Thank you all for your nice comments about my on-location China portraits, taken on my recent photo workshop with Ken Koskela. (We're going back in 2018 in you want to join the photo fun.)

Several people asked about my lighting, so I thought I'd do a post. Here goes.

To improve the lighting in my portraits, I used a ProMaster LED160 light, pictured above with the diffusion and warming panels that come with the light. This compact and lightweight light and lots of other ProMaster gear are listed on the company's web site.

The unit can be powered with the supplied AC power cord, a Sony camera battery (not supplied) or with six AA batteries (not supplied), which is the power source I used in remote China. The LED160 also comes with an adapter for on-camera, hot-shoe placement. Power (light intensity) output is controlled via a dial.

Above: In this very low-light situation, I used the LED160 to illuminate the subject so that she stood out from the busy (but awesome) background. Separation is an important concept when it comes to composition. Learn more about composition in my KelbyOne class, 20 Time-Proven Rules of Composition.

Above: One of our guides is holding the LED160 to illuminate the subject. The light was held in a similar position when I took my shot.

Above: Low light combined with low contrast usually make for a low-impact image. To create an image with impact in this low light/low contrast situation, once again I used the LED160.

Above: In this behind-the-scenes image I am holding the LED160 for my workshop co-leader, Ken Koskela.

In my book Evolution of an Image I talk about the making of an image. The picture on the left was the first image I took of our model. She looks great, but the picture is rather boring. Changing the background, lighting, pose and gesture resulted in a much more interesting photograph. Both pictures were taken with the ProMaster LED160 light.

Again, Ken and I hope you can join our 2018 China photo workshop.

You can see more images from our 2017 workshop in my Remote China Gallery.

Explore the light,
Rick
P.S. All photographs were taken with my Canon 5D Mark IV and either my Canon 24-70mm lens or Canon 16-35mm lens.