New Studio

It can be argued that Photographers are "the great problem solvers". Okay, so we are not talking suicide jumpers off the ledge, nor are we in peace negotiations between Protestants and Catholics in Ireland. But from the moment we walk into our photo shoot we are constantly analyzing the situation, interpreting possible difficulties, overcoming obstacles, and finding creative solutions.

I have found that when I want to further study light, I bring myself into my "studio". Luckily for me, my children enjoy sharing a bedroom (and hopefully they'll stay that way until we move) and my husband has no desire to have a spare bedroom in an actual bedroom in our house. That third bedroom? My studio. And for the next 5.5 weeks, my studio will be a hot-mess as I learn how to use my studio lights, my scrims, my gobos, my softboxes, my umbrellas, my reflectors, and all of the other fabulous swag I have acquired thus far in my studies. To say the least, my studio is a dangerous creative lair with extension cords and bright lights everywhere you look.

And what happens when I can't explore from behind my camera while at the same time setting up my scene? My trusty assistant leaves his fear at the door and blindly follows my instruction. "Blindly" being the operative word here. The poor thing had his face five inches from my strobe as he poured milk into a cup of coffee, and glitter onto wet glue. Why? I needed to stop motion with my new lights. There is much to be done with these two concepts, but for my second shoot with these beauties, I'm quite happy with the outcome.