When you begin your post by writing: I’m Athena. From the East Coast of New Zealand’s North Island, and I approve this message, it’s clearly a sign that I’ve been watching too much television. It didn’t take much though to pull myself away from the box with lights and head for Arlington Texas to take a look at another set of lights.
As some of my readers know I’m a fan of Vermeer and like Vermeer I paint with my camera obscura (only I paint with a lens). And when I don’t have natural light streaming through my windows, I’m also liable to be just as slow at creating images. I’ve slowly learned that eventually every good photographer has to learn how to build a relationship with their flash and it was fortunate that I came across David Tejada’s blog.
David Tejada is a photographer who specialises in corporate location work and much of his work requires that he travel with lighting equipment. He got creative and began using small strobes and now swears that less is best. Or small is better. I like that idea too because: 1. I can’t afford studio lighting, and 2. I don’t particularly enjoy hauling heavy gear.
What struck me was the way he is able to walk on to an assignment and work with both ambient light and strobes (which for me has been one or the other). Clearly an art form gained from years of practice—of which he has 25 years of experience with. Take a look at his website and see for yourself. Don’t forget his videos too.
I highly recommend David’s workshops. The advice given has made such an impact on the way I now think about my images. With practice it will help me be more creative if not make me a better problem solver when faced with situations having to deal with light. To think I can turn daytime to night. Who would had ever thought.
This post was written back in October of 2008.
