Last week, I walked into a photography gig only to find the client had just remodeled their lobby. Since we normally shoot in a specific spot, the change threw my usual setup off. I had to think on my feet to adapt. The main hurdles were eliminating flash reflections off the windows overlooking the Hollywood Hills and dealing with slow flash recycling because the units were maxed out on power.
The reflections were tricky because one side of the room had those city windows I wanted to use as a backdrop, while the other side was all glass looking into the office hallway. My first move was to shut the shades on the hallway side. This stopped the flash light from bouncing off that glass and back into the windows.
Next, I adjusted the angles. Think of it like playing pool: whatever angle the light hits the window, it bounces back at a similar angle. If the light hits the glass at a shallow angle, it reflects right back into the camera lens. To fix this, I angled the flashes to hit the window at a wider, steeper angle, and I positioned myself more straight-on. This way, the light hit the glass and bounced off the side of the room instead of back at me.
Then came the power issue. Normally, I use one flash as the key through a dome and silk, with a bounce on the side for fill or an edge light. But in this scenario, that single key flash didn’t have enough punch to compete with the bright, daylight-filled backdrop of the city.
Luckily, I had another flash in my bag that I normally aim at the ceiling to boost ambient light. I repurposed it, placing it side-by-side with my other strobe behind the dome and silk. The combined power was just enough to balance out the bright windows and get a good exposure on the subject.
Moments when things aren’t going as planned can be nerve-wracking, but I’m learning to approach them with enthusiasm. Turns out, that enthusiasm paired with experience is exactly what helps me figure it out.