Atlanta Lighting/Lightroom Workshop Gear List

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Catherine Hall photographed at Google. © Rick Sammon
I am gearing up for my March 9-11 Atlanta Lighting and Lightroom workshop with fellow Canon Explorer of Light (and good friend) Parish Kohanim.

We'll shoot in the studio and on-location. How cool is that!

Parish will show you how to use studio lights for sensational portraits. Some of his gear, which he'll share with you, is shown below.


Parish is a master at creating different lighting effects and moods will all types of lighting, including direct light and softbox light. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn from a master . . . and to play with his gear.
© Parish Kohanim
We will tether your camera to computers with large Apple cinema displays so you see the effects of your work immediately.

I'll be teaching speedlites. We'll both teach Lightroom.


Here's a look at some of my gear. This is my basic gear reco for studio (and in-home) speedlite shooting.

Pocket Wizard wireless transmitters/receivers - for off-camera flash photography.

Phottix wireless transmitters/receivers - for off-camera flash photography.

Canon ST-E2 wireless transmitters/receivers - for off-camera flash photography.

I bring all wireless systems for the students to share. If you have another brand of camera, be sure you know how to fire your flash remotely - and have the needed accessories or camera capabilities. Off camera flash shooting is a must.

© Rick Sammon
Honl gels - to add color to a white background and to change the color in a scene, as illustrated above.

Two Honl Grids - to direct the light, as illustrated above. The smaller the grid, the more focused the light.

Two Canon 580 EX II speedlites - set on TTL for easy flash photography.

Canon 100mm macro lens - which I also use for portraits.

Canon 24-105mm IS lens - my main lens for studio shooting.

Tether cable - so I can hook up my camera to my Macbook Pro laptop for easy image viewing. I view through Canon Digital Photo Professional, but Lightroom does the trick, too.

Canon 5D Mark II - from which I can control the light output of the speedlites.

© Jason Ludwig
Two 28-inch Westcott Apollo soft boxes - in which I place my speedlites . . . and which I often hold in different positions around a subject. Yes! I am a voice-activated light stand.

Westcott 6-in-1 reflector/diffuser kits.


Here is a look at Parish's studio, which we will transform into your studio for the two-day workshop.

Our motto: "We teach, you shoot." We hope you can join the info-filled and fun-packed workshop.

Parish's list to come.

Here is my original post on the workshop. Hope to see you in Hot 'Lanta.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. If you can't make the workshop, you'll find lots of lighting tips in my apps.

Save on Creative Plug-ins This Weekend - and have some plug-in fun

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Want to feel creative and save money at the same time? Check out the plug-ins for Photoshop, Lightroom and Aperture and my discounts below.


But first, if you have an iPad, check out Snapseed by Nik Software. It's a cool app that can help you awaken the artist within. I used Snapseed to create the image above and below.


 When it comes to using plug-ins, here's my advice: Follow Your Heart.


Nik Software - Save 15%
Save 15% when you use this code – RSAMMON - on all Nik Plug-ins. Go to the Nik web site to start the plug-in fun, and savings. You must live in the US to take advantage of these savings.

Photomatix HDR - Save 15%
You can save 15% when you order Photomatix by using this code: ricksammon. Here is a short movie to get you started with Photomatix Pro. Download the stand-alone version.


onOne Perfect Photo Suite - Save 10%
Save 10% on all the plug-ins in onOne Software's Perfect Portrait, Perfect Layers, Perfect Effects, Perfect Masks, Photo Essentials4. Just use this code upon checkout: RSAMMON.


Topaz Adjust - save a bundle when you order a bundle
Topaz Adjust is just too cool. Above I used the Spicify Effect. Click here to order Topaz Adjust. Hey, save a bundle when you order a Topaz bundle.


Topaz B&W Effects - bundle it with Topaz Adjust
Click here to read about it!

Nik Silver Efex Pro - Save 15% 
Save 15% when you use this code - RSAMMON - upon check-out on the Nik web site. 

Photo and Lighting Tips at Your Finger Tips

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Here's a look at my apps - which offer in-the-field and on-site photo info . . . 24/7.

My flagship comprehensive how-to app: Rick Sammon's 24/7 Photo Buffet - iPhone and iPad. It's basically an interactive, how-to e-book that you can keep with you 24/7.


24/7 features more than 100 tips, lots on flash photography and lighting.
This app features my best tips for making pictures . . . indoors, outdoors, in bright light and in low light, with a flash and with a diffuser and reflector.


24/7 includes tips on creating . . . creative Speedlite photographs.
 People, wildlife, landscape, city scape photography are covered.




Before telling you more about my apps, if you have an iPhone, check out this cool lens system. I have the lenses and love 'em.


 Rick Sammon's Light It!

Light It! and Light It Light!: My basic lighting apps – iPhone and iPad.

Click here to see the into movie to Light It! 

Rick Sammon's iHDR  
My newest how-to app for the iPad is now available: Rick Sammon's iHDR.

This app (formerly called Rick Sammon's HDR Portfolio) is packed with HDR photos (my latest from around the world), info and movies. It's a great way to learn and experience HDR.

The app has the same great content as HDR Portfolio, but with an added Favorites section. So, if you already have the app, you don't need to download this version.

It's called iHDR because the app is all about how you can create cool HDR images using your imagination – combined with HDR photography innovations.

Click here to download and to start the HDR fun.


Check out this cool keyboard and stand for easier iPad use.

Rick Sammon's Underwater Wonders


Calling all moms and dads, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters - and friends and neighbors who have or know youngsters. Underwater Wonders, my first iPad app for kids (as well as scuba divers), is now available.

Underwater Wonders is not a photography how-to app/app book, like most of my other apps. Rather, it's an app/app book that falls into the Nature, Wildlife and Marine Conservation categories.

Here is a nice review of the app.

I took most of the photographs in the app while I was president and chief underwater photographer (1980 to 1995) of the marine conservation organization CEDAM International, an organization dedicated to Conservation, Education, Diving and Marine-research.

Underwater Wonders, designed for kids and for adults who are kids are heart, features underwater photographs of my favorite marine animals. The photographs are accompanied by fascinating and fun fish facts, as well as some of my personal anecdotes.

Butterfly Wonders

 Butterfly Wonders: Beautiful butterflies and section on close-up photography –  iPad only. Cool section on how-to take close-up pictures!



 Life Lessons We Can Learn From Mother Nature


 Life Lessons We Can Learn From Mother Nature: My favorite images with inspirational quotes – iPadonly.
 Skip Marini Golf Lessons


In Skip Marini Golf Lessons, I become the student – learning the best golf tips from the best pro in Westchester, NY – iPad and iPhone.

Sammon's Speedlite Sessions in Oldsmar, Florida

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© Rick Sammon. Canon 5D Mark II. Two Canon 580 EX II Speedlites. Honl grids and gels
Day II one of my workshop at the Dave Cross Studio in Oldsmar, Florida was a blast! I had eight students learning the benefits of shooting with speedlites - which I teach on all my workshops.


I illustrated how to created dramatic lighting with speedlites. Above is one end-result photograph; below is a behind the scenes shot of the same scene.


© Kathy Porupski
Above: For my shot, I used two Canon 580 EX speedlites. 

Right speedlite: a Honl grid was placed over the flash head to create direct lighting - and a cool shadow.


Left speedlite: a Honl grid and Honl grid was placed over the flash head to direct and to add color to the light. A small piece of cardboard with cut-out slits was held in front of the flash head to create the dramatic lines of light.


Click on the Honl image on the right side my blog to get a discount on Honl speedlite accessories. See my gear page to read about my gear.


© Rick Sammon. Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 24-105mm IS lens. Canon 580 EX II. Honl gel.
Above: I also illustrated the impact of a silhouette.


Above: One speedlite placed directly behind the subject and aimed at the white background was used to create the dramatic silhouette.

Below: While I was demonstrating a posting technique, workshop participant Tom Spatig snapped the shot. Thank you Tom for the fun shot.

I hope to see you on one of my workshops - having fun in #1.


For now, if you'd like to learn more about lighting, and photography in general, check out my apps.

© Tom Spatig