Instax Strobe Kit Giveaway
CONTEST CLOSED! Thanks for your interest!
Instax Strobe Portrait Kit Giveaway!
To kick off 2020, I’m giving away a complete Instax Strobe Kit!
In 2019 one of the most popular pages on my website was the tutorial for using Off Camera Flash with an Instax instant camera, link right here:
Instax + LP180: Using off camera flash for your instant prints
You will get everything you need to create your own custom light for your instant portraits:
Instax Mini90 Camera + Pack of Instant Film
LumoPro LP180 Strobist Kit - Manual Flash Unit, Light Stand, Umbrella, Sync Cables, Carrying Case
Sekonic L-308x Flash Meter
How To Enter
To enter this giveaway is simple:
Enter your email and Instagram handle below (This is very important, some prize items are shipping directly from the partner, we need to be able to coordinate delivery)
Make sure you follow @danieltjester on instagram
Like the giveaway post: Click Here
Comment and tag TWO friends that you think would be interested in winning
A quick note:
We respect your privacy. Please note, by entering this giveaway, you agree to receive emails from me and from prize contributors like Sekonic (You can read their privacy policies by clicking the link)
Contest will close on Sunday January 12. Winner will be randomly selected from Instagram comments, notified via email, and announced on Instagram the week of Jan 13. Must be 18 or older and prize pack must be shipped to a US address to win.
Slow Days = Light Tests
I work in a photo studio for a major retailer, and much like retail sales patterns, there are busy times and not so busy times. July third was one of those not so busy times. With a little bit of time to kill and lots of photo equipment on hand, having an impromptu fun photo shoot seemed like the thing to do.
Our studio is not interesting. It's not attractive, and frankly it's downright ugly. I wanted to take an ugly generic hallway and turn it into something interesting.
An ugly, generic hallway
I had originally wanted to shoot a specific person in the studio using this set up and location, but they weren't around when I finished setting up. Instead, a few of my coworkers decided to get in on the fun.
Bonnie stands in to check my light, and then all hell broke loose
I think this probably qualifies as more interesting than the hallway. I could have incorporated more of the actual hallway in the photo, this really could have been shot in any open space. Or could it? The cool thing here is that this was shot with minimal equipment. The hallway wall itself is filling my key light and keeping those shadows in check. Two lights and thats it. Key light, rim light shown in frame and that's it.
After Bonnie stood in for my subject so I could check my light, the rest of the studio staff wanted to get in on the action.
Amanda - Copy Writer
Sophia - Copy Writer
Stylist Group Shot - Vanessa, Ashley, Vivian, Dani
There are more people, but you get the idea. Maybe in the future I will have a little more time to explore this space and see what else can be done.
Tis the Season - On Location Senior Portraits in So Cal
Blanca Zamora - Graduating Senior at UCR
My good friend Blanca is FINALLY graduating from UCR this year. I say "FINALLY" not because she has taken the 7 year college grad plan, but because the last 4 years have felt like an eternity. Blanca is one of my favorite models, but our planned shoots would almost inevitably be cancelled or indefinitely postponed because she would suddenly remember a final she didn't for which she forgot to study. Well, not only is that all over, but we actually got to shoot together last weekend in the form of a Senior Portrait session shot on location at the University of California, Riverside.
The UCR Clocktower provides a nice backdrop for Blanca's Senior Portraits
The set up here was pretty simple. We met at 4pm, so we timed it right to have good light. However, sometimes the good light is not coming in the right direction when you are jockeying for a spot amongst other grads with other photographers, all trying to shoot in the same spot.
No problem though! It was late afternoon, the light was cooperative and at a level that would allow us to use strobe for a really well blended natural look. This was our go-to set up:
The reflector panel here serves two purposes, to provide shade from the sun, which would be too harsh in this direction, and to grab some of the strobe and fill the face a bit.
I used my handy LumoPro LP180 with a 1/2 CTO gel from my Rogue gel set to mimic sunlight, since the sun was not coming from a direction that would work for us. I used a large reflector to put Blanca in shade, but also catch light from the LP180 and fill her face a bit. Dial my exposure in and Voila! For some added flare, I can move the speedlight more into the frame and have the light beam right over her shoulder.
Fake Sun, brought to you by the LumoPro LP180 and a 1/2 CTO gel
I love this set up so much. At this time of day it gives me so much flexibility in shooting and when paired with a Pocketwizard Plus III, I can easily subtract the flash and shoot natural only, and vice versa. Typically this set up means I can travel light, but luck favors the prepared right? So I still dragged all this stuff with me
This may become a regular thing for me, it worked really well. Locking wheels FTW!
New Hair, New Headshot
New hair for Alesia calls for a new headshot! Shot in the backyard, one speedlight to the rear and camera left, and a reflector bouncing light back into her face.
Chelsea - Sunset at Any Time of Day
I invited Chelsea over again to work test out a portrait method. I was getting ready to shoot a morning-to-midday wedding and I wanted to see if I could mimic a dramatic sun set portrait with a pair of speedlights and a CTO gel.
Tech Details
Set: My backyard, 2pm in shade
Lights: LumoPro LP160 with 1/2 CTO gel to rear of subject. Canon 580exII in LumiQuest LTp softbox
Other Notes: I think this was pretty effective. You can spice up your typical "Midday open shade" portrait when natural light isn't optimal by using a pair of speedlights, a gel and a small softbox. Not too shabby.