I have been a happy Profoto user a couple of years now, and it feels I am just getting the hang of it, trying to use different light modifiers for different results (and trying to master some of their products, not buying every modifier in their catalog, even if it is very tempting).
Apart from just looking at other photographers images, I learn a lot from studying studio lighting setup diagrams (and trying to do a lot of them myself as well), and watching lighting video guides when I have the time (and patience, some of them are very diluted and far from easy to understand).
Profoto did a series of short movies when they released their new monobloc series, D1 (250, 500, 1000 + Air), some time ago. In my opinion, they are exactly as I want video guides to be. Short, informative and with the very good narrator and photographer Tony Corbell. And they really makes me want to buy a couple.
Here are four different videos, each explaining one setup, together with the resulting images (it seems they haven’t done any retouching at all, which is good in many ways I think).
1-light portraiture
2-light portraiture
3-light portraiture
4-light portraiture
Other than being short and to the point, I like how Tony Corbell shows how one piece of equipment can be moved around and create different light depending on the distance to the model, angle or combined with grids or gels (or just add a reflector). Seeing someone else move around stuff so freely makes me want to experiment more. Things are always easy when you know how to do it.
More videos from Profoto here.
A good place to learn
Nowadays, YouTube is a treasure chest full of good videos if you want to look behind the scenes and learn stuff, but they are not always easy to find. If you have any good tips, please post a link in the comments.
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