Light, Shadow and Motion

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Join the legendary Joe McNally on the set with professional dancers as he teaches you how to respond to the grace and elegance of the dancers with an equally graceful light. This class is all about matching a light to a move, where you start out with the set as an empty box that you fill with your creativity and imagination. As the dancers work through different moves Joe shows you how to light them with both studio strobes and speedlights to achieve a variety of looks, all the while sharing the tips, techniques, and tricks he’s learned over his impressive 30 year career.

Introduction (10:42) Join Joe on location as he introduces the class, discusses goals with the talent, and jumps right into things using a strong overhead dramatic light and builds out from there.
Adding Another Light (08:25) Another light adds depth, volume, and dimension to the photograph.
Working with Speedlights (06:52) Move from big flash photography to small flash photography; from Ranger heads to speedlights.
Playtime with Dancers in the Air (03:03) We're playing in a graphic space with dancers in the air.
Using a Black Set (04:42) Changing up the set to go from a white background to black, and putting a diffusion panel in front of the light source transforms into a beauty shoot.
Cross Light (10:54) Wrap up the first day with one final shoot. Set up a cross light pattern with two speedlights allows them to do double duty as a main light and a backlight.
A New Day (03:17) A new day, new dancers, and a new lighting set up to create a total white background.
Talking with the Talent (03:59) Learning to communicate with your talent is an integral step before the shooting starts.
The Investigative Process (08:41) After creating the space and communicating with the talent, it is time to start shooting to see what works and what needs to be adjusted.
Change in Impact of Light (02:34) Joe changes up the lighting set up to achieve a shorter flash duration to stop motion more crisply.
A Closer Look (03:16) Take a once around the studio and take a closer look at what each light is doing.
A Big Box of Light (02:15) The lighting, the background, and the floor combine to create a big box of light.
You Just Keep Adjusting (06:31) Every time the talent does something, it opens the door to something else. Your job is not to miss it.
Wrapping Up (08:07) Joe wraps up the second day of shooting with an extensive review of the lighting and camera settings used on the shoot.

Course Time: 01 Hours 23 Minutes

D. Peterson

Mar 31 2013

I really love learning about how to use lighting. I don't think I'll ever get to do it, but it's fun to watch how it's done. Joe is a master of his field and explains everything in detail. Thank you.
S. Pellerine

Dec 19 2012

This is simply a beautiful course, enjoyed all aspects of it. It was quite complex - but made simple. Liked the step by step approach involving a lot of technique - in manageable delivery. Great to watch - and think I may revisit some of these scenes. Fab!
P. Schmitt

Dec 5 2012

I enjoy so much how Joe analyses the ambient and nuances of light, no matter the ambient. And what a nice and delightful results. The dancers are fantastic!
G. Mes

Oct 21 2012

Incredible, love his lessons. He's funny and fascinating. Great job.
K. Mullings

Aug 21 2012

Mr McNally, you are the man! love the use of speedlights and and large light sources. I went to a workshop in phoenix with you a few years back and you continue to get better like fine wine lol. I am a canon shooter and picked up the STE3 RT along with the 600EX RT in march and I also love that system. Thank you for putting more tools in my toolbox. Job well done.
F.

Aug 14 2012

There are no words that I know that can adequately describe Mr. Photon. Joe is more than a master, he is, a National Treasure.
J. Thompson

Aug 9 2012

Absolutely brilliant. One of the most informative & constructive tutorials I've watched, but then I am heading out on the dance photography path. Lots of cool stuff to use on my next shoot, ready now for the 2nd class. I'm also a huge fan of Joe's work. Really nice results. A big thanks to all involved & for sharing the knowledge.
R. Acosta

Aug 7 2012

As always, another fantastic course from Master McNally. What an amazing photographer and teacher of this craft you are, Joe. Bravo! And thank you!
J. Shell

Aug 4 2012

This course is just insane. Love it. Joe McNally for the WIN!
W. Machuca

Aug 4 2012

Joe is such a great teacher. The way he thinks and see's is just amazing. His ability to capture and tell the story is so unbelievable. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us mere mortals.
J. Perkins

Aug 3 2012

HA! "Everyone reads a newspaper..." I wish it were still the case. As always, great class.
J. Nyberg

Aug 3 2012

Thank you Joe for showing how to do this with speedlights. I'm 28 years old and i had to retire from my previous work due to spastic hemiparesis. As you can imagine 28 year old retired doesn't have tons of money. Photography is only thing that keeps me moving these days and it's great to see how to work with low budget.
D. Cooper

Aug 2 2012

Great videos. I wouldn't mind seeing the final stills from Joe's camera in the wrap up portion to review his final picks.
L.

Aug 2 2012

Joe McNally does it once again! Bravo! It is another great class by Joe McNally! Watched every segment in a row. Loved it. Great pictures. Thank you for sharing your amazing craft.
D. Dillon

Aug 1 2012

WOW!!!.......as usual, Joe knocks it out of the ball park. He sees the little things that make such a difference in a final piece of work. He's truly a light magician! (or could be called a light sculptor). Joe is amazing!!! He has such a touch with the camera, lights, crew, and most of all with his subjects. He shows so much respect to everyone involved and yet can keep things light and joke around. I've watch so many of Joe's videos (and have bought all his books and DVD's he's put out). I so respect his talent. Thank you Joe for showing me some more ideas and ways to get things. And my hat is off to the grip crew who makes things happen and to all the talent (those dancers are all so talented). Thanks so much Kelby Training for providing such quality. Simply the best!!!
J. Ligammari

Aug 1 2012

Joe is the best! Great lessons, great photographer, excellent teacher!

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Your Instructor

Joe McNally

Internationally Acclaimed Photographer

Joe McNally is an internationally acclaimed photographer whose career has spanned 30 years and included assignments in over 50 countries. He has shot cover stories for TIME, Newsweek, Fortune, New...VIEW FULL BIO»

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