Kristina and Adam asked me to photograph their engagement session at a local record store, Looney Tunes. This was right up my alley. I love to work in locations that are out of the norm. The problem was that the store would be open during the shoot. Needless to say, I could not come in with a crew and all kinds of lighting setups.
For this session, all I used was my Nikon D800, 24-70, SB-700, and SU-800. For lighting, I had the Westcott 26 inch Rapid Box and the IceLight.
I chose to use the Rapid Box for a various reasons. First, it is lightweight with an easy set-up and tear-down. Second, I love the Rapid Box deflector plate, which gives it a beauty dish style of light. Lastly, it works great with my Nikon CLS (Creative Light System) because my speedlite mounts to the outside of the softbox, giving my SU-800 a line-of-sight to my SB-700. I was able to move from one area of the store to another with out banging in to anything. The Icelight is so easy to carry that I just always have it with me. It worked out great for the ring shots I did.
Not having a huge production makes it much easier for me to interact successfully with the client. I’m a big fan of KISS. No, not the band. Keep It Simple Stupid. My go-to light system for on location are speedlites. They are super easy to carry and give you big results without all the fuss. I own five speedlites and they all fit in my Think Tank Airport International bag, along with two camera bodies, six lenses, and batteries. The Westcott Rapid Boxes are great for a one-man crew to work with on a small production. Feel free to email me with any questions regarding this shoot at: bmigs@bennymigsphoto.com
This video is courtesy of New York portrait photographer Benny Migs. You can check out more of Benny’s work by visiting his website.
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