!WORKSHOP! STUDIO LIGHTING and 3-LIGHT SET UP

Many photographers who visit our studios are fascinated by beautiful ambient light each stage gets. Yet not that many take advantage of 3 strobe lights positioned in each space we offer. After series of interviews/feedback we received from our clients, it turns out that a good number of photographers is actually inexperienced in working with strobes and to save time just sticks to what they know best – working with natural light only.

While we understand the situation and position of working on the clock, it hurts to know that so many opportunities and great photos will never “see the light” (no pun) coming from strobes. Luckily we came up with pretty neat workshop that will teach you hands-on on how to setup, position and tune strobe lights for your best creative outcome. Ladies and gentlemen, we deeply encourage you to attend our STUDIO LIGHTING and 3-LIGHT SET UP with Toma Kostygina.

Here are few details about workshop:

Who?

Toma Kostygina INSTAGRAM WEBSITE

With thousands of hours spent on sets and at photo studios, Toma has gained experience in everything that you need to start working with studio lights. She has been always inspired by photography masters and artists so she’s decided to take it to the next level. While attending Photo classes at Santa Monica college she has mastered creation of custom sets and thorough production. From assisting on sets such as for Coca-Cola, Italian Vogue, GQ, Interview magazines and Benefit cosmetics she is now working with A-list photographers and magazines. Toma is always in search of improvement her skills and creativity. You will find her work bright and colorful with some concept behind like for Grammy-nominated Sofi Tukker or David Bowie Tribute.

What?

We will cover several topics to get you up the speed: 1. Introduction. 2. How studio lights work. 3. Light modifiers demonstration. 4. Additional lights & modifiers. 5. 3-light set up for a portrait & practice.

Where and when?

Stage Art 4 (FD Photo Studio Art Location), May 23rd, 7pm – 9pm.

Why?

With this easy, introductory workshop ending with a test shoot, you will get the knowledge you have been looking for! The average photographer “Bob” who doesn’t know how to work with strobes wastes about 30-45 minutes of studio time trying to set it up. Do not be like Bob. Save time for quality work.

How much?

Tickets are $15. You read it right. Not $150 and not even $50. For the price of latte and two muffins you get knowledge that will benefit your craft for years to come! If that doesn’t sound like a steal deal, I don’t know what is.

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE!

5 Tips For NEON PHOTOGRAPHY with BRANDON WOELFEL

Updated June 2023 Capture the allure of vibrant aesthetics by shooting models with neon signs, an electrifying, and visually striking concept. At our photo studios for rent, such as Hill 4 and Chicago 6, photographers can find a wide selection of neon signs to add a captivating element to their photoshoots. Neon signs create a unique ambiance, casting a vivid glow that enhances the model’s presence and adds an edgy and modern flair to the images. Whether it’s capturing the essence of a bustling cityscape or creating a neon-lit dreamscape, these photo studios provide the perfect backdrop for photographers to unleash their creativity and achieve stunning visuals that make a lasting impression. One of our favorite Youtubers, photographer/videographer Peter McKinnon recently released a video where he shared 5 tips on how to shoot NEON PHOTOGRAPHY in a notorious Brandon Woelfel style. Following Brandon down the streets of New York, Mr. Mckinnon captured some beautiful B roll footage of what’s going on behind the camera and later had a coffee break with the photographer to go over 5 tips we are about to share.

1. Find Organic Light Source and Use It To Your Best Advantage

The source of Brandon’s light could be any size neon lit banner. It might say anything from “open” to “ice cream here” and be as small as a foot in length. While the size this small might seem insufficient to light up the model, Brandon insists on the opposite. So do not underestimate what a small neon sign can do. Try and experiment with it. Use it to light, style and color your portraits.

5 Tips For NEON PHOTOGRAPHY with BRANDON WOELFEL -Tutorial, Studio Photography, shot at FD Photo Studio, rental stages, Photoshop, Photoshoot, Photography blog, Peter McKinnon, paid photography, neon photography, modeling, Los Angeles, How To, gear, gallery, FD photo studio, fashion photographer, DTLA, Brandon Woelfel, blog

2. Use external props and misc. stuff on photos (PRISM)!

Brandon is know to use prism a lot on his photos. He used it so much that now it has become a part of his iconic style. When putting a prism in front of the camera, the reflection from it cuts through the photo right away creating a very interesting, distinguished effect. Besides, prism, he also likes to use CDs, since it has similar reflection.

3. Choose a time of day to shoot. And stick to it.

Brandon always shoots his neon photos at dusk. Everyday, at the same time he walks down streets and shoots. Every single day. Always at the same time. Having such rigorous consistency is important when you really want to hone on every detail of your style and create that constant aesthetic. So if you would like to have a theme to your portrait series, try shooting always at the same time of day, whether it is dawn or dusk, or the whole day. The key word here is consistency. Brandon also suggests that if you are uncomfortable shooting at dusk, try shooting at dusk only for a month, so you could transform your fear into your strength and end up with one more tool in your tool kit.

4. Posing and Changing Positions

Brandon doesn’t stop moving while on the shoot. Neither does his model. He constantly changes the frame, its orientation, going from vertical to horizontal. He is moving a model from left to right, has her sit down, stand up, throw her hair back, walk and look backwards. All for the sake of variety of options when going through selects after.

5. Camera Settings

Brandon shoots

very under exposed so that he could maintain low ISO.
Shoots in raw, so he could bring highlights/shadows up in post without noise introduction.

Watch the full episode with Peter McKinnon and Brandon Woelfel:

!WORKSHOP! COMMUNICATION with MODELS ON SET by Xenia Leo.

communication-with-models-on-set-tips-and-tricks-from-xenia-leo/

We are excited to announce yet another awesome workshop where photographers will have a hands-on experience on a particular subject matter! But before I introduce your teacher for the day, let me ask you one question… Have you ever felt awkward while communicating with a model you’ve met for the first time? And even though you both would smile just to seem friendly and outgoing, the clumsy photoshoot reveals itself on photos where the sense of insecurity and distrust is present. So what should you do to save the photoshoot and get the best of your subject? That’s what you are about to find out at the “COMMUNICATION with MODELS ON SET” event, hosted by Xenia Leo.

Here are few details about workshop:

Who?

Xenia Leo – lifestyle and editorial photographer who will also share her presets for Lightroom as well as tips and tricks for working on a set. Check out her INSTAGRAM and WEBSITE for more amazing work.

What?

We will have 1 model, 1 studio and 10 photographers. Everyone will have 10-15 minutes to find their own way to capture the model. And at the end of the session we will have 10 different photos form 10 photographers.

Where and when?

Stage Hill 4 (FD Photo Studio Hill Location), May 20th, 4pm – 9pm.

Why?

This event is a great opportunity to gain and improve professional photography skills. It is also a great chance to get to know other professionals, explore the way they create and challenge your artistic perspective. Please bring your cameras and laptops!

How much?

TICKETS ARE $138 BUT ONLY THIS MONTH WE ARE GIVING 50% OFF!

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE!

Actress Pilar Holland Portfolio Update

Actress Pilar Holland known for Grey’s Anatomy (2005), Criminal Minds (2005) and NCIS(2003) has paid a recent visit to stage Hill 4 to get some fresh looks on her portfolio. In collaboration with photographer Edmund Prieto, stylist Gaby Kool and MUA Rachel Pagan, the quartet was able create series of stunning, sharp images.

Actress Pilar Holland Portfolio Update -wrongron, Wrong Ron, Studio Photography, shot at FD Photo Studio, rental stages, Rachel Pagan, Pilar Holland, Photoshop, Photoshoot, photography services, photographer, Model, Los Angeles, Gaby Kool, FD photo studio, Edmund Prieto, DTLA, blog, beauty shoot, Actress, !Hill4, !done

This session’s crew comprised of:

Actress/ Model: Pilar Holland | IMDB | Instagram | Twitter |

Photographer: Edmund Prieto | Instagram |

Stylist: Gaby Kool | Instagram |

MUA: Rachel Pagan | Instagram |

Stage Hill 4 is one of our largest and brightest stages. Advantageously positioned with the windows facing west and north, this stage gets plenty of sift indirect sunlight in the first half of the day and lots of direct sunbeams in the second half. Hill 4 is furnished with several comfy and photogenic couches of cream and and golden/brown leather color. As with any our other stages a standard package of three basic backdrops and three lights is available within the stage already. For more information visit stage Hill 4 on our website.

Creative Dance Photoshoot by Joshua Estrada-Romero

As gentle as flower but as strong as a body of a masculine man, this photoshoot encompasses and fuses two opposites – gracious vulnerability and a firm brawn. A couple of dancers, Mike Esperanza and Joshua D. Estrada-Romero came up with an interesting photo collection that catches your attention right away.

Creative Dance Photoshoot by Joshua Estrada-Romero -wrongron, Wrong Ron, Studio Photography, shot at FD Photo Studio, rental stages, Photoshop, Photoshoot, photography services, photographer, Model, Mike Esperanza, Los Angeles, Joshua D. Estrada-Romero, FD photo studio, DTLA, blog, beauty shoot, !done, !B

A short info about two dancers:

“Mike Esperanza is a NYC Based Dance Company Director, designer and photographer. Joshua D. Estrada-Romero is a local dancer, Company director, professor of Dance and choreographer.”

Follow Mike Esperanza and Joshua D. Estrada-Romero

Stage B is a benchmark blackout stage designed to provide complete control over the strobe light. Painted all black and with shut off windows this stage preserves complete darkness for your photo and video projects. As any of our stages, Bcomes equipped with black, gray, and white background paper, three strobe lights and numerous modifiers for your choice. To check the availability for this stage as well as find more helpful information about our rental please see the WEBSITE.

ND Filters and Why You Need It

What is an ND filter? What is it for? And why do you need it? While you can do a lot in the post production nowadays, one thing cannot be replicated and requires ND filter – slow shutter movement in a bright light. Everyone knows how cool photos with long exposure look – these blurry rivers of light on the freeway, or a name written out of thin air by the glow stick. For these shots you leave your shutter speed open for 5-10 seconds of time, the setting that is impossible to shoot with in a broad day light without having your photos looking overblown or just completely white. And that is when ND filter comes in handy. In today’s quick tutorial based on “Two Minute Tips” episodes with David Bergman, we learn what ND filter is for, what kinds of it are available, and how you can implement it in your photography.

What is ND filter?

“ND” stands for neutral density. ND filter blocks the light from going through lens and hitting the camera sensor. When using ND filters, you can shoot the movement of (in this example water) anything with a long exposure and get that great smooth flowing effect.

ND filters come in different strengths. For every .3 it blocks 1 stop of light. So if you have a filter with the strength of 3, it will block 10 stops of light.

ND filters come in a fixed and a variable format. Fixed format filters have only one, certain strength number that never changes – kind of a prime lens in analogy. Variable filters on the hand are like zoom lens – you can spin it to adjust the density of the filter. While it is more convenient to have a variable filter, there are some trade offs. Fixed filters are usually cheaper and produce better quality images. Whereas variable filters might have an X – shaped shadow, especially when used on a wide lens.

What is ND Filter for?

If you want to shoot with a very slow shutter speed or wide open aperture in day light, ND filter is the only solution currently on the market. Another handy feature that is not related to its direct application – ND filter can protect your lens from dust or scratches! Since you screw it on your lens, in a potentially harmful situation that can damage your lens it is the filter that will take the hit.

Watch the full episode with David Bergman and Adorama TV:

Rogelio Gonzalez + Edwin Torres

Photographer Rogelio Gonzalez has made the right decision to try out something he has little to no experience with – working with strobe lights only in a pitch black environment. With a little help of our staff member Rogelio was able to tame the fluorescent beast and create great, balanced portraits.

Rogelio Gonzalez + Edwin Torres -wrongron, Wrong Ron, Studio Photography, shot at FD Photo Studio, Rogelio Gonzalez, rental stages, Photoshop, Photoshoot, photography services, photographer, Model, Los Angeles, FD photo studio, Edwin Torres, DTLA, blog, beauty shoot, !done, !B

Few words from Rogelio about the shooting experience at FD:

“This was my first time renting out a room at FD Photo Studios and I got to say that it was great experience. Kevin was very kind in helping me out on adjusting the AlienBee lights when I was having trouble in figuring out how they worked. I shot with one of good friends Edwin Torres and came out with some great photographs. Overall, the shoot was a great success and I’ll definitely be booking more rooms at FD Photo Studio for future shoots. “

FOLLOW:

Photographer of the shoot Rogelio Gonzalez on his INSTAGRAM and WEBSITE for more information. Model Edwin Torres on his INSTAGRAM page.

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.

“FILM VS DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY” with Alex Harper

“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”

Ansel Adams

Nowadays, with the advancement of technology, every technical process becomes robotized and less labor intensive. You do not need to type anymore – Siri will type it and search the query for you. You do not need to drive anymore – Tesla will take the wheel and drive you to a desired destination. With photography, an authentic ritual of putting the film into a camera, spinning the handle to “load the frame”, manually setting exposure, focus, shutter, shooting photos, and later spending hours in a dark lab developing the film – is gone.

Now you just turn the power button on, set camera on auto everything, shoot 10 images per second, and instantly have it on your computer, already pre-colorcorrectd and edited with presets in Capture 1.

For the most part the art of photography has become more accessible for people. It is easier than ever before to take photos. It is quicker than ever to finish it. Yet is it better?

In our latest interview episode of “Hard To Clean Material” Youtube series , with photographer Alex Harper we discuss perks of film photography, its application in contemporary world and some uniques features that lack in digital photography. The full interview is available of YOUTUBE. For your convenience, here is the transcript of it as well.

Alex Harper: Hi, I’m Alex Harper. I’m a multidisciplinary artist, particularly editorial photography, collages recently, but photographer overall. Ron: What brought you into photography? Alex Harper: I started when I was about 14 developing my own film, really learning how to shoot film primarily, then starting shooting digital. Ron: What is your favorite camera? Alex Harper: Simple. I’ve been using my grampa’s old film camera from the ’80s with a 15mm lens and a 75 to 200, and that thing has been awesome. It’s an old Nikkormat and I love it: the colors, the way it sounds. Ron: What about digital? Alex Harper: The digital camera, I have a Canon 6D in my left arm with my film camera’s my right arm. I love that camera so much. And then today actually I brought a medium-format camera that I have yet to use, so today’s sort of the tester, but I’m really excited about that. Ron: How would you compare film vs digital shooting experience? Alex Harper: I love that I live in a world where I get to do both, but the thing that I love about film is it just slows me down so much. I feel like with digital you just snap, snap, snap, snap, snap—or at least that’s what I was doing. And with the film it really has taught me, “Hey, slow down. Focus on each image you’re taking. Make each of the 36 exposures count and make sure your settings are correct, make sure your subject is ready, make sure everything is in place before you shoot the picture,” and that ability to refocus and re-hone in on my craft has made me find a whole another love for photography that I was missing before. Alex Harper: And digital’s incredible, that immediacy. There’s something about that too, but I think, especially people that I’ve been growing up with, we’ve primarily only shot digital, so getting to rediscover or discover for the first time that love of film, it’s like a high because you don’t know what you’re taking until it’s all developed so you just hope for the best. I think there’s something really exciting about that. Ron: Will film format ever make a come back ? Alex Harper: I really see a resurgence, honestly. I think everyone is starting to feel the same way I’m feeling about digital and film. I think the look of it is so incredible it just can’t be duplicated on digital, I don’t think. Ron: Where do you develop film? Alex Harper: Oh, I wish I had my own darkroom, but there’s this incredible place down Ventura and Sherman Oaks called 35m. Shout out to 35m. They’re the bomb. They develop everything for me in like an hour or two hours, and I’ll come in with five or six rolls at a time, so they … Like, seriously, shout out to them. You live in the Los Angeles area … This is not paid, this is not sponsored, but seriously, they’re the best, and I will always go to them. Alex Harper: To develop it’s $5, and then for the scan-to-CD it’s $10 for a roll. Ron: Where do you buy film? Alex Harper: When I first started shooting film I just would go to CVS or Rite Aid and buy a four-pack of 24-exposure Fujifilm, and honestly I love that. I love the look of those, the green of it—I love that so much. I recently started getting of course into Porta 400 because you can’t beat that. But anything, give it to me, I’ll shoot on it. I’m not snobby that way. Alex Harper: … film developed and it’s black or super green or super underexposed, and that sucks because you’re so excited about those images, but again, like I’ve been saying, the way that it slows you down and makes you focus on what you’re doing starts to solve those problems for you. Ron: Thank you so much for your answers! Alex Harper: Thanks for having me, guys.

Watch the full interview with Alex:

Veronica Lake Inspired retro photoshoot

If you do not know who Veronica Lake is, you pretty much missed a good chunk of the Golden Age Hollywood movies. Famous for her “peek a boo” hair style, Victoria Lane had conquered thousands of hearts with her undeniable charm. Photographer Sean Laine, inspired by this legend decided to reenact the past. With the model Stephanie Reed, the couple has achieved a glamorous vintage look, in stage Art 4. Few words about the photographer:

“My name is Sean Laine and I’m a Southern California photographer. I’ve been doing this professionally since 2015 with an entire life interest in film and photography. It runs in my family, my great uncle Vick Sims use to work with MGM Studios during the 1950s doing lighting and being a camera man. “

Follow photographer Sean Laine on his INSTAGRAM and WEBSITE.

Veronica Lake Inspired retro photoshoot -wrongron, Wrong Ron, Vick Sims, Veronica Lake, test shoot, Stephanie Reed, stage Art 4, shot at FD Photo Studio, Sean Laine, retro, Rental Studio, Photoshop, Photoshoot, Photography Studio, photography services, photographer, Model, Los Angeles, Golden Age Hollywood movies, FD photo studio, fashion, DTLA, classic, blog, !done, !Art4

Stage Art 4, used for this shoot, is notorious for the high-key white industrial design. It has also been recently adorned with wooden floor section and a wall veneer as well as portable blinds, made of dark wood slats. The latest upgrade the stage received was a nice looking cozy egg like chair and a STAR illuminating across its shape! As any of our stages, Art 4 comes equipped with 3 strobe lights and modifiers as well as backdrop paper of black, white and grey color. Take a look at Stage Art 4 HERE for its availability and pricing!