Nikon® Creative Lighting System Digital Field Guide, Third Edition

Appendix A: Creative Lighting System Gallery

If you were to sit down with any songwriter, composer, or artist, you would likely find that they were influenced or inspired by another person. As a photographic artist, I believe in the importance of finding what it is that inspires and influences your images. By understanding from where you draw your inspiration, you’re less likely to lose sight of what you’re creating and why.

However, your inspiration should compel you to create new work, rather than simply recycling someone else’s vision. I encourage you to search out your source of inspiration so you have a place to which you can return should your process become jaded.

This CLS Gallery shows you how I’ve incorporated CLS into my own photography. It also includes setup diagrams, technical information, and details about the postproduction process.

The Swan Sings the Blues

Partnering with others on projects has resulted in some of my most cherished images and experiences. A friend of mine was the perfect model for collaboration between myself and another friend, who is a make-up artist. I wanted to show that you could effectively create a high-fashion look with just two speedlights and modifiers.

The initial image in this series, The Swan Sings the Blues, was fairly straightforward and easy to set up. I first placed a 7-foot OctoDome directly behind the subject and pointed it at her back to wrap some light around the subject. Inside, a single SB-700 was directed at the back of ...