By: Giancarlo Pawelec | PAWELECphoto
A few months ago, I learned about a unique multi-city event called the Stand Out Photographic Forum. The Toronto stop of the event kicked off last week at Hangloose Media studios, bringing with it a great variety of presenters and vendors. The event concept is quite simple as each hour a notable speaker (such as Renee Robyn, Erika Blatt, Steve Richard, Joseph Cartright, and others) would present their body of work, speak about their creative process, and answer questions. As if that wasn’t enough, many stuck around and mingled with attendees, as well as playing with some of the toys on display.
Upon entering, there was a raffle table full of amazing prizes ranging from a Capture One Pro 9 software license key to a Wacom Intuos Pro (medium) Pen Tablet and much more! Surely I didn’t hesitate to sign up for each and sure enough, I won myself a Phase One golf umbrella. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to trade it in for a Phase One XF camera system – boo urns!
There were also a few schools showcasing their photography program, including that of Fanshawe College who also brought some of their students out to the event. Although I was self-taught in photography, it’s always good to know that there are now many educational routes available for those wanting to get into this artistic medium and career.
For those itching to try the latest and greatest in photographic gear, both Broncolor Canada and Phase One (courtesy of B3K Digital) brought out a wide assortment. Earlier in the year, I got a chance to try out the new Phase One XF 100MP camera system and loved everything about it, especially the vast dynamic range and file resolution. As for the Broncolor lights, they’re loaded with the latest firmware allowing one to shoot up to 1/8000th with the HyperSync feature and triggered with the new Broncolor RFS 2.2 transmitter – available for Canon, Nikon, and Sony. It’s worth mentioning that these new triggers are only $156 (CAD) and available for order through B3K Digital.
For photo editing, I’m one of the rare “mice warriors” still around, but that might soon change with Wacom’s introduction of the new 27″ CINTIQ creative Pen & Touch Display. Sure it’s massive in size and priced at roughly $3000+ (CAD), but the ability to edit on the actual image file unlike the conventional tablet-pen setup whereby hand-eye coordination is key.
At a table nearby were a few copies of notable fine-art nude photographer Steve Richard‘s new photobook titled Obscuro. The book encompases photos of art-nude models underwater in such serene poses and moods that is unlike any other work I’ve seen before.
For those looking to get their hands-ons and capture some images, there were two unique studio setups. The first was still-life featuring a bowl of (fake) fruit and the second was portrait / fashion in the cove. The lighting setup was courtesy of Broncolor Canada utilizing a Move 1200L pack paired to a Para 88 as a key light (on right) and the new Siros L 800 monolight mated to the massive Para 330 (on left). As stated above, Broncolor has made a big leap into the high-speed sync game and with the latest software update, the Move 1200L pack and Siros L can now shoot in HS mode at 1/8000th of a second!
Captured in this shot (in the middle) are photographers Steve Richard and Joseph Cartright discussing lighting setups.
Lighting the massive 10.8′ umbrella with 24 braces (better known as the Para 330FB) was Broncolor’s new battery-operated 800Ws Siros L. This new cordless monolight is truly amazing allowing for 220 full-power flashes from its Lithium-Ion battery, has a recycle rate of 0.3-2.7 seconds and a short 70-minute complete charge time! If you’ve ever wanted a lighting solution for when on-location (even in the most remote of areas), the Siros L is the perfect go-to!
After waiting for my turn in the fashion / portrait studio setup, I fired up my Canon 1Dx paired with the new Broncolor RFS 2.2 C transceiver and began photographing Joy – the beautiful model on hand. To me, she had this look that was a cross of Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction with the softness of Amélie. The lighting setup utilizing the Para 88 (as key) and Para 330FB as a full wrap-around fill was truly amazing as it provided just enough contrast to sculpt her face.
For this final frame, I didn’t want to go too deep with editing so I kept things simple so as to showcase the quality of light from the Broncolor units. Feel free to click on any of the images for the larger resolution version. Aside from socializing with fellow photographers, the event was an overall great experience that allowed me to draw inspiration from other’s styles and be informed on their workflow process. I firmly believe that you can learn something from everyone and this Stand Out event surely made that possible!
A big thanks must go out to Will Prentice for the silly cover shot of me jumping in front of the large Para 330FB (shot at a ISO 64, f/3.2, and 1/8000th), the helpful B3K Digital staff, all the vendors on-hand, and the amazing speakers that made the trek to Toronto to present their work.
For more information, please visit Stand Out Photographic Forum. To grab your Broncolor and Phase One gear, contact B3K Digital.
