Reply To: Vary New to Photography…But I welcome constructive criticism

[MBChamberlain]

IHF, I do want to correct you on one minor point. You don’t need lighting equipment to use the Rembrandt pattern. It’s a single light source pattern, so you can do it with the big light source in the sky. So everything on that list CAN be done without additional equipment, that is why I picked THAT listof 20. (though high key is a devilishly tricky job without a four light setup, it can be done, and I’d expect anyone styling themselves a pro to at least know what it is)

Of all the seminars I teach one of my favorites is a 2 day seminar on available light portraiture. It’s just great to see young photographers realize that anything you can do in a studio with one light, you can do outside with the BLS and a reflector.

I’ve actually used practically every reflector known to man, but I’ll tell you which one I love most and use today… It’s a piece of R-Max foam insulation (from Lowes) with the matte silver side, cut into thirds, then cut in half, each half edged with duct tape, and then taped together. Use a little of that reflective silver tape to cover up the seam where the dull duct tape is and, to quote Emeril “BAM.” 3 reflectors for 12 bucks, works great, and no big deal if the wind grabs one and slams it into a tree. Maybe a little bulky, but I can’t count how many of the $50 collapsible ones have been destroyed on location in my career.

I actually usually made a small one with one of the three pieces and take the other two and make one large one.

But really, I want to thank you for your kind words. If you ever need someone to look at your work, just get in touch with me, I’ll be happy to help you in any way I can.

As a side note, given the kind of work you have in your portfolio, have you ever played with cross polarization? If not, check it out, plus if you already have a CPL, it’s very inexpensive to get what you need to experiment with the effect.

Cheers