Natural Light Photography By Gavin Crews

Our stage Art 3 has a lot of looks to offer. You can notice that especially when looking at the result of photographer Gavin Crew’s photo shoot, where he managed two capture 5+ different looks in just a few hours!

A snippet of photographer’s story:

“I am a 24 year old southern California lifestyle and wedding photographer. I love the Lord, traveling, and taking pictures. If you think my style is a good match for your brand, I would love to work with you! Shoot me an email and I will do everything I can do create amazing content for you. Photography is a huge part of your wedding day, so why would you want a stranger doing it? Thats why I’m committed to building lasting friendships with each and every couple. ”

This session’s crew comprised of:

photographer: Gavin Crews | Instagram | Website

model: Victoria Dolanch | Instagram

At the location:

Stage Art 3
is truly one of the pearls of our studio. Featuring thematic furniture of white and gold color and antique look that beautifully coincides with a rose wall covered completely in red and white flowers this stage brings both the uniqueness and versatility. As any of other 11 studios we provide this stage is equipped with three paper backdrops of white, black and grey color ready for your shoot. Art 3 has amazing natural lighting conditions. However, if you require the help of the strobe lights, we have 3 of them installed and included in the hourly rate, thus making it as a very flexible creative space. For pictures and more information about stage Art 3 check out our WEBSITE.

WHAT IS THE MESSAGE OF YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY? We asked 4 PROs

“A thing that you see in my pictures is that I was not afraid to fall in love with these people.”

Annie Leibovitz

This episode is dedicated to explore the ‘serious’ side of photography as a craft. Most importantly it raises the question “why do you do it in the first place?” We asked 4 professional photographers in Los Angeles to share their story.

The full interview is available of YOUTUBE. For your convenience, here is the transcript of it as well.

Karina Dobra @karinadobraphoto : I would like to show something meaningful, something with a purpose, to raise awareness of the audience. Then, I would say, something beautiful as a fashion photography, with a certain stylistic. In my photography, that we should consume less than … We should … We shouldn’t be that dependent on technology and devices because basically what is happening now, technologies are replacing humans, so we no longer meet each other, we just text each other, FaceTime. We have billions of people living on the Earth, and then if everybody would consume that much, and waste that much, what would happen with the Earth in 100, 200 years time? We should think about it. That’s what I want to do with my photography. I want to … People to consider it and think about it.

Paul Capra @paulcapra : Today I focused on shooting something against the curve, something sort of new. Today was about insecurities, about impressing the wrong people, and how they view social media, and what young girls look up to to want to aspire to be as a model. I think people get the wrong impression looking at my work, most of the time. I think they feel as though … Some girls, I hear all the time talk about how they aren’t beautiful, yet they are, or they talk about their insecurities. Today kind of keyed in and focused on that topic. I feel like Sara was the perfect person, and it’s not like I was planning this project, it’s just someone I reached out to just a couple days ago, last minute, and I had some free time and I wanted to shoot her. But I wanted to do it in a unique way. I felt like on a more personable level, with social media, and loving yourself, as opposed to wanting to aspire to be some of the models on Instagram, who really live just a lonely life in general. Who are so infatuated with social media likes and comments and what they post, as opposed to actually being happy with themselves and loving what they’re doing.

Molly Pan @mollypanphotography : It’s really important to me that people know that they’re beautiful, and to celebrate that beauty. I think a lot of people go through life hiding, and hiding behind the camera. Basically like, “Oh, I’m going to lose 30 pounds and then you can take a picture of me.” I find beauty in all types of people, all sizes, all ages, all skin colors. I think that’s the message. I want to show people that they’re beautiful.

Bekah Wriedt @bekahwriedt : One of my goals in photography is to empower women. I feel like in this industry they tend to be very undervalued, and I value them and all that they’re capable of doing. I want to empower them and just speak life into them.

WANT TO LEARN PHOTOGRAPHY?

Check out our WORKSHOPS in Los Angeles that teach you hands-on how to make great photos!

One of our closest workshops – Studio Lighting 102 : Portrait Photography Lighting

will take place on November 29th, 7-9pm in one of our Los Angeles studios !!!

Watch the full episode :

Erin Marie Miller for Vogue Italia

Simple black and white setup yet executed very well in with style, this photoshoot by Erin Marie Miller ended up in Vogue Italia’s PhotoVogue.

A snippet of Photographer’s story:

“Erin Marie Miller is a photographer based in Los Angeles, California. Formally educated with a BFA in Photography, she has spent the last six years creating editorial, lifestyle, and advertising work for magazines, brands, and agencies. Her clients have included Mercedes-Benz of North America, Nylon Magazine, Nylon Guys, Time Out Los Angeles, Hour Media, Rubio’s Coastal Grill, and many others.”

This session’s crew comprised of:

photographer: Erin Marie Miller | Instagram

model: Sunny Dae

mua: Stephanie Lopez

model: Sunny Dae

At the location:

Stage B features all black walls and ceiling, with capabilities to completely shut off the natural window light. Equipped with black, gray, and white background paper, three strobe lights and numerous modifiers for your choice this stage is all you need for a perfect, intimate, creative environment. To check the availability for this stage as well as find more helpful information about our rental please see the WEBSITE.

From $25 per hour

Simone Bennett with dance and yoga photography

Photographer Simone Bennett has a keen eye for capturing flawless moves of his dancer subjects. Yet another amazing session was finished by her crew in stage D.

A snippet of Photographer’s story:

“Simone Bennett is a Los Angeles based dance, yoga and aerial photographer. She has passionately trained in various forms of dance, yoga and the aerial arts, experience which she unites with her love of photography to create images bringing the strength and grace of incredible dancers, yogis, aerialists and other movement artists to life. “

This session’s crew comprised of:

photographer: Simone Bennett | Instagram

model: | Instagram

At the location:

Stage D is one of the most spacious and most affordable spaces we currently offer. Suitable for both large and small production teams, this stage is on always on a high demand. Lighting conditions are of supreme quality. If working with natural light, towards the sunset the studio gets plenty of great, warm light through large south-west facing frosted windows. There are three strobe lights always available within the stage. Have a look at our calendar for availability, prices and contacts on our WEBSITE.

BIG CREW or SMALL CREW? We asked 4 PRO photographers Ep.2

“You might be a photographer if: Your eyesight from staring at the computer has gone from F11 to F1.8.”

Naman Pokarna’s Photography

What is your favorite team setup? Do you like the hype of the crowd or are you more inclined towards intimate photo session ?
We asked 4 professional photographers about their personal preferences and reasons behind it.

The full interview is available of YOUTUBE. For your convenience, here is the transcript of it as well.

Ace Style @ace_style: I prefer working with a small crew, mainly because I do a lot of natural light photography, which doesn’t require a large crew. I prefer to get very close with the model, with the subject I’m working with. It has a very special connection and is just more relaxed.

Paul Roustan @roustan : With my work, I’m often hired to paint on set, and so a lot of times I’ve been around huge crews; but with my own work, with my own conceptual studio work, it’s usually just me. I don’t use big studio lights. I usually use manmade lights or small flashes, if not just natural light. But I usually just like me and the model, just the two of us, though sometimes I’ll have a third photographer on set documenting the process.

Mila Zvereva @mila_zvereva : I’m comfortable working with any size crews, but it’s always dictated by the nature of the shoot. If the setting is more intimate, I might go as far as stay one-on-one with the model.

Bekah Wriedt @bekahwriedt : I tend to work with small crews, just because I love the intimacy and the relationships that come from the small team.

WANT TO LEARN PHOTOGRAPHY?

Check out our WORKSHOPS in Los Angeles that teach you hands-on how to make great photos!

One of our closest workshops – Studio Lighting 102 : Portrait Photography Lighting

will take place on November 29th, 7-9pm in one of our Los Angeles studios !!!

Watch the full episode :

Great Session At Hill 2 Stage

Photographer Noah Nash made a perfect visit to our “wall of lights” stage, taking a full advantage of complete light control in a blackout environment.

A quick excerpt from photographer’s bio:

“Photographer, Noah Nash, is a creative fine art, fashion, and portrait photographer based in California. His artistic work began from an early age through drawing. Noah’s goal as a photographer is to document and capture one’s essence with creativity and true craftsmanship. “

Members of the crew:

photographer: | Instagram | Website

model: | Instagram

stylist: | Instagram

mua: | Instagram

At the location:

Stage Hill 2 is one of our latest additions and the second blackout stage we currently offer. Painted all black from top to bottom with the matte color this stage absorbs the light making it easier to control reflections and have complete control of the light painting. Spacious, nicely conditioned and minimalistic, Hill 2 is perfect for video and photo shoots, big or small crew. As any of our stages, it comes with three paper backdrops preinstalled – white, grey and black, and three strobe lights included. For more information please check stage Hill 2 on our website.

Patricklee Hamilton + Algo Brehane

Photographer Patricklee Hamilton nails a perfect photoshoot at the rain room, featuring majestic Algo Brehane in a sexy swimwear.

A snippet of photographer’s story.

For full bio please visit Patricklee Hamilton’s website.

Patricklee Hamilton is a Los Angeles based Photographer specializing in dramatic low light portraiture. He also services some select clients with professional industry standard headshots for the highly competitive actor or actress looking to make an impact in Hollywood as well as the professional working fashion and glamor model looking for the right content to Introduce to their portfolio.

This session’s crew comprised of:

Photographer: Patricklee Hamilton Instagram

Model Algo Brehane

The stage:

Studio Hill 7 also known as a rain-room stage, offers unique experience for photographers to capture images in a wet environment”. Equipped with one of a kind shower system, now you can shoot models in the “rain” against white/black backdrops. For more information visit stage Hill 7 on our website.

Become Better Photographer: Creating Beautiful Window Light with Daniel Norton

Today we are going to talk about using window light, or actually creating window light, with photographer Daniel Norton and AdoramaTV. In Daniel’s studio in New York there huge beautiful windows with plenty of sun light coming through. However, according to Daniel:

It’s kind of nice, whatever, but when you want actually use the windows in the shot. Unless you’re there exactly at the right time of day. The lights never where you want to be. So what I often do is, I fake it!

To fake the windows light Daniel installed Profoto B1X outside the window and set it up at an angle, similar to the angle of the Sun, going across the outside of the building.

This is going to give an even, consistent light, which has a couple of advantages:

Every exposure is gonna be the same.
It’s gonna give what you expect, because it’s flash.
It is possible to shoot with the faster shutter speed

Daniel is shooting with his Hasselblad here X1D, 90 mm lens. 1 Profoto light outside.

Before we use the flash, let’s see how it looks with just natural light.

That looks pretty good, right. not bad. Nice even light, the windows a little bit blown out behind her, but that looks pretty good.

Now let’s turn the flash on.

There now, we can see, we have nice dramatic controlled light across her face even. The front windows a bit lower from the flash, but behind her the windows now have detail, and we can control the brightness of the windows simply by adjusting a shutter speed up and down, depending on how the lights changing outside.

Let’s try to shoot with 1/125 shutter speed to show the difference.

Now we see again even light across her face, the backgrounds got a little bit brighter, everything looks really nice.

As you can see, with this technique of an extra light shooting from the outside of the window it doesn’t matter what happens outside. There could be thunderstorms, it could it could become night, whatever. Now we can shoot some good pictures, consistently.