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Feat. Jessica Dandine at the Château la tour Carnet I have been sharing a lot of dance photoshoots behind the scenes lately, so I might slow down a bit. I’ve worked on several different projects in the past weeks so I will concentrate on these, just to show that I don’t always photograph dancers. This is the First photoshoot session we made at the Château la tour carnet. A different vibe there compared to the previous castle I worked in. Dance photoshoot behind the scenes (Feat. Axelle Chagneau) Dance photoshoot behind the scenes (feat. Anaëlle Mariat) Fine art Portraits Behind the scenes photoshoot (feat. Loïs Bret) Dance photoshoot behind the scenes at Château la Louvière! Feat. Marina & Oleg Some of these images were the intro of my Fujifilm video and here you finally have the entire selection of this session. Jessica and I have worked together in the past, so things were easy to set up. But before we dive into this, I am going to answer a question I’ve been asked a few times recently… and to paraphrase some of you: "Why?", "Why did you choose to do that?", "Why did you compose your image this way, or retouch and color grade this way, what was the goal?"... There is a reason why I don’t always answer these questions. I don’t always share the full session so they are taken out of context Most of the videos I share here require agreements and authorizations from the models, entire team, location, and possible client. I often share and prioritize the images that I can dissect technically, photographs that I judge interesting visually (it can be the color, the shapes, the framing, the overall concept) instead of sharing a series of photos that were constructed around a story or carried by a deeper message. So some of them were part of a series, where there was actually a story a specific theme from the start, or a message. But I just didn't want to focus on that! I know this sounds weird because usually, we are encouraged to create things with a story, a message, or a meaning. “Style over substance”, something you might have heard frequently. For sure, up to a certain point, you have to go beyond the creation of beautiful pictures with beautiful models in beautiful places. Even though I've mostly shared this on my YouTube channel up until today, this doesn't mean I will not discuss this in future videos. Now you know why, and I am seriously considering sharing more than the technical aspect of my photography, and share more of my personal work in the future. Emphasizing the aesthetic a little less and talk about the why and give more details on the gestation of the project. In the meantime, let’s look at these images. The first time I saw these stairs, I knew I had to play with the perspective. The shape of the rail greatly helped me to choose a starting point for Jessica’s shape. Of course, we had to find a pose that was comfortable enough for her to hold for a few seconds. Jessica Dandine (Château la Tour carnet - Saint-Laurent-Médoc I France) Fujifilm GFX100s - GF 63mm F2.8 R WR 1/125sec f/2.8 ISO 200 The following images were actually made on the table where we had our meals during our entire stay. The chandelier on top, the reflection on the table were enough to convince me to use it for a few shots. The problem we faced here is the slippery surface of the wood which made it difficult for her to hold a pose and she couldn’t move too much once on it because damaging this historical piece of furniture would have resulted in the end of my career. Jessica Dandine (Château la Tour carnet - Saint-Laurent-Médoc I France) Fujifilm GFX100s - GF 63mm F2.8 R WR 1/125sec f/2.8 ISO 200 We carried on with another attempt at the surreal long dress. I think that now I can officially say that I am sick of these images… and that’s a good thing. I now know how I want to execute them now, and this last one is clearly not the way I want to make them. But that’s part of my learning journey. I've shared this kind of image not the blog quite often, from tests to real sessions, you now know how I make them. I cannot wait to show you what all this work was all about, but for this next step, you are going to have to be patient. Jessica Dandine (Château la Tour carnet - Saint-Laurent-Médoc I France) Fujifilm GFX100s - GF 23mm F4 R LM WR 1/125sec f/4 ISO 200 For whatever reason, this image ended up being the thumbnail of my video for Fujifilm on their YouTube channel. It was a nightmare to light because of the multiple light sources. The windows, the practical lights in the room, and my strobes. By killing the ambient light my flashes were making shadows on the ceiling, so I had to take multiple clean plates to erase some of the unwanted elements in my original shot. Jessica Dandine (Château la Tour carnet - Saint-Laurent-Médoc I France) Fujifilm GFX100s - GF 30mm F3.5 R WR 1/60sec f/3.5 ISO 100 To end this session, we made 2 simple portraits in the winery. Just to remind us where we were! Jessica Dandine (Château la Tour carnet - Saint-Laurent-Médoc I France) Fujifilm GFX100s - GF 110mm F2.8 R LM WR 1/50sec f/2.0 ISO 200 Jessica Dandine (Château la Tour carnet - Saint-Laurent-Médoc I France) Fujifilm GFX100s - GF 63mm F2.8 R WR 1/60sec f/2.8 ISO 200 And That’s it for today folks, I hope you’ve learned a thing or 2 because personally, these sessions had a great impact on me. I made so many mistakes, took so many wrong decisions, which means that I’ve learned a ton of things, that I cannot wait to put into practice. And this sums up what this channel blog and YouTube channel are all about, sharing my findings, experience, and hopefully maybe inspire you with a few of my ideas. So tell me, what brought you here in the first place, was I of any help in your own work. Tell me in the comments below.

With NANlite Pavotube Led lights! Remember those narcissistic self-portraits I did a while ago with NANlite’s Pavotube led lights? Well, I thought it might be interesting to share a behind the scenes video and my thoughts on these lights, without me in front of the camera! The comfort of your home, the bad weather the joy of having all my gear nearby, was part of the reasons why I started these "Tiny home sessions". Tiny home because I have a tiny apartment, and we are using a small portion of it as a home studio. We do not have the headroom to fully consider this as a studio. The ceiling is pretty low, and the space itself doesn’t allow us to use huge light stands. I did use a huge one for this session and it was a bad idea. No fancy backdrop, I am using a black fabric that is hanging from a microphone stand. I will only use one lens, a 50mm lens on a full-frame body, and you don’t need to know which brand. And instead of using flashes, we are going to use continuous lights… 2 Pavotube 30c led lights and for some shots the Forza500 to be exact. You do not need that much power for this type of work so keep in mind that you can use a Forza 200 for example and you will do fine. The idea is to make quality portraits, to play with colors, and all of this at a budget that is fairly low. Now I am telling you this because people often complain online saying that they cannot create professional work without breaking the bank. Now although this setup ain’t cheap (again the Forza500 can be replaced by a less powerful light from the Forza family) it is less expensive than the combo Fujifilm GFX100 and Broncolor lights and modifiers I usually carry with me. Since I’ve talked about this light in the past already , I am not going to read the manual and give you all the specs of these lights. But to summarize it all, I was interested in the length of these lights, they are 117cm long have a CRI of 95 and a TLCI of 95, adjustable color temperature from 6500-2700K as well as a full spectrum RGB and pre-programmed special lighting effects, that will only be useful for video, but more on that later. Most of the videos online will talk about their use in video productions, which I understand, I am currently using them for all my youtube videos now and I sometimes add like right now the Forza 500 and the parabolic 120. I even used it in recent video productions, another video is currently in the works, that we will be filming next week, I cannot wait to share these videos with you! But right now let’s concentrate on photography. How do they perform? Does the internal battery hold up? Does it have enough power? Will I use them in future works? Let’s find out. The 1st setup is simple, 2 Pavotube led lights, and both are placed behind my model and set at 2700k. Maeva K. (Toulouse I France) 50mm f1.2 1/100sec f/1.2 ISO 200 We then went a bit further, turned the light in the back yellow, and placed one at the front with a blue tint. Since these lights are opposite to each other they work well together. Then I decided to go back to 2x 2700k light in the back but with a brighter light at the front at 5600k. Maeva K. (Toulouse I France) 50mm f1.2 1/80sec f/1.2 ISO 200 To spice things up I Added the Forza light with the fresnel and barn doors for more control, I added a colored blue gel on it and decided to create these shapes around eyes and face. Of course, you may have recognized Maeva who I’ve worked with multiple times before. She’s an ex-Gymnast so we had to make these bendy portraits too. Maeva K. (Toulouse I France) 50mm f1.2 1/80sec f/1.2 ISO 200 Maeva K. (Toulouse I France) 50mm f1.2 1/80sec f/1.2 ISO 200 With a little bit of photoshop, we did a now-classic shot in my work, I hung my camera from the ceiling and we went back to lighting Maeva with only the 2 Pavotube led lights. Maeva K. (Toulouse I France) 50mm f1.2 1/80sec f/1.2 ISO 200 I recently purchased the Nanlite RC-C1 to have a quick access to the main features of my lights when they are out of reach. If I had to complain this would be the main one… I wish there was an app to control these lights, one that is reliable, and that will let you pilot all your NANlite fixtures from a far precisely. I heard that one was on the way, so let’s wait and see, I hope I will be able to test that soon. This is more a video on the Pavotube so the only thing I will say about the Forza 500 is that I wish it had longer cables… Because although I was able to do almost whatever I wanted at home, it’s a whole other story on set. Plus we are in 2021, I love bi-color portraits, make it Bi-color? Please or should I get my hands on the just-released 300B? The batteries of the Pavotube led lights to let me shoot anything photography all day. If I need a single source I can pair them, link them with a cable and sync them. One of the 2 will be set as the master light and control both of them. NANlite has this great accessory the Double PavoTube Double Bank that allows you to mount both lights side by side. You also have barn doors and egg crates or grids, exactly like the ones you put on your softboxes for more control over the spread, and the beam of your light which is always useful. I prefer the single Tube holders when I use them separately, because they give me more freedom, and I can place them at the angle I want in seconds. If you follow me on Instagram well, you probably have guessed it. I love these, or else I wouldn’t use them as much, and show them in my IG stories. I think they work great for portraits, and these long tubes even without diffusion give a pleasing soft light. I am currently trying multiple effects, combinations with flashes, different accessories, for my portrait work, and since I haven’t posted much of these on the blog, I will do so shortly. I hope I will also be able to try these outdoors and on location, someone whispers in my ears that this should happen soon, so stay tuned. And of course, I will share my thoughts on the good old debate flash/strobes versus continuous lights! But more on that in a few weeks. All the links to the gear mentioned are down below. Stay safe! PAVOTUBE 30c PAVOTUBE single Tube holder PAVOTUBE Double PavoTube Double Bank T12 LED Tube Gooseneck Mount Barndoor + Eggcrate FORZA 500 Fresnel REMOTE

Behind the scenes feat. Cyd Sailor & Laura Viaud Let’s call it a bonus video… I had enough footage to make a last Behind-the-scenes video from these sessions. Plus they are a little different from the other pictures we made there, so it would have been a shame not to share them. Some of these images were already shared on my Instagram and others were sleeping on my hard drive. I don’t share everything, I even sometimes take pictures from different sessions to illustrate whatever topic I decided to talk about for a video. This will be a mix of 2 sessions, 2 very different photoshoots, that was not easy to set up. Shooting performers anywhere, in places we would not expect them was kind of the motivation of all my dance and circus work the past years. The Challenge of using the space and physical abilities of the performer to make a visually striking image was my main motivation and goal when I started. And that’s what was the base of our meeting with Cyd sailor and Laura. They came in last minute, we didn’t have time to discuss the shoot prior to the shoot, and once on set, we let the magic happen. Cyd Sailor (Château la Tour Carnet - France) Fujifilm GFX100s - GF 30mm F3.5 R LM WR 1/30sec f/3.5 ISO 200 Pole dancing was always a challenge for me, and it still is. I’ve shot a lot of pole dancers the past years and stopped brutally last year. I wasn’t enjoying it anymore. The time it takes to set up a pole, to move it, and the limited amount of time one can stay on the pole to perform a few moves makes it hard to develop a full series with an elaborated concept. So every time you have to work quickly, almost in a hurry, and you have to simplify your ideas to make multiple images or just make a few if not only one or 2 depending on the complexity of your images. If it’s for a brand, a company, with a comfortable budget, then yes it’s worth the hassle. Personally, if a pole dancer/ performer contacts me now, I am not sure I would accept. They just don’t have the money if they pay for their personal private shoot. That’s why you don’t see them in my feed anymore, and this was kind of the "goodbye session", the end of an era. We didn’t make a lot of images, but it reminded me why I loved to photograph these artists in the beginning, and why I stopped recently. Cyd Sailor (Château la Tour Carnet - France) Fujifilm GFX100s - GF 30mm F3.5 R LM WR 1/30sec f/3.5 ISO 200 Cyd is notoriously known for her crazy outfits and costumes, so we had to make a few portraits… Mermaid style! Cyd Sailor (Château la Tour Carnet - France) Fujifilm GFX100s - GF 110mm F2.0 R LM WR 1/50sec f/2.0 ISO 50 The 2nd artist that Joined us, has worked with me multiple times in the past and is used to my colored smoke grenade obsession. We were not sure of the weather during her stay so we made this first photo first to make sure we had it. So With or without smoke? Laura Viaud (Château la Tour Carnet - France) Fujifilm GFX100s - GF 23mm F4.0 R LM WR 1/125sec f/4.0 ISO 200 We then headed inside the Winery, and she just did her thing. We used Atmosphere canned smoke for a few shots. I’ve used these a few times, and I am not a fan. It does do the trick in small spaces, but I don’t really get the texture I want. Laura Viaud (Château la Tour Carnet - France) Fujifilm GFX100s - GF 30mm F3.5 R WR 1/30sec f/3.5 ISO 50 I mentioned this in a previous video, a lot of the content I share here is from sessions where we experimented with stuff, tested gear and concepts, or just had a bit of fun. This allows me to reduce the chances of making mistakes on a shoot for a client. It was great to create in such an amazing place! With such amazing people. I can now turn this page and start a new chapter. Laura Viaud (Château la Tour Carnet - France) Fujifilm GFX100s - GF 30mm F3.5 R WR 1/125sec f/3.5 ISO 100 A little question for you guys, do you do test shoots? Do you regularly test new ideas and concepts? Or do you just put your mind to it when the situation arises? Tell us in the comments below! New gear review video next Thursday, I may have found my go-to microphone system for my YouTube videos.

Feat. the NANlite Pavotube 30c & Forza500 Continuous lights, RGB lights, maybe the best way to improve your lighting skills! Jennifer Morelle (Toulouse I France) CANON EOS R5 - RF50mm f1.2 1/80sec f/1.2 ISO 200 I completely changed the way I light my subjects recently. This doesn’t mean this will be my method from now on. It’s temporary for sure but it might make me rethink the gear I bring with me to future sessions. I made a few of these recently, and I decided to share with you my findings. During this session with Jennifer, we played and tried different color combinations, and after watching the behind-the-scenes video, you will quickly notice I often work around certain specific colors. But the most important lesson I’ve learned during this photoshoot wasn’t much my choice of colors, but the way I placed my lights. It's crazy how much more precise you can be when each one of your lights has a distinctive color. The problem with white light is that in the end, you don’t see clearly how your lights overlap each other when you are using multiple sources. With colors, it’s a totally different story. Especially with continuous lights. While you shoot you see the effect, you see exactly how your lights behave, how they fall on your subject’s face. You see the hard/ soft shadows, where the transitions are, where they mix, and so on. First, I placed my lights like I always do and started shooting. I soon realized I needed to fine-tune my lighting placement because the angles and direction of some of my lights were not right. Something that takes me much more time to realize and change with strobes. Jennifer Morelle (Toulouse I France) CANON EOS R5 - RF50mm f1.2 1/80sec f/1.2 ISO 200 I am using 2 Pavotubes 30c by NANlite and the Forza 500 like in my previous tiny home sessions. I am still working with a cheap cloth that acts as a backdrop and all this in my tiny living room… Yes anyone can do this at home. We then improvised with the light placements, colors, with and without catch light in the eyes. Jennifer Morelle (Toulouse I France) CANON EOS R5 - RF50mm f1.2 1/80sec f/1.2 ISO 200 For those dark portraits on a dark backdrop, I often ask my models to close their eyes on a few shots. When using Three lights, I place both Pavotube led lights on the side or in the back and use the Froza500 with the fresnel and a colored gel on the front. Jennifer Morelle (Toulouse I France) CANON EOS R5 - RF50mm f1.2 1/80sec f/1.2 ISO 200 We also played with color temperatures. I usually set my main light in front is at 5600k and on the sides, we are at 2700k Jennifer Morelle (Toulouse I France) CANON EOS R5 - RF50mm f1.2 1/80sec f/1.2 ISO 200 If you are hesitating between using flashes and gels and RGB led lights ask yourself only these 2 questions: Will you have total control of your ambient light in your studio? And do you wish to capture fast-moving subjects? If you want to freeze movement, for example, you will need a ton of power, so if you want to avoid bumping your ISO to insane levels strobes are your best bet unless you can afford bigger and more powerful RGB led lights. If fast movement is not in your plans, and if you are starting out, and wish to play with colors, I would strongly recommend using continuous RGB lights if you can. You will actually see what you do, exploring and experimenting will be much easier and you will quickly have decent images. Jennifer Morelle (Toulouse I France) CANON EOS R5 - RF50mm f1.2 1/80sec f/1.2 ISO 200 I am now ready to take these portraits a little further, my journey has just begun. If you are interested in the Amazing lights I used for these sessions here they are listed down below: PAVOTUBE 30c PAVOTUBE single Tube holder PAVOTUBE Double PavoTube Double Bank T12 LED Tube Gooseneck Mount Barndoor + Eggcrate FORZA 500 Fresnel REMOTE Jennifer Morelle (Toulouse I France) CANON EOS R5 - RF50mm f1.2 1/80sec f/1.2 ISO 200 If you missed my other videos about the PAVOTUBE RGB led lights: Simple colorful portraits With NANlite Pavotube Led lights! Learning on your own

The only light you need? This video is related to the following behind the scenes/ review blog posts: Improve your lighting skills with color; NANlite Pavotube 30c & Forza500 Simple colorful portraits With NANlite Pavotube Led lights! Learning on your own I shared my feelings on the NANite Pavotube 30c RGBw led lights and mentioned the Forza500 a few times, but never really talked about this crazy powerful light and the fresnel that is often attached to it. So let's do it now! It is a daylight color temperature of 5600K light with a CRI/TLCI of 98 and 95. So it’s pretty damn accurate, to say the least. It has an output of up to 46613 Lumens or 66300 Lux at 1 meter, and it is cooled by a quiet fan. The light is dimmable from 0 to 100% and the Forza500 is currently the most powerful light of the NANlite Forza family, but don’t take my word for it, please go check out their official website if you are all about the specs. the FORZA 500 You can plug it and use it at home, or run it on optional V-mount batteries if you have nothing to plug this into. Lightweight, compact, if brightness is what you are looking for with accurate colors then this one might be it! It’s a Bowen's mount fixture, so you will be able to use a lot of light modifiers available on the market, and that is all I am going to say about the technical aspects of this light. I needed something powerful because I knew I would use it in scenes where I needed to raise the ambient light and I usually work in big large spaces. Plus this light gives me the option to diffuse heavily my light for a softer look and still have a lot of output. I use the grid to control the beam and spread. I used it on my recent reviews of the lark 150. I can mimic the light usually coming from my main window with the 120 parabolic light modifier and the grid for my talking heads. I also used it for my interview for Fujifilm entirely shot with the Forza 500 and 2 Pavotube led lights in the back. Some of you have noticed the sudden change of one of my latest talking heads too. Again I used the parabolic 120 and the grid with the Forza for this look. I did use a lot for video. We recently filmed a short dance film (coming out at the end of July) to test the capabilities of the Fujifilm GFX100s in video and a lot of the scenes used the Forza 500. On another project, the Fresnel was used to project the light from a distance. Being light and compact makes it easy and quick to set up especially when I have to place it overhead. Now did I use it for photography? You already know the answer. I featured the Forza 500 multiple times in the past. Combined with the Pavotube 30c led lights, I have a perfect setup for beauty or headshots or to capture expressive portraits. For all these sessions where I don’t want to have my flash firing every 2 seconds, this setup is perfect! Maeva K. (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100s - GF 80mm F1.7 R R WR 1/160sec f/1.7 ISO 100 The only thing I haven’t tested yet is using it on environmental portraits or dance portraits. I haven’t had the opportunity yet, but I know it should perform just fine given the amount of power it can deliver. The only question will be, do I want to freeze movement with my light or not? If I do, then strobes will be a clear choice, if not, the Forza500 could be an interesting option. Again, you see the immediate effect of your light on your subject with continuous lights and you won’t have multiple flashes firing continuously so it all depends on what you are creating and the results you are looking for. There are tons of things you can do with these, and after using the Forza on multiple projects for both video and photography, I must say that this can be an amazing tool. It is really easy to set up and the few buttons make it simple and clear to navigate in the menus. The weight, the size, the output, and the color accuracy make it a no-brainer for me. If I had to complain, I would say that I would have loved a bi-color version, and the rotating yoke is sometimes a pain to manipulate because you need both hands to loosen it on both sides of the light. On my short dance film "Will you be there" we used the Forza 500: One last thing, that I also didn’t like on the Pavotube, is the lack of an efficient dedicated App. I am currently using the remote, which is quite handy when you are not using too many lights. But I wish we had an App that would let me pilot all my lights and control all the settings. I heard they were working on it… I am not really sure… I really hope it will be available soon. In conclusion, if you are into portraiture if you photograph subjects that don’t move much if you create online content and videos… This could be the only light you need. Think about it! You will of course see more work made with these bad boys in future videos, and on my Instagram , so stay tuned. Learn more about NANlite: http://en.nanlite.com/ PAVOTUBE 30c PAVOTUBE single Tube holder PAVOTUBE Double PavoTube Double Bank T12 LED Tube Gooseneck Mount Barndoor + Eggcrate FORZA 500 Fresnel REMOTE

PIXAPRO Optical snoot This is currently the accessory I had the most fun with in the past weeks. You probably have noticed it in my Instagram stories I’ve been working mostly on portrait sessions these days. I am not quitting dance photography, I still photograph performers but with the COVID situation last year I wanted to develop my skills in work I don’t do often. I usually shoot on location, use the environment, and work with strobes. So to shake things up I decided to use continuous lights, sometimes mixed with strobes, I added backdrops in my work and played with colors from time to time... But the one thing I enjoyed the most was shaping my light in a way I never considered before... Using an Optical snoot! I have only scratched the surface but I had the tool in my hands for enough time to already share my experience with it. Plus you will most certainly see it in future BTS videos so stay tuned for that on YouTube and Instagram. There is an entire series of videos on portraits done in small spaces that are coming where I will share with you the gear I use from near-zero budget to more expensive setups applicable at home or wherever your client needs you. But more on that later, what’s the deal with this? To put it simply you attach this device to a strobe, this one is a Bowens mount but I have the adapter to mount it on a broncolor flash too. Recently I've used it with the GODOX AD600pro. You need a bit of power for it to be effective, at least 600ws is recommended on their website. On the other end of this device, you attach a lens. I chose to go for an EF lens mount and attached a 50mm f1.4 lens because it works great for the space I have. Lenses with wide apertures are also recommended as they let more light out. Basically, the lens lets you focus your light and this will give sharper edges to your shapes or it will make them blurry. This is something I tried to do in the past with continuous light and its fresnel and barn doors but it's easier to create shapes with this snoot. You can also use flags, but you will most certainly need a lot more space to get similar results. So how does this work? It's easy You use gobos that actually give the shape to your light. You insert them in the Gobo holder and slide the whole thing in the snoot, you really don't need to read the manual, you will quickly find where to insert this. In the videos, you can actually see how some of the shapes look like against one of my backdrops. Now think about it, think about all the creative things you can do, and how you can take your portraits a little further. SWA (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100s - GF 80mm F1.7 R WR 1/100sec f/1.7 ISO 50 Louise (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100s - GF 80mm F1.7 R WR 1/400sec f/1.7 ISO 50 Clara (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100s - GF 80mm F1.7 R WR 1/100sec f/1.7 ISO 160 It is very well built and super easy to use. I said earlier I have only scratched the surface, I haven’t tested all the shapes and forms yet… but I can already say I love it. Be ready to see more images made with the PIXAPRO Optical snoot it in my feed, the next step for me has the world slowly opens up again, is to take it on location with me. What cool and neat tricks do you use to spice up your portraits? Do you use optical snoots? Tell us in the comments below! The PIXAPRO optical snoot (VII) Adjustable IRIS Adjustable framing shutter blades

Workshop FUJIFILM (Paris - France) Un workshop un peu particulier, car sans public ! Réalisé au Cent-quatre à Paris dans le cadre du "FUJIFILM fait son show 2021", et diffusé "live" sur le web. Un peu plus d'une heure ou je partage avec vous une de mes approches pour la photo de "danse". J'ai délibérément simplifié le propos pour que le workshop soit accessible à tous. Pas de fond de studio, une seule lumière, quelque chose de brute, sans artifices, ou presque. Durant ce workshop, je partage également mon sentiment sur le FUJIFILM GFX100s qui est rapidement devenu mon compagnon idéal pour mes projets. 3 objectifs furent utilisés : le GF110mm f2 le GF 63mm f2.8 et très brièvement le GF50mm f3.5. 1 seule lumière, un Profoto D1 et un silver umbrella (Large) et son diffuseur. Pour la retouche, je suis d'abord passé par Capture ONE pour ensuite fignoler et terminer toutes mes images avec Photoshop. Je souhaite remercier, Franck pour sa confiance ainsi que toute l'équipe FUJIFILM France. Un grand merci à mon amie Olivia Lindon pour sa prestation durant ce workshop.

Affordable backdrop solutions for your portraits I have been working for weeks inside a tiny little space, and I have learned more during these weeks than ever before. Basically starting from scratch, forgetting all I knew about portraiture, and rediscovering simple ideas. I made a video a long time ago about making any spaces your “studio” , well this is kind of the continuity of it. If you are starting your journey as a portrait photographer these simple cost effective backdrop solutions might suit you. Talking about shaking things up, I never use backdrops, I just never do. I always rely on the beauty and characteristics of a location to create my images. So from big large spaces, I reduced my world to a small 15 square feet room. The type of space you can kind of find almost anywhere. The accessories I am going to use will almost all be travel-friendly, which means that you will be able to recreate this for a client anywhere. Now let's start with the cheapest and easiest backdrop solution you can use for your portraits and that will work for your clients almost all the time. It’s the black backdrop. The idea is to expose your scene in order to have that black background stay black or fade into black. For the backdrop, since there will be very few details in the background can be anything. The only person you have to convince that it will look good is your client. A black wall can work if you have one… Your curtains, or just a simple black cloth... I have this very long one that I used regularly for my long dress photos… I purchased a few other cheap accessories in my local hardware store to secure my backdrop. Instead of buying overpriced clamps, just be creative! Now you can fix your fabric to anything. To a curtain rail for example or like me to a microphone stand that I never use. I also back in the days taped a light black cloth directly onto my wall and it did the trick. The following images were made with a black fabric attached to a microphone stand! These images were never published before if you wish to see the Behind the scenes video and the other images I made during this session: Improve your lighting skills with color; NANlite Pavotube 30c; Forza500 Jennifer (Toulouse - France) CANON EOS R5 - EF 50mm f/1.2 1/80sec f/2 ISO 200 To avoid having too much light on my backdrop I add a black flag that is basically this piece of cloth that I attached directly to my light modifier (you can see this in the YouTube video). The beauty of this is that you can make these portraits really anywhere. It’s dramatic, it’s easy to handle in post if you get your exposure right on your model you are basically done… or almost. Or course, you can use other types of fabrics/ cloth, of any textures or colors. Depending on what you are looking for, I know that going black is the safest way to go in an environment where you may not have all the tools to master your exposure and the ambient light. If you prefer to replace your background in Photoshop… then I don’t know why you are watching this video, I prefer doing most of the work if not all of it in-camera! The less I do in post the better! Maeva (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100s - GF 80mm F1.7 R WR 1/160sec f/1.7 ISO 100 You can also go white… The same rules apply, or almost, if your subject stays close to the backdrop it will remain white, otherwise, you will have to light your backdrop separately. It all comes down to what look you wish to achieve. I am not a fan unless I wish to backlight my subject, and If I do I usually use one of my light modifiers as a backdrop. But… If you have been following me for a while, I did use a white wall and even a white and black wall for a portrait session . Now, let's imagine you do not have a black or white wall, you have nothing that can actually be used as a backdrop, no curtains, no fabrics that would do the trick, and you have a limited budget... Well look no further, this company reached out and proposed a cheap solution that can suit any starters out there. https://www.dbackdrop.com/ This is the whole package, a light backdrop and a dark one with a portable stand that allows you to take your backdrop anywhere. For a small amount of money, you have a mini studio that will work great for your portrait sessions. Jennifer (Toulouse - France) CANON EOS R5 - EF 50mm f/1.2 1/80sec f/2 ISO 250 The only downside of such a system is the build quality of the stand. It looks and feels fragile. Basically, you get what you pay for. I am not sure this will stand the test of time, especially if you travel regularly with it. But on the good side, It comes with a little bag and has a small footprint. It’s light and easy to set up, but I would only recommend this to starters and photographers that take really good care of their equipment… unlike me. You also have to take into account the fact that the backdrops will always have creases every time you unfold them even though a lot of manufacturers will state otherwise. This means a steamer will be necessary to get rid of them if you want a clean backdrop… Which is a downside for me, if you are looking for a portable solution that is quick to set up. If you take a quick look at the backdrops they are well made and with the correct lighting, they will do the job. I was hoping for a little more definition in the textures but… this can be linked to the printing method, I will have to test other similar backdrops to see if it’s the case. In conclusion, if you have a limited budget, a small space, and need an easy system to set up that you can occasionally take with you on location, then this might be it. If you wish to get one of these backdrops or the entire system, I invite you to visit their website or click on the links below. I will get my hands on other backdrops, compare them, and after a couple of sessions will reveal to you the ones that I actually love and use on jobs in a future blog post. Until then, take care, and please, have a good one! Get 20% off for these backdrops & kit with the code ''HZAN20'': Use the code HZAN20 and get 20% off! Elegant Black Abstract Backdrop for Photographers DBD47 Retro Shiny Gold Abstract Backdrop for Photography GC-129 Backdrop Stands for Photography

I talked about it before, are muslin based backdrops the way to go? Are all backdrops available online the same? Of course, I can’t test all of them, but I decided to test at least another brand to see if I get the same quality for my muslin backdrops. So 2 weeks ago I shared my thoughts on what was my first muslin backdrop ever. I was immediately wondering if all muslin backdrops felt and look the same. So a few weeks later, Avezano reached out and sent me 4 different backdrops. These muslin backdrops are 2x3 meters in size, which makes them slightly longer compared to the previous ones that I have. Just the right size for portraits and full-body shots. The fabric seems a bit thicker and heavier, which is a good thing. The printing method seems to be the same but the texture here is more defined and a bit more pleasing to the eye. They are also useable straight out of the box without using clamps. You just slide the bar you usually use for your regular backdrops in and put it up on your stands right away. I still use clamps to get rid of the creases and wrinkles, because like I said in my previous review , these muslins backdrops still need to be ironed or steamed if you want them perfect. Something, I can’t say right now is how the fabric will look after a few washes, multiple ironing sessions. I guess I will have to do a quick video about that maybe in a few months. In the meantime let’s see what it looks like on some of my latest sessions. Sarah Lemzaoui (Toulouse - France) CANON EOS R5 - RF 50mm F1.2 1/200sec f/1.2 ISO 100 Emma H. (Toulouse - France) CANON EOS R5 - RF 50mm F1.2 1/200sec f/1.2 ISO 100 Price-wise we are in the same range, and after a few uses, I have to admit that well I am leaning towards Avezano . So what does this mean? Well, nothing good actually, because in a way, I am happy to have these backdrops that look and feel better than the previous ones I got. But then I can’t help myself to think that maybe, there are better muslin backdrops out there made by other companies…. Who knows? Lianna Nowell (Toulouse - France) CANON EOS R5 - RF 50mm F1.2 1/125sec f/1.2 ISO 100 But right now, If I need to travel light and wish to have a nice backdrop with me, these would be my go-to, because they are easy to fold and carry around. If you are interested in affordable backdrops for your portraits, you can bet on these ones. Down below are the exact references that I used! What is your experience with backdrops, Which ones do you use? I am about to test Vinyl backdrops and handpainted backdrops… and soon I will tell you which ones I actually use in my work... Can you guess? Avezano Dark Brown Nearly Solid Abstract Texture Master Backdrop 6.5x10ft/2x3m Avezano Dark Brown Like Coffee Abstract Mist Texture Master Backdrop 6.5x10ft/2x3m Avezano Antiquated Micro Green Abstract Texture Master Backdrop 6.5x10ft/2x3m Avezano Hazy Abstract Surrounded By Black Clouds Texture Backdrop 6.5x10ft/2x3m

I am always looking for the simplest, most compact device to capture some of my behind-the-scenes footage. My phone was my go-to choice for some time, but then I realized I needed more flexibility, a form of stabilization for some sequences, and Depending on the project, different frame rates. Feiyu was kind enough to send me a few weeks back the Pocket II that should be out but the time this article is published. Do I really need such a device? What for? Lets find out! Something important I have to point out, I didn’t have the most recent firmware for the majority of the images you see in the video. The firmware was updated recently, so this might have played a rôle in some of my findings. It’s small and compact, it does fit in the pocket, has an integrated non-removable battery that you charge with a USB cable and all your footage will be recorded on a micro sd card. It is a well-built all-metal camera and weighs only 127g. It can shoot up to 60fps in Ultra HD 4K and has a battery that will let you shoot up to 3 and a half hours when fully charged. At a glance: Pocket-size All-metal frosted body Weighs only 127g Built-in loudspeaker Supports external microphone (adapter not provided) Five-way joystick Magnetic body, easy to pick and place Ultra HD 4K at 60fps, up to 120M Max. bit rate Sony1/2.3 inch CMOS,12million effective pixels Three-axis mechanical gimbal 3.6 hours long battery life, working with max. storage 512go 1/4 inch thread hole on the bottom allows you to adapt more accessories The 130° Ultra wide-angle isn't fired, you can choose between three different viewing modes: super wide-angle, wide-angle, and narrow-angle. It has a little touchscreen on the back that still helps you compose your shots. All the options of this device can be accessed there or if you wish to have a bigger screen there is of course a dedicated app! One of the main features is 3 axis stabilization, which lets you capture floaty smooth images. One of the many useful features is the tracking option. Simply draw a box around the subject you want to track on the App and the gimbal should follow it as long as it doesn’t move ultra-fast. Now in which cases would I ever use this? For me, every time pulling out my gimbal and big camera is not necessary. Every time I want to be discreet and go undercover or when I go solo and need a few quick Behind the scenes videos. I usually use a 360° camera for my BTS videos, for the convenience of framing or reframing my videos in post. So am I switching to the Pocket 2? Of course not, these are 2 completely different cameras, with 2 different purposes, I will definitely use both. I also found another useful way to use this camera. I can use the Pocket 2, every time I go scouting for locations, every time we have to rehearse, prepare a shoot on location with a performer. If we have planned a few gimbal shots, Instead of bringing a huge setup, I can simulate my camera moves with the pocket 2 and it will be enough for me in most situations to use it as a visual reference before production starts. The images are pretty good for a camera of this size, but you will push it quickly to its limits when shooting in low-light situations. When going slow-mo, it is also important to note that you will be losing in resolution but also in image quality. But let's not forget the convenience of having such a small device ready to film in 4k in your pocket. For content creators, YouTubers, and vloggers, this could be the perfect camera! Retail price at launch will be 359$! Get yours now: Feiyu Store AMAZON https://www.feiyu-tech.com/feiyu-pocket-2/

Muslin backdrops, vinyl backdrops, or hand-painted backdrops… If you can’t make your own, which of these three solutions is the best for you? Let me share with you my thoughts on the hand-painted backdrops and the choice I would make for my work between these 3 different backdrop solutions. Before we go further, Just in case you missed them, here are the links to the 3 other videos where I tested Muslin and Vinyl backdrops and integrated them into my work. Upgrading to Vinyl backdrops? Fine art behind the scenes video Are all Muslin Backdrops the same? Affordable backdrop solutions for your portraits This was interesting for me because I did more studio-oriented work lately thanks to the COVID-19 situation. This forced me to work a bit more at home. A lot of these great locations I usually work in are still closed or cannot welcome my clients, or at least in decent conditions. So it was the perfect time for me to test new things, new styles, concentrate on my portrait photography, and ultimately use backdrops. Clara P. (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100s GF 50mm F3.5 R LM WR 1/160sec f/3.5 ISO 100 Muslin backdrops, are great if your budget is tight and if you need a quick solution on location. Vinyl backdrops are a bit less travel-friendly but offer better results, at least to my eyes, they look better… but they are a bit more expensive. On the more expensive side of things, you have hand-painted backdrops. A lot of professional photographers and big studios use them. So let's take a look at the one that I have here. Lady Bionic (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100s GF 50mm F3.5 R LM WR 1/200sec f/3.5 ISO 100 It usually takes 3 to 5 weeks to order yours, if it's not already made and it will also, depend on your location. They say hand-painted so I imagine someone doing this by hand with a brush, but if you do a bit of research some spray paint them. Between all the backdrops I had in my hands so far, in terms of color and texture, the hand-painted ones win hands down. They are beautiful. The colors are vivid and stand out, and the texture really adds something. Plus from the sample images online to the product, I actually received it was really close to what I imagined. Now the downside of these is the cost and time to make them they start at 200$ and you don’t have as many options in terms of size compared to any fabric backdrop or Vinyl backdrops solutions out there. Like the vinyl backdrops, they are heavier than the muslin ones, you cannot fold them of course so depending on the width they will take a bit of space when you carry them around. No wrinkles and creases, but you will need sturdy stands to keep them in place. For your studio they can be perfect or on any project where you will not change your backdrops every 2 minutes. So like everything in photography, it all comes down to you and the type of images you create. Do you need to photograph full bodies or just headshots? Will you carry them around with you, travel with them? and finally what is currently your budget? If you can answer all of these questions, you should have enough information to choose between the affordable, foldable, and light muslin backdrops, the easy to wash wrinkle-free with nicer textures but less travel-friendly Vinyl backdrops…or the beautiful hand-painted, heavier, and more expansive canvas. I said I would share my personal choice, which will be of course based on these questions too, but I need more time, I need to use these more, so I will do a separate video for that later. But If I had to choose now, based on the portrait work I am developing, I would choose the hand-painted backdrops first because I just love the look and I am willing to cope with some of the downsides to create the pictures I want. What about you? Do you use backdrops? How often? And which ones?

Behind the scenes feat. Lianna This will be the last video I will make with a plain white wall behind me, I will be back next Sunday, with more in-depth videos. This video is the complete Behind the scenes video of another session I made at home. Remember my review on Muslin backdrops , where I showed you only snippets of 3 different sessions? Well here is more footage, a few more images, and a few words on this simple setup that you can make at home. Lianna Nowell (Toulouse - France) Canon EOS R5 RF 50mm f/1.2 1/125sec f/1.2 ISO 50 You may have noticed, or you will probably notice that I didn't have a lot of room for this session. And this is only to show you how simple it is to make studio-like portraits anywhere. I’ve used cheap fabrics, muslin, vinyl, and canvas as backdrops all summer. Added a few accessories like a smoke machine, and an optical snoot from time to time. I also mixed continuous lights and flashes, just to figure out what suited my style best. In the end, it all comes down, to my mood, and of course on what I wanted to achieve. Here we used 3 lights, 2 Pavotube led lights above and behind for her hair and shoulders (set at 3200K) and 2 other lights left and right (set at 5600K). One will be used as the key depending on the pose, and the other as a fill light. The ration you ask? It depends on how you want your transition to be. Do you want it hard, or do you want a soft transition from light to dark? It's up to you to decide. Lianna Nowell (Toulouse - France) Canon EOS R5 RF 50mm f/1.2 1/125sec f/1.2 ISO 50 Huge thanks to Lianna, she handled this like a pro! I am excited to be back next week because there are a few stuff I am eager to show you. Summer is almost over, have fun, or else life wouldn’t be worth living. Take care, and until next time, please, have a good one.