This past weekend was the 2nd American Photo Model Shoot held in New York City. Combining a smaller venue with a smaller crowd paid off for the attending photographers as it allowed for more experimentation and better results. 13 models rotated between 8 different stations (4 Tungsten and 4 Daylight continuous multi-light environments) plus one window for real natural light. Pros from the American Photo Magazine were on hand to advise as well as the Sigma Pros Lindsay Adler and Kevin Ames. Overall it was a great way to spend the day, and the results were impressive.
American Photo has held Model Shoots around the country this year and plans on holding additional ones next year. It is a unique opportunity to get hands-on experience working with so many different models under a variety of lighting conditions.
But, the biggest surprise came from Sigma. As a sponsor of the event, Sigma brought a selection of their lenses for the photographers to use throughout the day. I have been a big fan of Sigma lenses for several years now, but I am also a Canon Pro who loves those “red rings”. There are two Canon lenses that have held an iconic status with me – the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 L and the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS. These lenses have been true performers and deserve their stellar reviews. Well, you can’t tease me with a table full of new lenses and not expect me to bite! I took the Sigma versions of these two lenses for a spin and I was very impressed with the results! More on these two lenses next time…
American Photo Model Shoot NYC – Fall 2011
Two Lenses – Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 IF EX DG HSM & Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM
American Photo Model Shoot NYC – Fall 2011 – Additional Photos
We are signed up for the shoot in San Francisco. I understand they do not use strobe lights at this event. Can you explain the lighting set up? Hot lights? Watts? Was it enough lighting or did you have to do a lot of exposure editing at home? What are the positions of the lights? What is the room setup like? Is each model in a booth that you visit? How long do you get to shoot each model for? I kind of wish all this type of info was on their website. Anyway, thanks for any advice!
There should be multiple locations in place for the shoot. In NYC, we had 4 daylight, 4 tungsten, one model “box” (model in a box) and one natural light. Each set-up had at least two lights in place (one on each side) with a backdrop, but many had a third light which could be used depending on the group/instructor. There were also some reflectors floating around. Each location was checked with a light meter and the recommended settings were posted. Most settings were pretty accurate, but you might need to vary +/- stop for a specific effect (ex.- black background). All the Canon users did find the daylight set-up to produce a yellow cast on location. Switching to auto-white balance helped, but it looked find in Lightroom. Be sure to shoot RAW!! The tungsten lighting was perfect. Everyone was told to use ISO800.
The models were rotated through each set-up and alternated outfits as well. Towards the end of the day, they started to pair-up the models for group shots. Everything was very open and loose. You start out with either a “red” group or a “blue” group to split the photographers in half. But that lasted for only 30-minutes. After that, you could shoot any location and any model that you wanted for as long as you wanted. You just need to be courteous to your fellow photographers and respectful of the models. The models were open to suggestions and posing for specific shots. You may need to remind the model to stay in the “lite” area 😉
There are a few intermissions during the day. You will need the breaks! But, there is plenty of time to shoot. I have over 1000 shots! This was my second time with American Photo Model Shoot and I look forward to the next one next year!
Super super helpful, thank you sooo much! I was already worried that there would be a yellow cast because of the hot light for Canon users. Bummer, I really didn’t want to spend a lot of time in Photoshop. But, yes will shoot RAW. Thanks again for all that info! 🙂
I asked one of the instructor (who shoots with Canons) about the yellow cast and she admitted that she never uses the daylight setting. She just leaves it in auto-white balance for daylight (natural or studio). Either way, by shooting RAW, you have the ability to correct it afterwards. Have fun – it’s a great time!
Thank you, I’m looking forward to it a lot. I had been told previously by instructors that Canons tend to go yellow in low light settings, something I find I encounter whenever I use hot lights. Anyway, thanks again 🙂