Swimwear Campaign With Off Camera Flash
April 27th, 2010Yes that’s right. I shot this fashion swimwear campaign with just my Canon 580 EX II and a 5 foot tall reflector to fill in some shadows on the opposite side of the model. I went with this set up because it’s light weight and portable and that flash packs a punch ! With the tide coming in and my assistant and I getting splashed alot with water, having a heavy Profoto portable pack would have been cumbersome and just one big pain literally lol.
The model was a trooper ! Lisa Peake from L.A. Models did a terrific job as the cold and damp weather set in. At this point the photographer and first assistant need to work fast and work smart. There is no room for error. As I’m shooting I’m already thinking of my next shot, call it multitasking . The sun is going down so fast that if you are not sure of your equipment you will lose that shot and the model will get frustrated and that is when you have lost the momentum and you don’t want that to happen. Oh and let’s not forget the client standing right in back of you barking off suggestions and of course the client knows everything about photography ! Shooting a real fashion job is not as easy as it looks. We often look at the final photo and have no idea what was going on at the shoot, what kinds of pressure the photographer was faced with and how many different people and situations he or she had to deal with.
So just don’t forget about that. Being a successful fashion photographer takes MUCH more talent than pushing a shutter button and shooting a couple of photos of a pretty girl in a studio where it’s just you, the model and the make up artist. Learn the gear, take time to understand what your model is going through at the shoot, learn how to deal with pushy clients that won’t shut up and take it from there. You will be surprised at what you can achieve when you take the time to really learn what happens at a professional photo shoot.
April 27th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
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April 27th, 2010 at 11:55 pm
[...] Swimwear Campaign With Off Camera Flash | Fashion Photography Blog:: fashion photography [...]
May 1st, 2010 at 8:14 pm
Great advice and shots. -Dave Z
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Jason Christopher Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 11:31 am
Thank you Dave.
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May 1st, 2010 at 10:27 pm
[...] Swimwear Campaign With Off Camera Flash | Fashion Photography Blog … [...]
May 7th, 2010 at 3:03 pm
Hey Jason, have been following your blog for a week now (yes I am new into this
) & I am really amazed at how simple you make it sound. & yes do keep it simple, something you really cannot tell looking at your shots.
Your blog is amazing from A to Z & your style of work is really impressive. I find it better than many of the ‘pro’ collections online
, which are sometimes just not good to a layman’s eye (despite using super heavy gear)
Hats off. & will really look forward to interact more with you here.
Cheers.
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Jason Christopher Reply:
May 20th, 2010 at 9:37 am
Hi Joey,
Thank you so much for the compliments ! I look forward to your input more and more.
Cheers !
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May 7th, 2010 at 3:32 pm
BTW.. your professionalism & craft is inspiring to say the least. I am a guy who has just stepped into clicking people (had the passion since long but didn’t have the camera
& I still dont have the lights LOL) & have to say your blog inspired me the most … So thanks for that..
You seem to get the best out of a studio setup or a simple speedlite in all your shots with ease …
Another great aspect that comes out about you in your posts is that you deal with your clients & models very well, even better with people on your blog. I would love to develop that skill someday.
wish me luck
So in all aspects as a photographer, very very Awesome Jason!!!.. If you have any sort of a fan list, you can definitely add me to that.
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Jason Christopher Reply:
May 20th, 2010 at 10:01 am
Wow ! Thank you so much Joey ! I am very flattered. If you really want to be the best you can be the best. Just practice and have faith. I don’t have a fan list however, I do have a subscriber list. If you click the subscribe button I would really appreciate it. And please go back in the archives and ask questions or comment. There is a wealth of information in the archives.
Cheers !
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May 11th, 2010 at 9:48 am
[...] Swimwear Campaign With Off Camera Flash | Fashion Photography Blog … [...]
May 11th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
super stuff, thanks for sharing…
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Jason Christopher Reply:
May 20th, 2010 at 10:05 am
Thank you Karl. I am asking everyone to subscribe to my blog. Just click that button , thank you.
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May 16th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
Hello Jason,
This is a fantastic blog. I came by it searching the web for information about fashion photography. I must say it is a wealth of knowledge. I would have never imagined it was possible to shoot a major campaign with just a speed light and here you are producing beautiful images. Did you use eTTL or manual dial in your exposure?
I hope you don’t mind, but I would like to go back into your archives and ask questions on your past blogs. I look forward to learning more from your site.
Thank you for your sharing your experiences and knowledge.
Kind Regards,
Danilo
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Jason Christopher Reply:
May 20th, 2010 at 10:17 am
Hi Danilo ! Thank you so much for the compliments. Sometimes I use ETTL and sometimes I use manual exposure on my flash. I will say that the Canon 580 EX2 does an amazing job with ETTL. One thing I always do is bump up my flash power and use the zoom feature on the flash head.
I would be honored if you would go back through the archives and comment, ask questions and pick my brain. Also please subscribe to my blog as well.
And remember I do offer private photography workshops that will really help you leap ahead. Just click the workshop page for more info.
Thanx again Danilo !
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May 19th, 2010 at 7:16 pm
This is good advice!
The pictures came out well but… I still felt the lighting was a little flat. Very good for on location though, and you kept it natural looking which is definitely the most important thing.
Do you use the Canon flash on camera or at an angle with Pocket Wizard or a pc cord?
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Jason Christopher Reply:
May 20th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Thank you Kim.
I use the Canon flash on camera sometimes and other times I use it on a stand with a pocket wizard. It all depends on the conditions I am under.
Thank you for your input !
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May 22nd, 2010 at 9:16 pm
This is great photography!! I did an article on Tribal swimwear. Best time of the year =)
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Jason Christopher Reply:
May 26th, 2010 at 1:54 pm
Thank you Toni !
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June 7th, 2010 at 3:07 am
Houston we have a problem.. LOL.. I actually mean the subscribe button did not work on my PC… anyway I will try again & I hope to stay active on your blog..
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Jason Christopher Reply:
June 7th, 2010 at 5:24 pm
Joey I got my tech guys working on it. I apologize. Thank you for letting me know. I wouldn’t have known otherwise.
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January 27th, 2011 at 9:27 am
i hate racing the sun wish there was a pause button….. great results thou
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Jason Christopher Reply:
September 6th, 2011 at 3:57 pm
Thank you Bryan !!
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