Sometimes Ya Gotta Do What Ya Gotta Do

Circumstances sometimes dictate shooting in ways or in places that are not one's first choice. For me, last Monday's shoot was no exception. As I mentioned in my last update, there was a major concern regarding my strobes spilling onto the video imagery. Time was also of essence during the shoot; the video shooting couldn't take a break while I shot the pretty girl pics.

I often recieve emails from pretty girl shooters who are still somewhere on the learning curve and who tell me they only have one light to work with. I always tell them that plenty of great images have been captured with a single light source. The sun, after all, is a single light source and I think quite a few shooters have made good use of the sun, single light source that it is. Having a single artificial light source can also produce pleasing images and countless shooters have proven this over and over. Sometimes I think too many photographers are overly-consumed with capturing that really great image, rather than capturing consistently useable images. That's not to say shooters shouldn't aspire to greatness but give yourselves a break. Shoot for excellence, yes. But shoot for consistency too. Don't drive yourself crazy always striving for that one, killer shot. The killer shots will come and there's a lot of elements that will make them happen (or not make them happen) and you, the shooter, don't always have control of everything in your viewfinder or everything that might produce a truly killer shot.

Back to Monday.

Because of the video shoot going on in the studio's main area, I had to grab Jassy and pull her into the "Green Room." Yeah, I know it ain't "green." That's just a term. The room had low ceilings, was oddly decorated, and didn't afford much room to work. I realized I was going to have to work with a single light source as there was nowhere to place other lights. Also, I had to get the job done quickly... very quickly.

I pulled my Mola Beauty Dish into the room and set it up. Fortunately, I mount it on a "junior" stand, with wheels, so that part was easily accomplished. If I had some help, I might have had someone wield a bounce board for some fill. But no one was available to handle those chores. So, it was just Jassy and me in a small room that wasn't particularly exciting... except for Jassy's presence. Don't get me wrong, I rarely object to being in a small, confined area with a pretty girl who looks as good as Jassy. But I'm a professional, right? It's about getting the job done, not enjoying a few fleeting, primal feelings. Hey! I ain't no GWC!

Images of Jassy captured with a Canon 5D w/28-135 zoom. ISO 100, f/5.6 @ 125th. Single light source compliments of a Mola Beauty Dish as the main (and only). Here's another so no one complains I didn't post a pic with, uhhh... a few of Jassy's charms exposed.