grip | PrairieFire Productions

Hot Topics: Work in Progress

Posted by Steve Herzberg on Jun 10, 2010 in Quick Focus | 0 comments

Usually, I research and write several posts at a time — and then publish them when I think they are “ripe”. However, some times I hit set backs — things that make an article tough to complete. Here are some of the things I’m working on — complete with some...

Lighting Like MacGyver

Posted by Steve Herzberg on Feb 15, 2010 in Quick Focus, Random Thoughts | 2 comments

For many, “available light” photography is synonymous with “natural light” photography — the use of the sun as the main light source. But, for us MacGyvers, the meaning is a bit different. To us, it means using whatever light is “available” — be it the sun or...

Self Assignment: No More Pretty Pictures

Posted by Steve Herzberg on Dec 16, 2009 in Quick Focus | 1 comment

This shoot came from my “Dark Side”. The basic concept was simple — to show that contrary to what glossy magazines and movies may tell us, beauty does not necessarily bring happiness. And, that for some, external beauty can be a trap because it blinds many an eye to the internal picture...

Busman’s Holiday: Shooting with Hanson Fong and My New Profoto D1 Airs

Posted by Steve Herzberg on Oct 19, 2009 in Featured Articles | 5 comments

Webster’s: Busman’s Holiday — a holiday spent following or observing the practice of one’s usual occupation. A couple of weeks ago, my good friend Hanson Fong, fresh off an appearance at the Houston stop on the Beauty and Beast tour, took a day off and hung out with me. So, how did we...

Q: I’m confused. What are the differences between “hot lights” and “strobes”?

Posted by Steve Herzberg on Sep 1, 2009 in Featured Articles | 5 comments

Some form of this question has come up in almost every lighting seminar we’ve taught. With the convergence of still and motion photography — with the morphing of DSLR’s into de facto video cameras, this question is quite timely. As I’ve mentioned before, I learned my lighting on film...