How to Backlight the Snow for Amazing Winter Portraits

You can see the before picture is my driveway while it’s snowing about an hour before I took the photo. I waited until it was a little bit darker so that it was easier to pick up the lit snow since I only had one flash with High-Speed Sync working. My 550 just died so I only had my sigma flash with high and low settings. Since this flash had less control I just put it on high. I used a turquoise/teal-ish-colored gel from the Rogue gel pack. I had the 430EXII on camera right about 45 degrees off-axis and about 7 feet off the ground pointing down. I used bare flash for dramatic hard light on the subject. I used the Yongnuo 622c transceivers to trigger the flashes. What’s nice is they allow you to adjust flash power for your Canon flashes right through my 5dII. Flash power was between 1/8-1/16 for the main light. I used a 70-200 at about 135mm. The camera on a tripod with a ten-second timer. I focused on the ladder, and then I’d press the shutter and run to the spot and pose. A fun way to exercise while you shoot! Also makes you think about your photo since its such a pain to run back an forth. But when your in a pinch and without a model its worth it. After The lighting set  up was working and I realized how awesome it was I dragged the wife out from her warm blanket and made a little fake engagement session. I spend so much time taking photos of other couples it’s nice to have made some of my wife and I.  She was definitely happy, and I’m definitely happy to have a gorgeous wife to model for me. To see the full set click here

Below is the first in my flashcards series. I plan to make info cards to help explain lighting setups I use. If you find these helpful please subscribe to my blog and or like my facebook page to see more.