Behind the Shot - Video Steve Brazill

I never used to go to photography conferences. It's not that they didn't interest me, it's just that none of them cover my genre of music photography. WPPI is all about weddings and portraits, and while Imaging USA seems to cover a bit more, it doesn't go anywhere near concerts. Still, a few years ago I went to WPPI with a friend, to cover it on the show, and I found out that I didn't care what the conference covered. What I enjoyed the most was meeting other photographers after hours to talk shop. Since then, I have been to all but one WPPI, and a few of the old Photoshop World conferences - which I really miss.



That is all to say that no matter what you think of conferences, the networking side is almost always worth the trip. This past January I decided to try out my first Imaging USA, partly because it was in Louisville, KY, the home of the Bourbon Trail. The conference, for me, was a huge success. I was able to hang out with some old friends, and meet a few new ones, like today's guest. While at Imaging I stopped by to say hello to my friends at the Platypod booth, and while there I met fellow Platypod Pro Lenworth Johnson.



Lenworth is a commercial fashion and beauty photographer based in Houston, TX, and originally from Jamaica. We talked a bit at the conference, and I browsed through his site, and knew right then I needed to get him on the show. My original thought was to cover one of his amazing fashion or beauty shots, since that's what he's mostly known for, but that would have been obvious. Instead I decided we should focus on a tangential part of his work. Lenworth also shoots fashion related product photography, like perfumes and makeup, and I have never really had that genre on the show before.



The challenges of product photography are quite varied, from holding highlights on reflective surfaces, to subject separation and color accuracy, and Lenworth tackles these challenges so well I thought he could help you and I get a better sense of this difficult subject matter.



His work has been honored with multiple awards:



2019 Guru Awards Photoshop World Award

2020 Silver Advertising Award MIFA Award

2022 Gold Commercial Photography-Product MUSE Awards

2023 Gold People Photography-Portrait MUSE Awards

2023 Gold Commercial Photography-Fashion MUSE Awards



As a KelbyOne instructor, Lenworth teaches a few classes, including Fashion & Beauty, lighting, and getting published.



Join commercial fashion and beauty photographer Lenworth Johnson and me as we talk about his fashion and beauty work, and as we dissect his product shot of Chanel makeup, on this Behind the Shot.

Connect with Lenworth

Website: lenworthjohnson.com

Instagram: @lenworth.johnson

Facebook: @photographyLJ

X / Twitter: @LJ_Photography1

LinkedIN: @lenworth-johnson-2966a319

Lenworth's KelbyOne Classes

KelbyOne: KelbyOne.com

Lenworth's Photographer Pick

Mary Bel: marybelphotography.com | @marybelphotography

One of my favorite parts of doing this podcast is that I get to discover and meet some amazing photographers, and L.A. based Nikon Ambassador Joey Terrill is a perfect example.



We've all joked about a photographer we know being able to "shoot anything", but in reality very few people can truly shoot any subject matter. There are a few out there though, Joe McNally comes to mind, that just get it. Their photography seems to breath it's own air, and be alive. Joey is one of those talents. His career has included a range of specialties including architecture and interior design, advertising and corporate photography, golf course landscapes, and editorial portraiture, and his macro photography is fascinating.



Joey's website has three galleries, Portraits, Scenes, and Macro, and if you spend a little time there you'll get some insight into how Joey sees the world. Perhaps this quote from his website sums it up best:

"My camera is the window through which I experience life"

From extreme close-up or a vast valley, to a portrait of a corporate CEO made to look like a star, Mr. Terrill just seems to understand what we are doing when we take a photo. He understands how to make a viewer feel something, as though they've been invited into the scene. That, my friend, is a skill I wish I had.



Joey has worked with clients like American Express, Coca-Cola, Disney, Golf Digest, Major League Baseball, Nikon, Red Bull and Sports Illustrated. As an educator he teaches workshops and speaks at seminars including PhotoPlus Expo, WPPI, CES, Imaging USA, and of course Nikon School.



Join photographer and Nikon Ambassador Joey Terrill and me as we dive into the artistic world of his macro photography, on this Behind the Shot.

Connect with Joey

Website: joeyterrill.com

Instagram: @joeyterrill

Glass: @joeyterrill

Facebook: @joeyterrill

X / Twitter: @joeyterrill

Joey's Photographer Pick

George Hurrell: georgehurrell.com | @hurrellphotos

I find guests for Behind the Shot in a number of ways. Sometimes it's a referral from a friend, sometimes it's a cold email I send after seeing an image I just need to know more about, and now and then it's through a photographer's PR company. Regardless of how I find them, more often than not I end up being introduced to an amazing artist I wasn't familiar with beforehand. That is the case today.



Jiří Lízler was brought to my attention by the folks over at Wonderful Machine, a company I think of as a PR firm, but that describes itself as "an art production agency with a network of 559 photographers in 44 countries". Whatever you see them as, they have a pool of talent that includes some of the best of the best, and they've brought me awesome guest ideas in the past. When they brought Jiří up to me two things jumped out... one was that I had never, that I recall, had an architectural shot on the show before, and the other was that Jiří's work is insanely good. I am so glad this show worked out.



If, like me, you were not familiar with Jiří Lízler, let me introduce you...



Jiri is a renowned Award-Winning commercial photographer from the Czech Republic, with a portfolio that features luxury hotels and high-end residential interiors. His work has been featured in international media fixtures like Conde Nast Traveller, The Telegraph, Forbes, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar, The Times, Archilovers and more.



From a clientele perspective, I am not sure you will find bigger names, with clients that include Microsoft, McDonald's, Chanel, Warner Bros Discovery, St. Regis, Ritz-Carlton, Six Senses, The Luxury Collection, and Hyatt.



As I am writing this, I have the Tear Sheets page of his website in front of me, and wow. Jiri's work is truly fantastic.



Join Czech based commercial photographer Jiří Lízler and me as we discuss his world of photographing hotels & resorts, travel & tourism, architecture and interiors, and more, while taking a deep dive into his photo of the pool at the Corinthia Hotel Prague, on this Behind the Shot.

Connect with Jiří

Website: jirilizler.com

Instagram: @jirilizler

LinkedIN: @jiri-lizler-hotel-photographer

Jiří's Photographer Pick

Rupert Peace: rupertpeace.com | @rupertpeace

























 

One look at the client list at the bottom of Paul Mobley’s About pageclient list at the bottom of Paul Mobley’s About page and it’s quickly apparent that he’s one of the best commercial, advertising, and editorial portrait photographers working today. It’s a list of A level celebrities & musicians, and Fortune 500 companies, that speaks volumes about the type of work Paul creates.



Whether it’s a celebrity promoting his or her latest project or a 100-year- old farmer celebrating his family’s legacy, Paul has that rare ability to direct as well as photograph his subjects, to create some connection with them that puts them at ease in front of the camera. They seem to trust him at an almost uncanny level. The result? He creates portraits that are authentic, and timeless.



In addition to his corporate, advertising, and editorial work, Paul is an accomplished author, having  published four books of his photography with Welcome Books: American Farmer (2008), Everyday Heroes (2012), If I Live to Be 100 (2016), and American Firefighter (2018). For all four books, Mobley traveled around the country to meet the subjects in their hometowns and photograph these ordinary citizens leading their extraordinary lives. Mobley has also put together a traveling exhibition of his American Farmer photographs that will tour museums and colleges around the United States until 2025. You’ll find links to his books and exhibition below.



Join commercial, advertising, and editorial portrait photographer Paul Mobley and me as we talk about his portrait work, compositing portraits, and as we dissect his multi-shot image of comedian Sebastian Maniscalco, on this Behind the Shot.

Connect with Paul

Website: paulmobleystudio.com

Instagram: @paulmobleystudio

Facebook: @PaulMobleyStudio

X / Twitter: @PaulShoots

LinkedIN: @paulmobleystudio

Traveling Exhibition

Website: eusa.org/exhibition/american-farmer/

Paul's Books

Amazon: amazon.com

Paul's Photographer Pick

Ruvén Afanador: ruvenafanador.com | @ruvenafanador

Zoe Rain is one of those photographers in the rare group of artists that was born to do what she does. Some people can learn to become amazing artists, while others, people like Zoe, seem to have a natural gift for seeing the world through a lens.



At the young age of 20, Zoe was already touring with Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, and that work brought a bit of notoriety, to say the least. Since then, her work has graced the cover of Rolling Stone, appeared on subway car ads, and been plastered on billboards across the world.



Working with some of the biggest names in music, including Chance The Rapper, Ed Sheeran, Christina Aguilera, Ke$ha and Vic Mensa, has brought Zoe into the world of successful commercial photographer - a leap many people in music photography dream of. From multiple opportunities as an Apple keynote speaker, to being on industry panels hosted by agencies including Soho, Havas, & Leo Burnette, Zoe is now a sought after artist, and speaker for some of the largest brands in the industry.



Zoe's love of travel has led to her photojournalistic projects, involving intimate collaborations with nonprofits such as the 30-30 project & Construction for Change. This work includes Rain’s portraiture series “Woman of Togo”, which has been featured in galleries across the US.



After over a decade of success, Zoe is at the top of her game.



Join commercial photographer and filmmaker Zoe Rain and me as we discuss everything from her life on the road with Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, to her wonderful portrait work, and as we examine her portrait of Ed Sheeran, on this Behind the Shot.

Connect with Zoe

Website: rainstudio.com

Instagram: @ZoeRainPhoto 

Back in June I did a review of the StellaPro Reflex line of lights titled "Is This My New Favorite Light?". Well, today I've got an update. StellaPro has upgraded the hardware.



The StellaPro Reflex lights are “Continuous Strobe Hybrid” LED lights. They allow you to do constant light, as you might do for video, or using digital burst mode you can use the lights like you would a flash. Technically, these are not flashes, they are LED lights, but they allow you to over-charge the LED and release all of that charge as a burst of light, a burst that can be up to 1 stop brighter than the constant light.



And that constant light isn't just some weak modeling light, like you might have in a standard studio monolight. These are bright, very bright.



After doing that deep dive review I was impressed. I mean, no product is everything we want, and there's definitely a wishlist I have in my head for these lights, but for me the pros outweighed the cons.



And now StellaPro has made some interesting changes...



First, they consolidated the Reflex line into one model, eliminating the standard Reflex (no S), and leaving only the Reflex S. There is a Reflex Studio too, but the light head in that model is the Reflex S. Secondly, they've increased both the continuous and burst power 50%, doubled the runtime, and made the light 50% faster – now delivering 30 fps of full power bursts without missing a burst.



How much more do these upgraded lights cost you ask? Well, it's not more expensive. It's not even the same price. The upgraded lights are almost $250 cheaper! It actually feels weird writing that. An already good product is made better and they charge less? What the hell is the world coming to.



The StellaPro Reflex S lights are now $849, and with the added power they're a pretty damn good deal - that is if they live up to the claims.



Today we are going to test this new upgraded hardware, which comes in the form of a larger battery handle, and a firmware update to the light head.



The Reflex Lights I will be using in this show were sent to me by Stella Pro Lights for the purpose of that original review show back in June, and the upgraded battery handles were sent to me for the review of the upgrade. Let me be clear though, they have not paid me further and this is not a sponsored review. I am free to have and state any opinions that I have, and StellaPro doesn’t get to see this show before it goes live. This is just my honest opinion based on what I might look for in a portable light.



As always, If you want a crazy technical review - that’s not me, but there are a lot of those out there.



Here are the various sections in the show, so feel free to jump around to the areas that interest you.

00:00 - Intro

01:21 - Disclaimers

03:11 - What is the StellaPro Reflex S?

04:09 - What Changed?

04:38 - The Upgrade

06:35 - Old vs New Battery

09:11 - Updated Specs

10:58 - Testing Intro

15:16 - Black Background Tests

19:45 - Block Wall Test

20:56 - Portrait Tests Intro

21:43 - Portrait Tests

24:30 - Light Falloff Test Intro

25:21 - The Falloff Setup

25:53 - Light Falloff Tests

27:01 - Wishlist

30:57 - Final Thoughts

32:33 - Outro

Join me as I take a look at the recent update to the StellaPro Lights Reflex S. We'll take a look at the upgraded hardware, and check out the claim of 50% more power.

Original StellaPro Reflex Review Mentioned in the Show (June 2023)

Is This My New Favorite Light? A Review of the Stella Pro Reflex:YouTube.com

Inverse Square Law Video Mentioned in the Show

Digital Photography 1 on 1: Episode 59: Inverse Square Law:: Adorama Photography TV on YouTube

Connect with StellaPro Lights