The desert is unforgiving in many ways. Dust, heat shimmer, and a sun strength that takes no prisoners. Applying flash lighting, you know, the average kind of flash power we would generally deem “enough” for a regular job, well, that can feel like spitting in the wind.
Unless you can access the Profoto Pro-11 pack, which is 2400ws of a slam-dunk Pop! You hear that sound, an unmistakable bang of the pack at full power, like a sledge hitting an anvil, and there is a level of certainty there. Out there on the sun-baked, cracked earth, smaller packs are like bringing a knife to a gun fight. Unless you use them as a fill light, which is what I did. See the low angle B1-X in the lower right of the behind-the-scenes pic. Shared the banner photo on IG recently.
Will C. Styles is a physical marvel to work with. A veteran of the Vegas shows, he marries an astonishing physique with a sense of theatrics that is much appreciated at camera. For this leap, he is bracketed by two Pro-11’s, edging him out and defining him in the harsh light then available. This shoot was one of the intro assignments for the Nikon Z 9, and with a commercial shoot like this, you aren’t waiting by the pool for golden hour. You work all day, and hang the light. You know it will be better later in the day, but you can’t put the set on pause and treat the crew to margaritas. You tussle with that opponent in the sky all day. It’s fun.
And measured. You can’t shoot fast when you draw this kind of power, and the portable generators driving the lights remind you of that with every frame, as they dip, then rev again, pulling back to full power. The throaty roar of those gennies actually give you and the talent a pacing for the shoot.
Fortunately, I had the camera of dreams in the Z 9. Understand one of my first cameras was a Nikon F. Which gives me, hmmm, how to call it? Ahh, perspective! In the midst of the internet fracas that can ensue when new cameras are introduced–“I want 200fps at full raw!”–this camera is veritable science fiction. I heard the theme from Space Odyssey when I used it for the first time. Match this machine up with the highly engineered light of a Pro-11, and well, lots of things become possible. Like high-speed sync, at full power, high shutter speeds. The tech of this tandem is astonishing.
Adventures in the desert and grappling with the sun! Absolute fun to play with a concert of big flashes. High power, blasting light for an electric performer.
More tk…
I use my Z9 to photograph dancers, but not yet tried lighting them outside with my ELB 500’s.outside.I wonder what strobes will do the job aside from the ones you used here. In any case extraordinary shot which as usual gives me a jolt of inspiration!