Light without Photoshop
This evening we had the privilege of having Brian Worley as a speaker at the Club, talking about ‘Studio, and Speedlites’. Brian brought a large range of studio lighting accessories to talk through and demonstrate, with a single flash. We also had some unsuspecting models in the audience…
The first half of the evening Brian spent explaining how flash can be used to further enhance a subject. And also how you can use light instead of Photoshop to enhance a composition. The following was covered:
- How flash can be used inside or outside to further enhance a shot.
- What you need to do to soften or harden the light, as well as produce a keyline around a subject.
- How gels can offer the chance to provide complementary colour to the shadows or background, to further enhance a composition.
The Unsuspecting Models
After a short break, Brian went on to demonstrate all of what he talked about in the first half. First up was our Honorary Chairman, Mike Kirby, for some shots with a standard Speedlight flash and reflector held by Roger to bounce the light back. By the look of it, Mike wasn’t too happy with the results!
Next up, David took to the chair and Brian changed to a large Softbox with a honeycomb grid to show how you can soften and direct the light on the face. A reflector was used again to reduce the shadows on the side of David’s face with some great results. One tip Brian did give was around stopping reflections in glasses, by tipping them forward by lifting the legs off of the ears slightly.
It was then the turn of Doug. This is where Brian changed to a Modeling Light to direct the light in a more defined way. This made the light a lot harsher by directing it in a more focused way to provide a moodier look.
Lastly, Roger stepped up, it is never a good idea to offer a helping hand! Brian added a grid to channel the light in a softer manner, with a great result.
It was a great evening. Where Brian shared some fantastic knowledge in an extremely relaxed environment. Everyone really enjoyed it, either being a bystander or an unsuspecting model!
You can find more about Brian and his Workshops at: https://www.p4pictures.com/
