After watching this and seeing his Kino Flo light set up for head shots it got me to thinking. I have two 6 foot fixtures with four lamps each that were manufactured for lighting a reef aquarium. Coral need daylight to live and grow and great care is taken to give the right Kelvin (about 6500 with actinic that kicks it to 10,000) in the proper strength to satisfy the needs of the coral.
I'm a wondering how these might work as faux Kino Flo's. Anyone else ever try reef lights (which are different from regular fish tank lights) for portraiture?
Thanks for posting this. I really enjoyed watching him work with his clients. And those crazy crops!! He chops of tops of heads, leaves all sorts of deadspace... That guys a madman!!
After watching this and seeing his Kino Flo light set up for head shots it got me to thinking. I have two 6 foot fixtures with four lamps each that were manufactured for lighting a reef aquarium. Coral need daylight to live and grow and great care is taken to give the right Kelvin (about 6500 with actinic that kicks it to 10,000) in the proper strength to satisfy the needs of the coral.
I'm a wondering how these might work as faux Kino Flo's. Anyone else ever try reef lights (which are different from regular fish tank lights) for portraiture?
Bryce, I'm a reefkeeper as well. I suspect you could use your reef fixtures as long as you purchased the proper bulbs. Keep in mind that those reef bulbs have color decay after 6 months. You may want to check with Kino Flo about the temperature of their bulbs for photographic use. Certainly less blue (actinic) lighting than we like in our reef tanks.
Thanks for posting this. I really enjoyed watching him work with his clients. And those crazy crops!! He chops of tops of heads, leaves all sorts of deadspace... That guys a madman!!
Hey, if we're gonna preach it Mitchell, it's good that there are people out there making a ton of bank doing the same thing!!!
What's interesting is how much of the "former actor" he is - that guy is a SHOWMAN. He does it brilliantly - and, of course, has the technical chops to back it up - but so much of what he's doing is misdirection and plain old fashioned "performance". The performer in me is aware of it, but I can't deny it's verrry impressive and well done.
Another thing that occurred to me: we often talk about how you can't "buy" quality of light. In his case, I think he's done exactly that. Those Profoto/Kino style tubes cost the EARTH but (as he says) they do give a very particular quality of light that you can't get any other way. I'm not crazy about the ring-style catchlights it gives him, but obviously somebody likes it.
I'd really like to see him work with some less attractive, older, less comfortable in front of the camera models. Like, you know, a lot of opera singers! One of the big challenges I face (other than limitations of space, experience, equipment, and a battery of assistants!) is how many of my clients need a fair bit of help to bring out something that can match the look you get from an attractive fashion-model, or slim, 20-something aspiring actor. It's all very well to say "get yourself in great shape before you do headshots" but that's not always what it's about.
In any case, I found ALL the BTS on his blog/site very interesting. His portfolio is worth a look too - it's alll very much a specific, bright, fashion style, but he makes it work in different contexts.
Darren Troy CRegistered UsersPosts: 1,927Major grins
edited August 30, 2011
On a side note, I know Lee (co-founder) personally and it's very, very cool to have something like this be so huge, so inspirational-educational-enlightening, etc, etc, etc....from a local boy!
Comments
After watching this and seeing his Kino Flo light set up for head shots it got me to thinking. I have two 6 foot fixtures with four lamps each that were manufactured for lighting a reef aquarium. Coral need daylight to live and grow and great care is taken to give the right Kelvin (about 6500 with actinic that kicks it to 10,000) in the proper strength to satisfy the needs of the coral.
I'm a wondering how these might work as faux Kino Flo's. Anyone else ever try reef lights (which are different from regular fish tank lights) for portraiture?
http://clearwaterphotography.smugmug.com/
Bryce, I'm a reefkeeper as well. I suspect you could use your reef fixtures as long as you purchased the proper bulbs. Keep in mind that those reef bulbs have color decay after 6 months. You may want to check with Kino Flo about the temperature of their bulbs for photographic use. Certainly less blue (actinic) lighting than we like in our reef tanks.
http://clearwaterphotography.smugmug.com/
Hey, if we're gonna preach it Mitchell, it's good that there are people out there making a ton of bank doing the same thing!!!
What's interesting is how much of the "former actor" he is - that guy is a SHOWMAN. He does it brilliantly - and, of course, has the technical chops to back it up - but so much of what he's doing is misdirection and plain old fashioned "performance". The performer in me is aware of it, but I can't deny it's verrry impressive and well done.
Another thing that occurred to me: we often talk about how you can't "buy" quality of light. In his case, I think he's done exactly that. Those Profoto/Kino style tubes cost the EARTH but (as he says) they do give a very particular quality of light that you can't get any other way. I'm not crazy about the ring-style catchlights it gives him, but obviously somebody likes it.
I'd really like to see him work with some less attractive, older, less comfortable in front of the camera models. Like, you know, a lot of opera singers! One of the big challenges I face (other than limitations of space, experience, equipment, and a battery of assistants!) is how many of my clients need a fair bit of help to bring out something that can match the look you get from an attractive fashion-model, or slim, 20-something aspiring actor. It's all very well to say "get yourself in great shape before you do headshots" but that's not always what it's about.
In any case, I found ALL the BTS on his blog/site very interesting. His portfolio is worth a look too - it's alll very much a specific, bright, fashion style, but he makes it work in different contexts.
Thanx Diva!!!
I just watched the video and its very inspiring. A model turned photographer - go figure!
http://choudhrysaab.smugmug.com