Steve Bedell

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Portrait Photography How ToPro Techniques
High School Senior Photography: Four Top Photographers Share Tales Of The Craft
Steve Bedell  |  Apr 13, 2012  |  First Published: Mar 01, 2012

High school senior photography has changed dramatically in the last few years. With looser yearbook standards and the ability to see what you get with digital cameras, many photographers who previously did major business in the senior market are now seeing sharp declines. With this in mind, I decided to ask four of the top names in the business about how they maintain a strong presence in the senior market. All have their own style and way of doing things and all are exceptional photographers.

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Portraiture
How To Photograph Big Groups
Simple Guidelines For Great Results
Steve Bedell  |  Apr 01, 2004

I love photographing big family groups. I do lots of them, usually in the summer when families get together, and many times at the beach since it's so gorgeous and people love it. It's one of my specialties, but many photographers shy away from...

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Portraiture
Important Milestone
Photographing The High School Senior
Steve Bedell  |  Mar 01, 1999

I've been doing photography of high school seniors for over 20 years. When I first started, I wasn't that much older than they were, but, of course, they stay the same age every year while I get a year older with each new batch. Seniors are a...

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Outdoor/TravelPro TechniquesPortraiture
Improve Your Outdoor Portraits
Tips From A Pro On Lighting, Posing, And More
Steve Bedell  |  May 01, 2005

Photos © 2004, Steve Bedell, All Rights Reserved

I love shooting outdoor portraits! As a matter of fact, it has become my "signature style." During my busy season, I may take over 400 outdoor exposures in a single day, so I'd better be able to do it well and do it fast. An element of my style is that I don't use flash. Many photographers do, and...

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Digital Darkroom
Infinite Backgrounds
Select, Cut And Paste It is All In The Digital Darkroom
Steve Bedell  |  Mar 01, 2003

Infinite Backgrounds

About 15 years ago I bought a front projection system for my studio. The way it works is something like this: You pop a slide into the projector and it shows up on the background screen. Put your subject in...

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Lighting NewsLighting Reviews
Interfit Super Cool-lite 455 Twin Head Kit: Cool Lights Are Hot!
Steve Bedell  |  Oct 25, 2011  |  First Published: Sep 01, 2011

Several of my fellow portrait photographers have been using cool lights for years. Interestingly, they have not abandoned their flash units but continue to use both, depending on the situation. Having been a strobe/available light photographer for the most part, I was eager to both find out how well they worked and for what subjects they’d be most suited. Interfit was kind enough to send me their very economical ($340 street price) set of two lights, each with an eight-sided softbox, so I could find out for myself. Could they do everything my studio flash units could? Were they a better choice for some subjects than others? After a few weeks of testing, I had my answers.

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Pro Techniques
Jack Holowitz
A Master Photographer Using Classic Techniques
Steve Bedell  |  Feb 01, 2003

Jack Holowitz

Jack Holowitz is the male half of the incredibly talented team of Jack and Nancy Holowitz from Springfield, Massachusetts. Nancy is known for her sensitive portraiture, and Jack has gained a great reputation for his eye-popping black and white work that includes nudes and...

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Lighting
Kick It Up
Accent Lights Add Pizzazz To Portraits
Steve Bedell  |  Nov 01, 2000

When portrait photographers get together, they talk about light, lighting, and lighting equipment. Right after money and cameras, it's a major topic. Especially the "big four," because most photographers use a four light setup in their studio. Let...

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Film Photography Reviews
Kodak's Portra 800 Film
A High-Speed Solution, Without The Noise
Steve Bedell  |  Jul 01, 2004

Regular readers will note that my articles are usually about techniques, not test reports. But when there's a new film out there for portrait photographers, that's right up my alley. The majority of my work is portraiture and I've long...

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Lighting NewsLighting Reviews
Larson’s Larry Peters 16x60 Light Bender: A Uniquely Shaped Softbox
Steve Bedell  |  Jan 14, 2013  |  First Published: Dec 01, 2012

We all know what softboxes look like. They’re big, small, square, rectangular, sometimes round or shaped like octagons—we’ve seen them all. But there is nothing quite like the 16x60 Light Bender from Larson. It is long (48”), narrow (12”), and looks like a strip light that someone grabbed by the ends and yanked toward the middle. In this test I’ll take a look at just what this oddly-shaped light can do and why a photographer may consider adding it to his or her arsenal of light modifiers.

 

The Light Bender was designed by well-known photographer Larry Peters from Ohio and is produced and sold by Larson Enterprises.

After unpacking, I mounted the box to the backplate, a really snug fit, and then added the speed ring that allows me to mount and swivel the box on my light. After assembly, I mounted it on my Paul C. Buff Einstein unit. The light mounts dead center and the “wings” fly out to the side. There is no interior baffle in the design so the light is much stronger in the center and drops off rather dramatically as you move toward the edges.

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