Fashion Photography: DIY Light Saver

Chicago fashion photographer tuxedo male model 60616

Adapting the look of LED or Fluorescent tube backgrounds for still photography with a DIY approach using softboxes, a v-flat, a knife and three Profoto lights.

What ARE those lights I keep putting in my photos…

Chicago Portrait Photographer Vintage Lights and Painted Backdrop

One of the most popular questions I am asked is: what are those lights in the background of my portraits? Aside from the one time that I used a Profoto Monolight unsuccessfully, every other occurrence I can recall featured a vintage light designed by Mole-Richardson.

Making a custom Cucoloris to create dramatic portraits

Cucoloris portrait with a fresnel by Chicago Photorgapher John Gress

After being inspired by Sophie Palmer’s portrait depicting boredom with a Catholic priest inside the confession booth, below, I decided to try my hand at projecting divine patterns on model Alex Mitchell’s face by making a custom Cucoloris.

Headshots with Chicago Model Kenneth Hill

B&W Chicago model headshot Kenneth Hill Modelogic

Chicago Model Kenneth Kill is an amazing talent. He is one of the best posing models I have ever worked with and he can practically style himself on every shoot. I enjoyed working with him so much that I called him back twice!

I basically used every technique I commonly use in studio during the shoots so I’ll go over each set-up in this post.

Portrait photography with Black Ink Crew Chicago Celebrity Katrina Jackson

Chicago photographer John Gress photoshoot with Black in Crew Star Katrina Jackson

This was by third photoshoot with Black Ink Crew Chicago star Katrina Jackson. Stylist and art director Stephanie Alexis wanted to create a sexy wet look which I married with a behind-the-scenes looking images shot on a Gravity Backdrop and paired with a Mole-Richardson 1000 Watt Baby Fresnel on location at Lacuna Artist Lofts.