Pro secrets: All the small things that most pro photographers will never share

Join me as I reveal all the secrets behind successfully capturing 40 professional athletes in 8 lighting setups in just 10 minutes each! I’m going to share with you the strategies that I use in high-pressure commercial photography situations to always keep the shoot on track and to maintain my calm no matter what happens. My hope is that these examples from a recent basketball trading card photoshoot will help you make it through whatever life throws at you on set, wether you’re a family photographer or an advertising photographer! There’s a saying I’m sure you’ve heard “if something can go wrong, it will go wrong.” As photographers, we're no strangers to the unpredictable — whether it's a late subject, gear hiccups, weather or our clients styling. Being a photographer isn't just about capturing moments; it's about mastering the art of problem-solving. Now, picture this scenario: your client entrusts you with the task of photographing 40 professional athletes and you only have 10 minutes with each player. The challenge intensifies as you navigate through multiple poses, various lighting setups, and the stringent demand for perfection. As you can imagine, failure is not an option. This daunting feat has been my reality year after year, and the key to my success lies in anticipating every conceivable problem, adapting swiftly to unforeseen challenges, and always having a reliable backup plan. Click here for a full list of all the gear I use in the studio - https://shop.howl.me/JohnGress If you liked this video you might also like learning from me on my members only platform, The Academy with John Gress https://johngress.com/academy/ set.a.light 3D Software https://www.elixxier.com/en/#v2=62cde650bb192 Use Code JOHN-15 to save 15% Assisting me on this shoot is: https://www.instagram.com/anthonytoglife/ and https://www.youtube.com/@UClpCD2XvGfBd6jeq7mgm1wA Gear used during the shoot Canon EOS R5 Adorama https://howl.me/cjCnaWpm8UM Amazon https://amzn.to/3vPGmeb B&H https://bhpho.to/3VbPdUw Canon BG-R10 Adorama https://howl.me/cjCnaWADdkp Amazon https://amzn.to/2OUmRQY B&H https://bhpho.to/3niVtNI Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM Adorama https://howl.me/cjCnaWYcCHb Amazon https://amzn.to/3tHbPxm B&H https://bhpho.to/3L6f1Na Elinchrom FIVE Adorama https://howl.me/cjCnmmUpjV1 Amazon https://amzn.to/3Um6V61 B&H https://bhpho.to/3LcypYZ Elinchrom ELC Pro HD 500 monolight Adorama https://howl.me/cjCnmmNwUld Amazon https://amzn.to/3rPBOmL B&H https://bhpho.to/3HkLr5E Elinchrom ELC 500 Studio Monolight Adorama https://howl.me/cjCnmmb4t6R Amazon https://amzn.to/2PzMLGP B&H https://bhpho.to/3oJXVx7 Elinchrom ONE Adorama https://howl.me/cjCnmmxwjA4 Amazon https://amzn.to/3pbNkvm B&H https://bhpho.to/3VdWeUY Elinchrom Indirect Litemotiv Strip Softbox (13 x 69”) Adorama https://howl.me/cjCnml5FQG0 Amazon https://amzn.to/33NTasn B&H https://bhpho.to/44b7B43 Elinchrom Rotalux 150cm Indirect Softbox Adorama https://howl.me/cjCnmmBqePP Amazon https://amzn.to/44uSXVl B&H https://bhpho.to/3M3NKwR Elinchrom Rotalux Deep Octabox (70cm / 27.5”) Adorama https://howl.me/cjCnv9WSyB2 Amazon https://amzn.to/3IxitgV B&hhttps://bhpho.to/3AIN1uy Elinchrom Rotalux Stripbox 35x90cm Adorana https://howl.me/cjCnv9oDSZ6 Amazon https://amzn.to/3nUwD3M B&H https://bhpho.to/40PXZbZ Elinchrom Skyport Transmitter Pro - Canon Version Adorama https://howl.me/cjCnv9bHPJN Amazon https://amzn.to/3rPCubN B&H https://bhpho.to/3nmfGlN Tether Tools TetherPro Right Angle Adapter USB 3.0 to USB-C Pigtail Cable, 20", Orange Adorama https://howl.me/cjFnO8ODuMQ Amazon https://amzn.to/3lo6gj4 TetherPro USB-C to USB Female Adapter (Extender), 15' (4.6m) (High-Visibility Orange) Adorama https://howl.me/cjFnQCwSGnF Amazon https://amzn.to/33Eeca8 Westcott 6x6' Scrim Jim Cine Kit Adorama https://howl.me/clygAWB3ABk Amazon https://amzn.to/4bAQOeH B&H https://bhpho.to/3HHZpOT This video was shot with a Canon Cinema EOS C70 Adorama https://howl.me/cjCnaWADdkp Amazon https://amzn.to/3vkvy7X B&H https://bhpho.to/44dCV23 & Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.0 Adorama https://howl.me/cjCnaWOwhRU Amazon https://amzn.to/3vkEWbE B&H https://bhpho.to/426bKEM Evoto https://bit.ly/EvotoJohn01 Topaz Photo AI https://www.topazlabs.com Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 02:35 - First Trading Card Shoot 03:00 - Pocket Wizards 04:12 - Elinchrom Mobile App 04:39 - The Overall Stategy This Year 05:25 - Flash Duration 06:21 - Sekonic 858 06:57 - No Diffusion 09:28 - Breaking down the lighting 09:40 - Look 1 12:35 - Look 2 14:02 - Look 3 14:52 - Look 4 15:49 - Look 5 15:60 - Look 6 16:56 - Tether Tools Cables 18:09 - Look 7 19:07 - Look 8 20:06 - Adjustments in the Elicnhrom Mobile App 20:49 - Catching Mistakes 21:54 - Camaraderie 22:34 - Working with Art Directors 24:03 - Gear 24:16 - Reserve Heads 25:43 - Extra Triggers 26:07 - Battery Power 26:37 - Sand Bags 27:42 - Evoto AI 28:05 - Midjourney 28:32 - Topaz Photo AI 29:10 - Gray vs. Chroma Key? 29:48 - Conclusion