Santa Fe Workshop With Heisler

This past February I attended a workshop with Gregory Heisler at the Santa Fe Workshops in Santa Fe, NM. I had a wonderful week learning some new tricks and making new friends.

This photo was taken at the New Mexico state penitentiary just outside of Santa FE. This location is just wonderful to shoot at! The section of the prison that we photographed in was the scene of a prison uprising back in the early 80's.

In lighting this photo I wanted to simulate the old overhead lamps that where suspended from the ceiling in this hallway. I used an SB-800 on a boom above and just forward of the subject, I also had another SB-800 in the doorway on the left of the frame. The strobe in the doorway had the diffusion dome on it and was pointed away from the subject.

This photo show you what the location looked like before placing my subject and adding the lighting.




I also had the opportunity to be photographed seated in the old gas chamber at the prison. I managed to get cell phone service in there, allowing me the opportunity to call my wife and son. Strange, I know.

Another location we shot at was the Masonic/Scottish Rite Temple in Santa Fe. This was another wonderful location to shoot at. On this particular photo I changed my color balance to tungsten and used a small hot light to illuminate the subject. The light coming up from the bottom of the frame is that of a homemade "Home Depot" fluorescent lights.

If you have never done so, try to attend a workshop in Santa Fe! What a wonderful way to spend a week learning with other photographers and sharing photographic experiences with each other.