Portrait of Rhode Island National Guard soliders Ashley Jones and Jessica Wright.

I taught two lighting workshops (Lighting on the Run & On Location Portrait Lighting) again at the National Press Photographers Association Northern Short Course held in Warwick, RI, this year. The trip to Rhode Island started off poorly as soon as I realized (after several hours of driving of course) that I left my Macbook at home. I absolutely couldn’t travel without it as I had an assignment edit to complete and needed it to share my images and presentations.  My expected 3.5 hour drive to Rhode Island turned into a 10 hour trip as I headed back home to pick it up.  I was a bit frazzled to say the least. Once my workshops got rolling I was a much happier camper. I enjoyed making some images of great people while teaching lighting. While banging around shoot ideas for the Northern Short Course I remembered National Guard recruiter Erik Conley and contacted him. About six months ago, I was on assignment for GX Magazine to photograph Erik. We had a great shoot together and I conveniently remembered everything needed for that shoot. He volunteered to be photographed and brought some friends with him.

Portrait of Army Ranger Michael Davis and Rhode Island National Guard soliders Ashley Jones and Jessica Wright.

During my first workshop, Lighting on the Run, I used Nikon SB-800’s and focused on how to light quickly while also using items all photographers have access to including spaghetti boxes for snoots, bedroom sheets, homemade grids and foam core for reflectors. The above image was lit with a Lastolite soft box on Army Ranger Michael Davis and two spaghetti boxes fitted with green and red gels on my new friends Ashley and Jessica. I also use David Honl lighting modifiers when using small strobes and I am a BIG fan of everything he offers. My small strobe bag goes nowhere without his grid spots, labeled gels etc. As I often do during my lighting workshops, I began my exposure in the middle and adjusted to my final image within two stops per flash. I’m a stickler for having complete control of my light. I love Nikon CLS and use it often but with my controlled portraiture I  find myself 90 percent of the time using my strobes on manual triggered with pocket wizards.

For my second workshop, On Location Portrait Lighting, we were able to see a different side to the personalities of our military friends Erik and Michael as they showed us how they roll while entertaining the crowd as part of the heavy metal band “Witch Doctor.” I had a blast photographing them as well as Ashley and Jessica. By the time we were done I felt that the best lesson learned was the importance of earning trust and creating a bond with the people in front of your camera. As far as the light goes … we worked hard on trying to forget it. I mentioned several times that as much as it fascinates us at the end of the frame it’s not about the light. It’s about how the picture makes us feel. I also mentioned during my workshops to not be afraid to make mistakes. Things will go wrong. Macbooks needed will be left at home and strobes that fired five minutes before will suddenly not fire. Stay positive and roll with the punches. It’s all part of the journey as we try to grow one flash at a time and make some pictures.

The drummer and lead singer for the Rhode Island Heavy Metal band "Witch Doctor."

Elise and Bill were photographed for my Bedroom Borders series a few years ago and I am glad I had the opportunity to revisit the couple and photograph them again with their beautiful new addition.

I love when pictures create pictures. Sometimes it can be like water and they just naturally flow into each other creating and recreating the next set of images. Take Elise and Bill (above) for example. I met the couple years ago when they responded to a Craigslist ad I had posted seeking couples for my Bedroom Borders project. I had a blast photographing Elise and Bill and they loved the 16X20 print each couple receives.

Elise and Bill in bed. Photographed for my Bedroom Borders project.

Last year, the couple contacted me seeking a photographer to shoot their maternity photos. Pictures making pictures is nice … but yes, it’s always that much sweeter when personal project photography results in business photography especially when it’s photographing people you enjoy being around. We spent the day in some beautiful locations around New Jersey and my favorite part of the day was watching the couple stand in a running river and read a letter to young Jasper who was kicking around in Mommy’s belly.

Elise and Bill reading a letter to Jasper still in Mommy's belly.

Elise and Bill were the first couple I revisited for my Bedroom Borders project. It was a wonderful experience photographing them again and meeting 3-month-old Jasper and seeing him in the middle of Mom and Dad was a real treat. Who knows? Maybe when Jasper finds the love of his life he will look me up and I’ll add his very own bedroom portrait next to the one of his Mom and Dad’s and keep the pictures rolling.

Thanks for stopping by.

And then there was three.