jaki's assistant.

My lighting plan for the day needed to take the above into account, and I opted for a very simple 2 light setup on a seamless black background with a large softbox as my key light and a gridded strobe providing separation.
(I could then use the separation light to blow out the background if I switched from black to white.)
I opted for speed - more images in a short space of time with a versatile lighting setup.

As usual, the start of the session is always an opportunity to get your lighting ratios nailed down, get your model at ease and get yourself at ease.
I have a store mannequin that I use to get my lights setup well before the client arrives, but minor adjustments are always required.

Usually the warm-up process doesn't take too long, and such was the case on the day.
Jaki had brought 3 changes of clothes, and we opted to shoot each outfit against black and white, then shoot Lisa while Jaki was changing.

I am personally in favour of the black background, and indeed we did end up using it for most of our shots.


The white background worked out quite well for Lisa...


...and in fact one made it into Jaki's final selection as well.


In addition to the straightforward portrait images, I also make sure I take a few with significant dead space, especially when they are being used for marketing, advertising or the web., which allows text and graphic to be placed in at a later stage.
(And sometimes they don't look too bad on their own )


All things considered, it was a great shoot. (Always easier when your subject is both photogenic and comfortable in front of the camera.)

Jaki eventually settled on 7 images, with the collage at the top of the post.

Her big dream is to get published and find her way onto Oprah's couch.
Here's holding thumbs!

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Flash, Camera and Action

The greatest thing about getting out with your equipment and pushing your boundaries is that the experience very often attunes you to the limitations of your gear.

The good news in all of this is that figuring your way around the problem invariably opens up a number of new possibilities...

And so begins an interesting cycle of problem solving and further experimentation.

A while back I had the urge to head down to the local skate park to shoot something that placed me out of my comfort zone.
This spur of the moment decision has lead to a number of repeat visits, new techniques and skills and a few new contacts made over the course of the past 18 months.

It's been an interesting process, with a number of really useful lessons, which I'll share with you after the jump.


Firstly, a minor Disclaimer;
Most of the images I've included are images that emphasise a point, and are definitely not what I'd call my best work.
However, the point we often forget is that we need to shoot a fair amount of crappy images before the hero shots start happening more regularly.
As photographers, we NEED to suck at times.
However, that is all for nothing if we cannot recognise where these images fell short and then take steps to improve them.

Not knowing what you don't know is hard.

Hopefully, this post will teach a few lessons without you needing to have first rammed your head against a wall.

I got very addicted to off-camera flash some time ago.

Initially it was all about heading somewhere interesting with fellow photographers and then taking turns shooting each other and seeing what the gear would do.

Admittedly, when you're starting out, a speedlite through an umbrella is a great start, and suddenly you're producing images which are amazingly better than what you're used to.
But shooting colleagues quickly got stale, and something needed to be done to step things up a little.
So the decision was made to head out to the skate park.

Any doubts or concerns I may have had about approaching a bunch of strangers (Kids and teenagers no-less) were quickly dispelled once the lights were set up.
By and large, these kids love their bikes and decks as much as I love my camera gear, and once I'd explained what I was there to do, getting a few willing subjects was an absolute piece of cake.

(And for any women who may be reading this, please let no one ever tell you that men cannot be vain and image conscious!)




The kids pulled out all the stops, and some of them are exceptionally talented.
And pretty soon things were moving along quite nicely.

And since I write these posts to share my experiences and offer a little advice for fellow photographers, it would probably be wise to start off by explaining how we set things up.

The basic setup for this was a Canon 580 EX II on a light stand, triggered with an Elinchrom Skyport

I opted to use bare flash for a number of reasons:
1) Hard light mixes well with afternoon light.
2) Hard light had a good effect on the subject matter I was shooting.
3) A softbox or umbrella would sap way too much light and almost negate the value of using fill flash in the first place.

The shot below gives an idea of the setup as well as the location on the day.



The interesting thing about this first shoot was that it introduced us to all the variables that need to come together to get an image that works. (Points you only realise when you're sitting in front of the PC going through the images you shot)

1) Focus.
A good action shot needs to be crisp and in focus.
Knowing how to pan/pre-select a focus point and which camera auto-focus settings to use are skills that take time to get acquainted with.
For those of us who don't shoot action regularly, it often takes a little warming up before things are doing what they need to do.
A camera with decent AF and fast glass make a huge difference as well, but this is definitely a skill that needs to be honed and kept sharp.

2) Flash coverage.
Getting the image sharp is useless if you don't capture your subject in the area where the flash is firing.



3) Be wary of your background.
It may be fine for a start, but as photographers are generally pretty picky, and finding a way to remove the onlookers without resorting to Photoshop would be fine. Obviously this would require shooting on a quiet day, but more on this later.



4) Shutter speed.
The single most important lesson on the day.
Shooting using flash immediately puts you at the mercy of sync speed/x -sync.
Check this out if you need a better explanation.
(1/200s is not exactly fast enough to freeze the action we were shooting, as the image below will prove.)



5) Consistency when using manual flash.
These guys are moving pretty fast, and though you know what line they're following, even the smallest movements towards or away from the flash can have big effects on the image. (Sometimes disastrous)



6) Know what they're doing.
Being in the right spot with the light aimed perfectly helps nothing if your composition sucks. When shooting skaters, be wary of how they skate and which way they'll be turning or coming through; You want to shoot their faces and not get a frame full of butt or back when you press the shutter.



As mentioned in a previous post, I make a habit of writing down my problem list as soon as I can after a shoot, while the issues are still fresh in my mind.
All in all it was a great first attempt, and aside from the problems that experience would prevent in future, the problem list, and solutions I opted for looked something like this:

How to get a faster Shutter Speed to freeze motion
This posed a slight headache. The premise here is that I'd need to use high speed sync which is impossible with a Skyport transmitter.

I had 3 options:
a) Buying a second flash and using it as an on-camera master to trigger the off-camera flash, which would make high-speed sync possible.
b) Canon ST-E2 transmitter which seemed a cheaper option. (But I had concerns about line-of site for triggering)
c) Pocketwizard Flex and Mini units. Awesome, reliable, but expensive.
These would also solve the problem of manual flash, as they allow wireless E-TTL flash, which would make problem 5 a thing of the past.

Maintaining consistency with manual flash
The only real solution to this problem would be to either:
a) Keep the guys coming through at the same distance from the flash - which is impossible and therefore not an option
b) Find a TTL method of off camera flash. (Both options B and C above would work)

Achieving Focus
Instead of relying on auto-focus to do the job, in most situations I now make use of Focus-lock.
Planning is important here, so your talent knows what line to maintain, or what position of the ramp to pop up on.
Mark the spot, and get him to stand still there.
Compose the shot, get the focus and engage focus lock.
I find this works quite well, as it negates the need to be watching their approach; just maintain your composition, look through the eyepiece and fire when they're in position.
This has resulted in a much higher rate of keepers when editing.

Distracting Backgrounds
The only way to solve this problem is to shoot on a day when the park is deserted. Playing prima-donna and chasing people away from your field of vision would be abhorrent and unfair.
I solved this issue by approaching Carl Mason (Check the title shot) and arranging a pro-bono shoot during a weekday, when everyone else was at school.
Aside from the weather, which forced 2 cancellations, this option worked fine.

So essentially, the problems basically fit into 2 categories: Those solved by experience, and those solved by improved equipment.

After looking at the issues I needed to resolve, it became increasingly clear that the biggest improvement would be made by acquiring the gear needed to work at faster shutter speeds.
(As odd as it sounds, it does feel good to spend money on gear which you know you'll need and will make a difference, than biting the bullet and buying something expensive on a whim.)

I thought long and hard about it, and eventually opted for the Pocketwizards.
I am a big believer in buying quality, and buying once if I can afford to.
Though it did take a few months of saving, I now have the gear to do what I need without any problems.

I also invested in a second flash, partly because I have to have a backup in emergencies, and partly because high speed sync causes a lot of power loss from the flash: having 2 would be a huge advantage.


The setup I now use consists of 2 Canon 580 EXII flashes, connected to pocketwizard Flex receivers secured to a flash bracket which attaches easily to an umbrella tilting bracket.

I also invested in 2 battery packs for the flashes and enough rechargeable Nimh batteries to provide power to the flashes, battery packs and provide spares.
I love the setup!



So it was with this setup that I headed back to skatepark.
Honestly, I noticed a huge difference in the sharpness of my images, as I was now shooting at speeds in the region of 1/2000s quite comfortably.

However the big problem that now surfaced was that, in some areas, the lightstand just could not be safely placed close enough to where the action was. (steps, rails etc...) and because of this the distance was too great for the reduced light that the flashes spit out in high speed sync.

I remembered a post on strobist which ultimately provided the solution I needed, albeit after a few headaches.

The Kacey Pole adapter allows you to mount a flash onto a standard painter's pole, with the idea that an assistant can then extend the pole and direct the flash wherever it needs to go. (In this case, just by following the skater/biker as he moves into frame.)
Provided the assistant has good aim, the light will always be pointing right at your subject when the shutter fires.



(AND because I'm using the pocketwizards in TTL, the flash power is almost always exactly what I need it to be.)

Coincidentally, the Kacey pole adapter is not available in NZ (surprise surprise) and I opted not to have it shipped in from the States as I wasn't certain if the thread was compatible with NZ paint poles.

My solution?
I bought a decent painter's pole from Bunnings Warehouse and went to a local engineering firm with what I needed.
Though it cost me around $150 ($70 for the pole and $80 for the adapter) I now have a VERY versatile tool up my sleeve which has come in quite handy on a number of occasions.
(I'm still waiting to use it with sunset shots in the water, but that will probably have to wait until summer.)

This is what the complete assembly looks like.



Admittedly, my next modification will be to add a small crossbar to make it easier to keep it level, as it has the tendency to twist in your assistant's hands.

Here is a close-up of the head of the unit.
(Note the wires for the battery packs, and the orientation of the umbrella bracket adapter.)


So there you have it, a few little lessons learnt through trial and error.

Again, my thanks to everyone who was around to help and share the experience over the months it took.
Firstly, to Shelly, Heather and Joz who have helped out as human light stands and company during the shoots, and secondly to Carl for literally putting his body on the line in my quest for some great images.

Head on over to the Facebook group page to check out the keepers from Carl's shoot.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post.
I'll try and keep subsequent posts a little shorter.

Happy snapping!

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Dancing at Dawn

The last 4 weeks have been a very interesting time for me.
7 months have passed since my last post here, and though I am kicking myself for letting things slip, I am also feeling a lot more positive than I have in a long while.

I am now at the end of a 4 week hiatus from medicine; time I took off to evaluate my direction and work on the business aspect of photography.
Plenty has happened, and a lot of big decisions have been made.
However, most importantly, I have taken a lot of photographs!
Case in point, my dawn shoot with Savannah, a local girl with a passion for dancing.

More info and a few important lessons learnt after the jump.




Under normal circumstances I am not a morning person, I wake up with my bed-clothes securely nailed to the mattress.
The only time I feel any different is when I'm heading out in the pitch black with a camera around my neck.
Invariably it's to make the drive south to one of my favourite beaches for some landscape work.
Lately though, I've been concentrating on my location lighting and environmental portraiture, and had been looking for a dancer to shoot at dawn for some time.

As lucky breaks go, running into Savannah's mom at a business expo was quite serendipitous.
We got to talking, I made the offer, and 2 weeks later we had an appointment at dawn to hopefully make some magic.

I pride myself on thorough preparation and planning, and made time before-hand to discuss what we'd be doing, costume choices and get an idea what they hoped to achieve.

But as they say, the best laid plans of mice and men...

Basically, the setup was quite simple: Myself and one assistant with a light-stand - 2 x 580EX II flashes shot through a translucent umbrella - bread and butter off-camera flash work which doesn't deserve much space here.

But,as the purpose of this post is to offer a few insights and pearls of wisdom for fellow photographers planning a shoot like this, I will avoid talking about the lighting, and focus more on the logistics, as this is where things often fall flat.

I usually have a 1 man debrief after every shoot, and write down the things I fet could improve the outcome next time.

So here are a few pieces of advice.

1) Pick your time wisely.
I have a list of tide times which also give accurate times for sunrise and sunset.
I planned on meeting up at the beach 30 minutes before sunrise, as this would give us time to set up, find a spot and go through the brief before the light started showing.
Trust me, if you've never shot at dawn or dusk, you'll have no idea how brief your window is for getting that sumptious warm light.
You don't want to waste it.
Planning on being there well before you intend to start shooting is a wise plan. (And it allows for late starts and difficulty getting out of bed)

2) Pick your meeting spot, and carry a (charged) mobile phone
Murphy decided that this would be the first slip up of the day.
Ocean beach, where we were shooting has 2 car parks, 1 of which I never notice because it's always pitch dark when I get there.
Needless to say, we were waiting at different spots, and a 6:30 start turned into a 6:50 start.
Luckily not too much of a problem as sunrise was at 7:05, but the prep time I had envisioned got drastically reduced.

The mobile phone suggestion is also a smart one. The last thing you want is to be stuck somewhere for legitimate reasons with a model trying hard to get hold of you, or vice-versa.

3) Fake eyelashes and nice catch lights don't mix too well.
Savannah's mom did an awesome job with her costume and make-up.
I had asked for flowing, bright clothing and she had delivered.
Not only that, but she had done a great job with the make up.
However, it was only back home later, whilst editing, that I noticed her fake lashes and our lighting position had robbed the eyes of light and detail. (as the photo below will demonstrate)
Granted, this may be fixable by simply lowering the position of the light (It was slightly high and angled down at her), but I'll try both options when next I get a chance and see how things go.




4)A REAL waterproof groundsheet.
This little pearl is probably the one that frustrated me most on the day.
My intention was to shoot Savannah leaping gracefully through the air. I knew that I would be on wet beach sand, so I admit I felt pretty smug when I thought of packing in an apparently waterproof groundsheet. (Thanks Kathmandu)
Long story short - it wasn't waterproof, I got soaked to the skin from chest to knees and got far fewer attempts at the shot I wanted and ultimately never got.

Now I know some of you are thinking, "Hey you were wet already, why not just carry on?"
Fair point, but we'll talk again when you're working with soaked undies and the shoot hasn't really got started yet.



5) Don't forget the little stuff!
Packing the night before is crucial, but this is useless if you forget to pack something.
In my case it was my Petzl headlamp.
I love it, and want to say that it goes everywhere with me, but then I wouldn't be writing this, would I?

6) Know you gear.
For small location work I use my Pocketwizard Flex TT5 and Mini TT1 radio triggers. I love the freedom to use high speed sync when I want it.
On this occasion, they were misfiring at times. VERY annoying when you've got a jumping dancer getting impatient at having to "try it again".
It took no time to ascertain the flash battery packs were fine, and my only conclusion was a battery problem with the transmitter. I wasn't carrying a spare on the day, as they are meant to last for months. (Note to self...)

Instead of struggling on, I opted to switch to my back-up transmitter (Elinchrom skyport) which allowed me to complete the shoot without issues.

The important point here is to not get flustered when things go wrong. Keeping control is good for yourself AND your subject.
Knowing your gear, how it works, what issues to expect and how to fix them is very important.

Incidentally, the pocketwizards worked fine back at home without any battery changes. I am working with Pocketwizard's tech support to figure out if the problem is related to a known issue with radio intereference from the flash units themselves, but it has taught me to carry a good supply of spare batteries wherever I go

Which brings me to my next point...

7) Have a backup plan
Redundancy is good. Knowing what to fall back on when things get sticky saves headaches and time.

8) End on a high note
The whole point of a shoot like this is to make it fun for your subject.
Truth be told, every shoot is a chance to refine your technique and approach.
But NEVER forget that without a subject you have no shoot.
Look after them, make them laugh if you can, and keep them interested in whatever way you need to.
Looking after your talent is good karma, and the right thing to do.



My thanks to Kymm and Savannah for their time.
I look forward to our next shoot, and the opportunity to improve on the work we've done. (And to using a REAL waterproof ground sheet)


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Revenge of the leftovers

Once a year the camera club I belong to plans a weekend trip to Tiri Tiri Matangi Island, a smallish land-mass, 30 mins by boat off Auckland's east coast.

The island is a bird watchers paradise, and admittedly this is what draws most photographers.
I however have evolved, and realised after last year's trip that the patience for bird photography was something I just didn't have. (And me cursing just ruins the birdsong anyway!)

So this year I came with the idea of furthering my flashwork and using the abundance of fellow photographers to work on a few shots I'd had rattling around in my brain.

And so there we were, flashes, gels, willing subjects and a soon to be less than cold fridge.


The idea initially was to see what effects we could get by placing a blue gelled flash and a fisheye lens inside the fridge.
Flash was placed off camera, triggered with Elinchrom Skyports which I have absolutely fallen in love with!

Our first attempt was a good start, but as it often is with an idea, you roll with what you get and refine things from there.

Problems:
1) The camera needed to come forward to accentuate the effect of the fisheye.
2) We needed to make sure the flash was positioned in a way to avoid casting shadows on the subjects.
3) The background really needed something to make it pop - Enter a second flash with a yellow gel, triggered with a hotshoe photo receptor



Attempt number 2 fixed some problems, but highlighted a few others that should probably have been expected.
1)Hide the legs of the light stand - Add more people or adjust position of the light stand.
2) The lighting in the kitchen needed to be worked on as well - added a 3rd strobe gelled yellow, triggered with another hotshoe photo receptor. Admittedly, I had huge reservations that there would not be enough light hitting the photo receptor to trigger it, but I was proved wrong.



When in doubt - overcorrect!
Way too many people in frame, and consequently the blue light was not hitting everyone.
Admittedly by this time our antics were drawing a little interest, which is always good for the guys who have never seen/worked with off camera flash.

Regardless, things were getting better, and the number of problems were dwindling with each shot.



Final shot!
Definately still in need of improvement, but admittedly we quit there to be kind to the fridge (And the bottles of wine which were meant to be chilling - quite a lot of food ended up outside of the fridge while we were shooting.)

The final image was taken through photoshop to tweak the colours a little and clone out the remnants of the light stand.



Below is a quick setup diagram.



Hope this helped.

Happy Flashing!
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