I haven't done a blog post in some time... I guess no news, is good news! On a personal level, it's been a truly amazing first half of the year. On a professional level, I've been feeling a little frustrated on the technical side of things. I sat down and started thinking about why I love photographing people in studio lighting. I think its because its just the two of us. A way to show someone's most simple, beautiful self. I've been using flash (strobe) lights because I was told thats how things are done. The problem for me with strobe lights is that you can't just look at someone and see what's going on with the lighting. You have to take the picture, stun them with a bright light, then look / hope that things worked out. All with the pressure of performing. It's not a particularly natural or comforting experience for either of us and it breaks my heart when someone isn't happy with their photos.
I scoured the internet for a complex and likely expensive solution to the problem then skipped on over to a camera store. The lighting section has always intimidated me. There are jaw dropping price tags dangling from intimidating looking mechanics. And, people that talk about lighting / cameras are obsessive... they know things and hope for the same level of enthusiasm from those that walk in the door. I was nervous, but straight forward and honest about what I wanted to achieve. I walked out with a $130 LED continuous lighting setup (it was probably the least expensive item in the entire section... my strobes cost 5 times that). It's simple, can be carried in a tiny little case, and I love it. It's perfect for my needs. I talked a good friend into coming over for some test shots. Being able to just look at her and know what I was shooting was a bit of a game changer for me. Simple and beautiful. Thanks Deb :-)
