Last week I had one of my more… challenging shoots I’ve experienced. A great friend of mine, Delaney, just adopted a kitten and wanted a personal photoshoot. The shoot was going to be indoors in her watercolor studio, at Delaney Marie Designs, located in Frankfort, Ky.
This was my perfect chance to try out my new-ish manual flash, the Godox TT600, a fully manual flash. For those who don’t know, this flash requires me to constantly adjust the flash based on distance to the subject, ambient light, and the correct exposure for nearly every shot.
My full set up was simple. I used my Canon R5 MKII with my 24-70mm lens, I set the flash on a short tripod with my 33’ off camera cord. Yes, a 33 foot long cord. I bought the cord so I can set the flash wherever I want and not worry about a remote or master/slave system.
The room was a small office, roughly 10’ x 10’ with white walls and watercolor paintings for beautiful decorations.
Honestly, if we’re talking about the best space to bounce light, this was the best place for it.
My settings for the flash were crazy low for the office, I’m talking 1/32. Perfect for being able to shoot at a pretty low ISO, play with my aperture for any depth of field I wanted, and get the look I wanted for each shot.
One I got things dialed in on both the camera and the flash, it was all too easy from there. Kitsa, Delaney, and I got to relax and enjoy just having a good time.
It was literally one of the most fun photoshoots I had ever done. Kitsa was a very playful model, I don’t think she ever stopped purring.
Delaney was kind and patient while I made quick adjustments in my lighting.
I practiced with harsh lighting and softer lighting.
I’ve got to say, I really enjoyed playing with the lighting in such a tight, controlled area. It was very much a photographer’s playground.
However, at the end of the day, I really need to thank Delaney for offering me up some of her time to do the shoot.
While, I’m back at getting my camera out and motivated, I hope to get a chance to shoot her watercolor classes. I’ve linked her studio above. If you get a chance, check out her artwork, it really is amazing.
She offers art classes for all skill levels and collaborates with the community in Frankfort.
