Available Light Portraits

Available light – of course, that means “any light that’s available.” The emphasis of this workshop in Santa Fe with Joe McNally is on keeping it simple and direct, and using light that is available on location to create storytelling portraiture. That does not mean flash or constant light sources are not allowed. If participants have small portable light kits they wish to bring along and create with, that works. The whole point of the week is a conversation with and about light, and using light to eloquently render effective, true portraits. Light is our language, as photographers, and when we use it with clarity and simplicity, the subject, not the technique, rightly comes to the forefront. 

We work on location, using outdoor light or window light, and augmenting that light with easy to use, portable tools such as fill boards, scrims, and reflectors. There are assignments and  image reviews throughout the week, along with illustrated lectures showing the management of light from large to small, from huge sets to simple portrait sessions. While on location, Joe does a “wander” with the class in search of quality of light and appropriate environments for location portraiture. That process of scouting, or “location assessment” is one of the most crucial aspects of a day in the field and can dictate success or failure on any given assignment. A special gallery visit to the Monroe Gallery, one of the foremost galleries representing historically important photojournalism in the United States, is also scheduled. 

Light, and how we recognize it, use it, push it, tweak it, and tell stories with it, is the theme of the week.