JVS Speedlights Workshop - DC

JVS hosted another information-packed workshop on speedlights, complete with equipment used for each and every setup and plenty of hands-on practice time for each attendee.  I took his workshop two years ago, and this is the 2nd time I've assisted, and I still pick up nuggets of information each time.  Joseph is a down-to-earth guy who is amazingly talented, and I feel truly honored to know him and his (also amazingly talented) wife, Anne!

Here are some BTS pics of JVS and the lucky students who took the workshop.

Susan and Rob assembling the setup after JVS demonstrated how all the pieces fit together.

Heather and Maria - setup complete.

Beauty dish demo.

My sweet (and beautiful!) friend Megan Beth.  I was using the Bruce Dorn strip bank - one of my favorite modifiers!

Answering questions...

More instruction...

Drawing a diagram to demonstrate his reception lighting.

I'm a firm believer in constantly learning and pushing myself and my work forward, and I love seeing other photographers do the same.  It was a great day and a great workshop!  Also, many, many thanks to Drew Xeron and Ryder Haske for the use of their 52 O Street studio!

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BTS: JVS Lighting Workshop

Droolworthy.  That's the best way to describe all of Joseph's lighting equipment.  I took his speedlights workshop in 2010, so this time I was assisting him and his amazing wife, Anne, throughout the day.  He has a few different pieces now - new modifiers and a new Radio Popper system, and it was exciting to check out the new toys.  (I'm also contemplating ditching my Pocket Wizard Plus IIs for these Radio Poppers!)

I was impressed by the attendees of this particular class.  They picked up the lighting and settings quickly, and were more than ready to move the light stands and modifiers all around the studio to test out each piece of equipment during the hands-on portion of the workshop.  Joseph limits the number of students so each person has plenty of time to work with each modifier, and he walks the room to assist with any questions they may have and also give suggestions and recommendations for how to position the lights.  I've always believed that nothing beats hands-on experience.  I walked away from JVS's class in 2010 feeling confident about my lighting, and I highly recommend this workshop to anyone who wants to feel the same confidence.  (Or, if anything, you get to check out his medium format Hasselblad. I may have considered grabbing and making a run for it a couple of times.)  ;)  The next workshop will be March 6th in DC at 52 O Street Studios.

Some BTS (behind the scenes) images:

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JVS Speedlites Workshop

Flash.  Off-camera lighting.  I love learning about these aspects of photography.  I feel like anyone can pick up a camera and learn the mechanics of ISO, shutter speed and aperture in relation to ambient light.  But introduce off camera flash and modifiers and I turn into a head-spinning cartoon character.  Zack Arias' OneLight workshop gave me the foundation of lighting knowledge (can you say "Inverse-square law?"), but the JVS Speedlites Workshop slowed the head-spinning and allowed me to work on fine-tuning my skills and knowledge.

Joseph showing us how to use the Bruce Dorn Strip Bank...

...the beauty dish...

It's incredibly liberating to create your own light, rather than having to find it. All of these images were SOOC.  Camera settings:  200iso, 200 shutter, 4.0 to 5.0 aperture.

Jen Lowe was my fabulous lighting partner and subject.  Practicing using an umbrella as a reflector...

Jill Myers, working it for the camera!  Beauty dish...

Shoot-through umbrella...

Holy.  Smokes.  The first time I've seen a parabolic umbrella in real life!  (As opposed to head-spinning cartoon life, naturally.)

Speedlite with grid (I love this dramatic lighting!)...

A huge thanks to Love Life Images for hosting the workshop in their amazing Savage, MD studio! Pin It

OneLight Workshop with Zack Arias

I signed up for his workshop last November as soon as I read the email releasing the tour dates and locations.  The Washington, DC stop for OneLight sold out in one day.  I was super excited, and almost thought I'd never see the day...seven plus months of waiting seemed like an eternity.  But it was worth the wait!

If you don't know (and if you don't know, what rock are you living under?!), Zack Arias is an Atlanta, GA-based, nationally renowned, music and editorial photographer.  Over the course of a nearly 15-hour day, Zack took the ever-intimidating and often-frustrating subject of off-camera lighting and broke it down to a 2nd grade level.  (Apparently, I'm stuck in 1st grade, because my eyes glazed and my head spun a couple of times throughout the day.)  He reviewed his preferred equipment and explained what he would use in what conditions.  He then walked us through the relationship of shutter speed, aperture and flash power, and how they all work together to give you the results you're seeking. 

Two of the most important lessons learned: 
- Previsualize:  You can't set up a shot if you don't know how you want it to look.
- Know Your Numbers!  Know the relationships between the numbers and how changing one setting affects another.  This means you aren't sitting there fiddling with your gear while your client waits for you.  (i.e. - if you want to open your aperture 3 stops, you know you need to bring your flash power down 3 stops, and you know exactly what those numbers are.)  And........practice, practice, practice!

Zack setting up a shot to practice fill flash:

Sarah was one of our hard working models for the day...

Emma Saal is a certified yoga teacher and Thai massage practitioner...

She gave us some killer moves to photograph later in the night:

Flow is a DC-based hip hop artist from Senegal and is a member of the group Wagëblë.  He has a real presence about him, and my absolute favorite images from the day were of him.

One of my last images taken around 11 p.m., when I was barely functioning and on information overload.  Emma, you were awesome for hanging in there till the end!

Thanks to Stacey Vaeth Gonzalez for graciously hosting the workshop at Past Tense Studio in Mt. Pleasant.  And a big thank you to Zack for all the wisdom you imparted throughout the day, and staying until all of our questions were answered.  Also, a huge thanks to Meg and the kids for allowing us to borrow Zack for the super long day.

If anyone is considering this workshop, don't hesitate to sign up!  I just love this guy....

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