I attended the second day of Joe McNally’s two-day workshop, which started in the auditorium of Knowledge Village.
About 12 people were in attendance, ranging in ages from their early 30s to late 50s. There were a couple of pros and others were serious hobbyists. One participant came all the way from Saudi Arabia.
Joe began the session by going through a series of portraits he had shot for Sports Illustrated. He explained the difficulties that each photo had presented and how he worked to overcome them, using a combination of persistence and determination.
He talked us through the exposures, lenses and additional lighting he had used to capture each image.
As a photojournalist, I am often shooting in situations where the lighting isn’t ideal and just trying to make the best of the situation, and it was nice to know that even world-renowned photographers go through the same challenges.
After answering a few technical questions, Joe got us ready to go out on location and the group headed to the Umm Suqeim beach, where we were met by a group of dancers who would be our models for the day.
More workshop participants also met us at the beach for the shoot, with the group numbering about 20 when all was said and done.
Joe showed us how to use our flashes off-camera, attached to stands or being hand-held by assistants, to create different lighting techniques.
By combining up to five flash units we were able to create very dramatic effects. The toned and muscular bodies of the dancers made for great images.
We worked in small groups and each person had a chance to play with both the small flash units and the bigger strobes (the kind you often see attached to umbrellas).
I learned to use my flash in ways I never knew possible, so thank you, Joe, for teaching me something new.
