Review Shine On: „One Light Setups“ by Krolop and Gerst

The aforementioned DVD box set was delivered to my letterbox in time for Christmas as a review copy and I have now finished watching everything it contains. It contains two DVDs, titled “Basics” and “Part 1” – “Part 2” is expected to be released in the near future. Thematically, it is about lighting settings consisting of a single light source and the associated design possibilities. The promotional video should give you a good impression of this:

The structure of the DVDs is as follows, as known from the “Special Light” DVD: In several videos of varying lengths, Martin Krolop explains specific lighting setups and lets you look over his shoulder at work – edited directly from the field. Key messages are emphasized again via text overlays. These are joined by videos of image processing and the raw data, so you can try out what you have learned yourself.

The videos and raw data can be accessed via an HTML-based interface on the DVD; the videos themselves require a Flash player – both of which are unlikely to cause major problems. In addition, the films are available individually in versions optimized for the iPhone and for the iPad, which can of course also be played on a computer with a video player. You will not get anywhere with a DVD player.

Getting down to business: What does the box set have to offer?

The “Basics” DVD consists of about an hour of video material covering the basics: What are the advantages and disadvantages of working with just one light source? How should you set up the model? What equipment is recommended? I particularly liked the video with the apt title “Introduction” – a playful tour of discovery with light, in which we are able to witness live how the studio light is moved and how this changes the shadows cast on the model. Different light modifiers and reflectors are of course also discussed. It is also nice to see how the appropriate lighting setup is systematically developed from a simple image idea later on.

Although this knowledge alone would be enough to spark ideas for your own experiments, the “Part 1” DVDs get straight down to business – both in the studio and in post-production. First of all, there are the videos from the live shoots, twelve in number, in which different light shapers, positions and reflectors are used – always with an understandable explanation of why their use is recommended for this particular image idea. In addition, there are 24 videos on the subject of image editing, in which individual aspects are highlighted using the various shots from the live shoots. The creators show how even small details can determine the visual impression. They use Lightroom, Photoshop, and various plugins and filters (included or available for purchase separately). The longest video in this section is also very nice, explaining a complete image editing process in just over 20 minutes.

Conclusion and competition: great videos that inspire

There are a few minor glitches on the “Part 1” DVD: for example, the times given in the image processing overview are not always correct, and when you play a video, you can see two links to the “Next Video” in the lower section of the screen – instead of one to the next and one to the previous video. It would also be nice to have cross-references between the videos from the live shoots and those from the image processing – this way you could directly see what the photographers have done with the raw material and how they proceeded in each specific case.

But these are mere peanuts for those looking for a fly in the ointment, and should not obscure the fact that Martin Krolop and Marc Gerst have achieved a similarly good result to their “Special Light”. The DVDs are packed full of information, and, more importantly, they are a huge source of motivation and encouragement, showing that there is no magic behind professional studio photography, but above all a good eye. The versatility of the material is inspiring: Martin Krolop and Marc Gerst pass on their attention to detail in photography and show how even small changes to the light setup can make a big difference. However, they always pay attention to good explanations of the image statement, so that the viewer feels like an assistant. And when discussing the images, they do not just limit themselves to technical tips à la “Now turn this dial,” but also provide concrete image discussions and explain the basic idea behind the changes.

The box set with both DVDs is currently available for 40 euros – each and every one of which is an excellent investment in your own photographic progress. And because I think it is kind of nice to give away review copies to my readers, I am ignoring my greed and giving away my copy. All you have to do is express some kind of interest – for example by commenting or emailing – and leave a valid email address so that I can reach you. To give you enough time, the whole thing will run until Friday, January 21, 2011, 12 noon, when the winner will be drawn. And please forget about legal recourse, which I of course rule out. Good luck!