Toys, toys, toys...

Anyone who knows me or reads this blog with any amount of reguarlity knows how much of a geek, er, fan I am of playing with all kinds of lights and modifiers. Basically I found the Strobist light (pun intended) and became a devotee to the nth.

So this week when I picked up some new toys, er tools, I couldn't wait to test them out. And god knows self portraits are getting old.

So when my good friend Shyla finally decided to make the trek back to the East Coast after a western holiday, I jumped at the chance to spend some time shooting with her and my ever-reliable partner in crime British Rob.

A apologize for getting a bit tech heavy here, so if you're not one of my photographer-readers, you may want to tune out for a bit.

These first two of Shyla were shot with my Alien Bee 800 and a 36x48" Chimera softbox. A light that big, that close (just out of the frame to the right), totally wraps your subject in soft light.

This third shot of Rob was taken with a 10 degree grid spot. Grids really focus the light, sort of like a really direct spotlight would on a stage actor. I can really see this being a useful tool going forward in my work.

We went back to the softbox (and 14-24mm lens) for this fourth shot of Rob (and a little pop art in the processing).

Rob's wife got him an Orbis for Christmas, so we had to break that out for some fun. In this next shot the Orbis is hooked up to my SB-800, with the Alien Bee beauty dish providing fill and background light, camera right.




Lastly, these final two shots have the Bee to the right of the camera aimed at Rob's radiator, with the Orbis camera left for fill on his face.

Check late tomorrow (late, as in AFTER Jack. Tick, tock. Tick.), for shots from another shoot with the Bees (this time in the snow!)

(And yes, I know my grammar in that last sentence was absolutely horrendous).