Lighting Dramatic Team Portraits with Matt Hernandez

[@crazay42]

I love your work and videos, I hope you keep coming out with more. You don't ramble on or waste time etc. Thank you, you've helped me a lot.

[@WestcottLighting]

Thanks for watching.

[@wowtrucks]

Thanks Matt.. Easy to understand and to the point

[@esiaji]

Short and Super informative. Thank You!

[@clintgoulet7572]

Nice job Matt, impressive, professional and informative.

[@sulajkovski]

Great tip for the side lights.

[@WestcottLighting]

Thanks for watching, Milos!!

[@peterpeterson7784]

I used that umbrella for one team picture and never again. Found it too specular and just harsh and ugly light. Went back to my Westcott 7ft shoot thru umbrella. I like it because it also seems to light up my background much better. I've never been a fan of those dark backgrounds. Have had too many schools complain about dark backgrounds in my area of the country. But its fun to see how others are doing sports teams.

[@WestcottLighting]

+Peter Peterson Thanks for watching and using Westcott products. As you noted we have different versions of the umbrella to suit the creative view of the photographer and also the taste of their clients.

[@TeddyThor]

I love this video!!! i just love it !! i have a quick question. i am a student photographer and im shooting a college swim team which has about 50 people they want the photos to be taken at the pool.. i shoot with 7d mark 2 and i do have the paul c buff with an 47 inch octobox.. should i add two more sizd lights and do what you did in the vidieo?

[@pscully1969]

Great results. :) That parabolic looks like it can cast some serious light.

[@WestcottLighting]

+pscully1969 yea, and for the price, its hard to believe everyone does not have one of these in their arsenal thanks for watching

[@stevehansen4808]

Great videos and very helpful, but there are still a fair number of questions. What watt seconds are those lights? I'm looking at buying some with 600 watt seconds and I wonder if that is enough. Also, would love to know what you do post processing. Many of your photos seem to have a fair amount of post processing. Are you using Capture One Pro to start off and then export to Photo Shop? Would love to see a video on your work folow. Thanks!

[@stevehansen4808]

Oh, I see you have some work flow videos. You are really great! Thanks so much!

[@smaganas]

Excellent! If you only have two strobes would you try and hide the second one behind them? Or maybe over them from atop?

[@dmarkism]

Which light is used at this fotoshoot? FJ400? Thanks )

[@paigeofstylez]

This dude shooting with a Nikon 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯

[@donzokor5312]

Great video, anyone know what wattage strobes the main & side lights are? Thanks.

[@mikefailla5006]

It looks like you're using Einstein strobes. Is there any reason why you are using the CyberSync trigger instead of the Cyber Commander? Also, do you use a light meter? Thanks.

[@jimreckard7880]

How would you change the settings if you want the background even darker?

[@iKeto_gal]

shutter speed

[@nextsteptahiti8222]

thanks

[@RitchieDeel]

Are you metering those side lights Matt? If so what were they metering at?

[@WestcottLighting]

+Ritchie Deel If I had to take an educated guess (accounting for the angle of reflection) at what Matt's reading would be I would say F8. I usually set mine for about 1/2 stop under the camera setting (F8) but his edges look brighter to me.

[@MattHernandez]

+Ritchie Deel Hi Ritchie, I'm glad you asked that. I don’t normally meter anything. I prefer to eyeball it on the back of the camera until I have it the way I want it to look. Because I have the long throw reflectors on the edge lights I know the output will be higher and more harsh than the parabolic I am using when shooting teams. So, I normally set all my lights to full power when using one main light (the parabolic). That way I know the edge lights will still show up and give me a good rim. If I am using two parabolics I then each of those lights down 1 stop because I will have a higher output with two of them. I do that so they won’t overpower the edge lights in the images. I hope that helps. Thanks for watching the video.

[@stevemadrid6522]

Have the lights used in the video changed since the video was released?

[@WestcottLighting]

Since this video has come out Matt has switched to our FJ400 Strobe for much of his work!

[@stevemadrid6522]

@@WestcottLighting What about the side lights?

[@markkline3523]

what lens did you use or like to use for these type of group/sports images?

[@WestcottLighting]

+Mark Kline This one was shot with a Nikon 12-24mm 2.8. Thanks for watching!

[@jeffbianchi3520]

Matt What sense are you shooting with.

[@rossjbeattie]

Just gained a subscriber.... very informative

[@radiumphoto8299]

Hello. Just bought that umbrella after watching this video. What wattage strobe did you use? Thank you.

[@Lorenzo88C]

almeno 600W secondo me ;)

[@KhiemDomoto]

Why dont you show the side lights on this video? What kind of side lights are they?

[@budmas]

From the back of the closest one, they appear to be a Paul C. Buff light. Specifically an Einstein.

[@6bProductions]

why wouldn't you shot this at 1/125 or 1/160 to open up the background a bit since the uniforms are black as well as some dark hair?

[@wetappocreek]

What size are your silver reflectors that you are using! Great tips, very helpful!

[@WestcottLighting]

Hello! These are 7' Silver Umbrellas: www.fjwestcott.com/7-foot-silver-umbrella