Creativity and Flexibility = FUN

We have all had our fair share of photo shoots that didn't quite pan out like we had anticipated.  The best photographers I have known are the ones that not only were able to size up the situation quickly but maintain a flexible approach to getting the job done.  They are the ones that rather than screaming and pulling their hair out casually make a reference to needing a beer and then MacGyver  an entire lighting rig with chewing gum and a paper clip.  Wait?  Do we need to take a minute to bask in the glory that was MacGyver??  I think we do.  Here you go:  You know you thought his mullet was sexy- so click here. 

Ok, now that we all went running down memory lane and are plotting just how many paper clips it would take to rig a lighting system, the point of this post was to suggest a flexible approach to photography.

For example, I was shooting a Hockey-Meets-Boudoir session that was intended for a Christmas gift.  The secrecy that went into scheduling this shoot was second only to that of Air Force One.  While making covert plans to shoot so that the model's significant other would know nothing about our shenanigans, we forget to update Mother Nature on our itinerary.  Our outdoor shoot quickly turned into an evening scramble and we found ourselves making last minute adjustments that could have easily been embarrassing if we had not been able to find such humor in the situation.

The outdoor location(s) failed.  Yes, we tried more than one.  By that time, we did not have access to the studio either.  So,  we sent my assistant to Bed Bath and Beyond for a King size black sheet, more duct tape, and a six pack.  (For the record, I don't suggest automatically resulting to drinking during a photo shoot)

With supplies in hand, we literally went to my apartment and created a makeshift studio in my kitchen.  Here are a few pics of what it looked like:

(Yes, my cat really did decide this is where he needed to relax)

Ok, so once we got everything cleared out of this space and got the lights somewhat in place, the sheet arrived and it looked more like this:

Was it perfect?  Nope.  Was it anywhere near what we had anticipated?  Hell no.  Did we get some amazing shots and have an even more amazing story and experience from it?  Absolutely.

The ability to rig things like this is why I will forever love duct tape and Speedlights.  What was the gear used?  

Nikon D200

Nikon Speedlight SB-800

Nikon Speedlight SB-900

Both were fired remotely through Nikon's CLS system with the help of two hot shoe mounts.

The stands were all super cheap.  I picked them up when I bought my first "lighting kit" for probably no more than $150.00.  

I probably could have gotten away without the secondary stand with the reflector, but I wanted to kill as much of the "super flattering" over head florescent light as possible.  Since I was spatially limited in respect to light placement, I ended up doing a little more adjustments than usual so that I didn't get blown out images. 

I hope seeing some fun ways around lighting and location difficulties makes you want to grab your camera and rip apart your kitchen, too!!

Happy shooting and remember that inspiration is contagious.  Get out there and use that duct tape!!!