How I Got That Shot: JB Sallee | Profoto (US)

How I Got That Shot: JB Sallee

13 January, 2018

Written by: Rangefinder Magazine

JB SALLEE ILLUMINATES THE NIGHT WITH PROFOTO

WHEN FELLOW PHOTOGRAPHER and good friend Catherine Hall asked us to photograph her wedding in Lake Tahoe, we were honored

Our studio is based in Dallas, Texas, and anytime we travel for a destination wedding we always offer a complimentary second-day shoot. Not only is this a great way to to get to know our clients better— and to photograph additional amazing images for their wedding album—it’s also an opportunity for us to push ourselves to shoot something new and phenomenal that we would not be able to shoot in our usual Dallas setting.

On the second night of this Lake Tahoe shoot, we were set up to photograph the couple in front of the rising blood moon when I happened to notice the amazing starry-night scene happening behind me. I flipped the scene, shooting directly into my two full-powered Profoto B1s, placed behind the subjects, with one Profoto B2 at half power located under the camera as a fill light. This image was shot at f/8 with a 14mm aspherical lens, so that the B1s would starburst to add a bit of drama to this image.

When lighting our subjects, we ascribe to one rule: drama! Keep it clean and simple, but most importantly, give the clients something they have never seen before. As a photography and art history major, many artists have influenced my rules and style over the years, but I am most inspired by the work of my wife and business partner, DeEtte, every day. She uses her personality to make people feel at ease in front of the camera, and when it comes to wedding and portrait work, that is just as important as good lighting.

To learn more about the Profoto B1 and B2 lights, please visit profoto.com/offcameraflash. See more from Sallee Photography at www.salleephotography.com.

 

 

TIPS & TRICKS

TURNING CHALLENGES INTO AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE BEAUTIFUL IMAGES.

  • KEEP IT SIMPLE and don’t overthink your lighting set up. We often use only one light placed behind the subject to separate him or her from the background.  
  • NEVER LEAVE YOUR CLIENTS STANDING AROUND while you are messing with your lights. Arrive early to test your lights and bring an assistant that is personable.
  • PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. With every session, you grow stronger lightshaping abilities and can impress your client with dramatic, stylized imagery.
  • I PREFER GETTING IT RIGHT IN-CAMERA, but sometimes I will leave a snooted B2 in the shot and take it out later in postproduction. It is a bit more work, but the most important part of what we do is paint with light. I will never sacrifice perfect lighting angles over a simple fix in post

 

Written by: Rangefinder Magazine

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