Lighting Technique

We receive a lot of questions from other photographers about our reception lighting technique. We actually have quite a few techniques that incorporate a variety of tools from which we choose depending on the type of lighting required. We will often have a reception in an expansive ballroom that requires big strobes, but we also have a lot of situations where our smaller Canon speedlites are more effective.

We're always looking to try new techniques and test new equipment to integrate into our approach anything that refines our images or makes our jobs easier. Over the past year we've been using more and more speedlites for our reception lighting as opposed to bigger strobes. But it really depends on what is the right tool for the job. One of my favorite tools for easily putting speedlites wherever I need them is a custom clamp developed by Bogen and my friend Joe McNally. It allows me to easily attach my speedlites vitually anywhere I need them. The best part about the clamps and Speedlites are their portability.

I assisted Joe on a cover shoot for National Geographic magazine where we used a lot of speedlites and these clamps. Of course we also used about 16 cases of Profoto strobes and other grip equipment for some of the shots. Again, the key is to select the right tools for the job. Check out Joe's site from this project.