When I decided I wanted to do studio stuff with artificial lighting, I turned my home theater room into my first little makeshift studio. I had two constant lights and a white sheet for a drop.

No matter how good you are, you’re only as good as your last shoot. That means you’d better get the shot. Being prepared for the unexpected will help you do this.

The prospect of adding a new modifier to your arsenal of light shaping tools is exciting. New modifiers carry with them the promise of new looks and techniques, broadened avenues of creative expression.

A 5-in-1 reflector is probably one of the first lighting tools most of us purchase. It remains my most used lighting tool on portrait shoots because of its versatility, portability and ability to make beautiful images. Expensive equipment often means better images, but that doesn’t hold for reflectors.

A few months ago, the Sunbounce company commissioned me to produce a location shoot demonstrating how I use its gear in my fashion and portrait work.

Lighting comes in many shapes and sizes. Over the next few months, I am going to be writing about the advantages of different kinds of lighting and modifiers, and how to best use them.

Just as athletes sculpt their bodies with new challenges, photographers use light and shadow to sculpt surfaces, create dimension and impart drama.

Achieving above-average results with handheld flash or larger strobes starts with getting them off your camera—otherwise known as OCF.