While in Denver late this summer I got to hang out with David Tejada, a corporate photographer from the area and frequent blogger/teacher. (Dave needs no introduction for long-time readers of this site.)
So I couldn’t pass up shooting him — and using his own cool DIY beauty dish to do so.
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Dave was kind enough to hang out with us at a Denver lighting class, so I did not want to waste the opportunity to shoot him while he was there. Being a fellow small-flash guy, it seemed appropriate to include some of the lighting in the frame.
The key light is Dave’s own very nifty DIY dish, which you can learn how to make here. (Seriously — a CD spindle cover and a car mirror extender? Very MacGuyver.)
Dave’s version is designed to perfectly fit an SB-800, but you could alter it to fit just about any speedlight. It is a really nice mod for close-in headshots — especially when you consider that it started out its life as a salad bowl.
There is no ambient contribution to the photo. The detail in the shadows in from an Orbis, my go-to fill light, at about 2 1/2 stops down. This also gives the catchlight as the dish is at too high of an angle. The background is lit by the domed SB-800 seen in the back.
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I am kinda jealous of Dave right now, as he is gonna be visiting some of the coolest cities in Europe next year with a small-class hands-on lighting workshop.
Well, I am jealous until I see his schedule anyway — 12 cities in 23 days. And especially considering the cities. Wait’ll Dave realizes he has only an hour or two to enjoy the Cours Mirabeau in Aix, which may well be the most beautiful street in the world.
He’s gonna be pissed.
My guess is, when he is done he will plan some time to go back for a proper visit.
