The first photo is of a local artist who's effervescent personality really came through in the image. She was outgoing and willing to be herself even though I was pointing my camera at her. I love subjects like her!
We arranged her living room studio in such a way as to have her most recent painting as a background. I then positioned my painter in front of the easel with an SB-800 positioned to fire through a translucent light panel to her right. I then had my second strobe (and snoot) over her left shoulder to give my subject some separation from the background.
When I light a portrait I often try to blend existing light and the light I am producing with the SB-800s. In this case there was some light coming into the frame from camera right thanks to a large "picture" window. It is my goal to make photos where the lighting is almost seamless so as to not call attention to the lighting but rather the subject. I believe that I was more successful doing this in my second image.
The second image was an assignment to photograph the director of the local community college small business development organization.
She has a rather small office with a couple of windows to the outside. I placed two SB-800s in her office. One bounced into an umbrella to the subject's left while the second strobe (snoot attached) was placed atop a cabinet over her right shoulder to provide some separation from the background.Her office was so small that I had to actually step out of the office to be able to use the lens that I wanted to use.
The image was made during an actual interview. I just set up the light and told my subject to do her best to ignore me and go ahead with her meeting. She did a remarkable job of ignoring me and giving me a great opportunity to make the photo that I needed to make.
Both images were made with a Nikon D2Xs, the first was shot with a 17-55mm f2.8 and the second was made with a 70-200mm f2.8
I have come to realize that it can be a good thing to be a little snooty.
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