The OX year approaches, slowly and methodically, even fatalistically. This year, according to Eastern culture, is a no-nonsense year of practicality, pragmatism and clarity, probably ideal for COVID recovery.

I am a child of the Sheep (or Goat depending on source), so I am directly opposed to this years guiding principals, but I have been here every 12 years and it ain’t so bad. As long as you stick to realistic goals, see them through and avoid “flights of fantasy”, then the no-nonsense Ox is a predictable friend.

Speaking of which….

I decided to build a studio. What I lacked outnumbered what I had. No room (a 14x9’ very basically converted garage), no clients as I have to go to my subjects (!), no projects except experimentation, but I did have too much gear on my side :). Thin premise, so off I went anyway.

As soon as I was finished, I took a few experimental images of my long suffering wife, then had a hard realisation that what I actually needed to do was perfect my “moveable feast”, not create a static one.

The above shot is heartening, because it came out exactly how I pre-visualised, which was well short of the look I am going for (small mod, too far away). Already a bit over the black background “drama” look, which is easy enough to achieve, so it’s popping up everywhere, I am looking for a more timeless and friendly soft directional with controlled ambient feel, with a little localised brilliance.

Soft, soft, soft is the mantra, with brilliance as the elusive bonus prize.

So looking at it realistically, to suit Mr OX, I need to be able to handle the following;

• Make dull outdoor light interesting.

This will be common in winter. A bit of off-axis warmth and on axis brilliance, with a little ambient under exposure for context and drama. What I am looking for is a fake late afternoon summer light in the middle of winter. This is a job for my basic go anywhere Godox flash/Neewer LED kit.

• Handle Groups.

Indoors, this is a job for the “full noise” multiple Yongnuo outfit, heavy light stands and bigger/wider modifiers (Twin 40” shoot through Brollies or 4’ soft boxes or the 72” brolly). This has already proven itself, but is now literally twice as powerful. For outdoors, I will use the fill options above, but with wider spread (2 lights, one modified directional and one fill/master on camera). I have a wedding in February, so it will be good to have a few options.

• Do something creative with sports teams or award winners.

Matt Hernandez provides a wealth of inspiration here. His work uses a lot of off axis lighting, underexposing for dramatic backgrounds and dynamic team stances, so when able I will try to develop my own look or looks, rather than the usual, wooden two row block.

• Make very dull rooms interesting.

This is a big challenge and is responsible for this quest to control light. How to make a dull, pseudo-modern, very beige room look “Leibovitz”. To take a leaf out of Joel Grimes playbook, lots of soft side light, maybe a little colour in the background. This can be done either with flagged bounce flash or the “full noise” setup of a soft box through a scrim.

• Fix sunny day contrast.

High Speed Sync with the twin Godox units and/or some LED panels will do this so this is the core of my basic “go anywhere” kit.

• Deal with no lighting options at all.

The toughest control is surely no control. This has possibly fixed itself with the addition of the EM1x/Capture 1 combination. No more mushy high ISO work.

In a nutshell;

• Single source fill. LED’s, HSS speedlites, reflectors. Lots of options.

• Very soft directional light. Bounced, modified, scrim-med (or combo), off axis key light.

• Effects. Rim or background light and global background balance through shutter speed settings.

• See what my gear can do now with minimal light and no additions, turbo charged as it is with new capabilities.

These elements used singly or together make up the “to do” list.

All this has of course thrown my over organised lighting systems into disarray.

The go-anywhere kit is bigger, the little expansion kit is smaller, but is assumed, the bigger kit is amalgamated, with the superfluous elements removed.

Backgrounds are on the outer fringe, seldom needed, but there in case.

Next post on this subject, I will look at the best options in each of these categories.