Erik Holladay-McCann presents “Off Camera Flash – No Tears, No Fears” on September 18, 2017 at 7pm, Lone Tree Civic Center.
Off-camera lighting should be fun, not frightening. Too many people throw up their hands in surrender before even trying to understand this powerful tool which can take a photo from plain to powerful.
As a self-taught photographer, Erik has a unique and relatively ‘non-technical’ approach to lighting and exposure techniques. In almost 30 years as a photojournalist for newsrooms throughout Michigan, his lighting skills were honed across a wide variety of challenging scenarios to produce front-page worthy photos. These same methods are essential components of his kit and help him balance ambient illumination with artificial lighting to dial up the drama of even the simplest photograph.
In this course, Erik will break down several of the necessary techniques involved with off-camera flash lighting to help you become best friends with your Speedlight!
About Erik Holladay-McCann
“One of my strongest attractions to photography is its art of storytelling – the complex narratives, the delicate composition, the cinematic style. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to tell many stories. And my favorite one to tell is the story of love.”
“I began my career at an early age when I stumbled into photography after a high-school teacher encouraged me to take a class. At the time, I was as an art junkie taking anything available – painting, pen-and-ink drawing, and tattoo design. Yet despite my immersion in various techniques and styles, I struggled to find my own form. Then I took a photography class. Like many other photographers, once I stepped foot into the dark room, I fell in love. My interest in the field quickly landed me a job at a local newspaper in Michigan when I was 15, and that job developed into a 30-year career in photojournalism.”
“Over my career, I photographed everything from tragedies and breaking news to sporting and community events. Everything I shot taught me a different layer of photography. I often found myself in intense, emotional situations where I had to capture the essence of the human condition. When in sports photography, I learned how to break down action and anticipate what was coming next. Community gatherings highlighted the importance of togetherness. Not only did my experience with journalism help shape my photography career and style, it made me a storyteller.”
“Then I found wedding photography – the perfect culmination of a lifetime of work. What makes weddings so special for me is the collective nature of it all. It’s not just about taking pictures, but rather everyone working together to make art. Now based in Denver, CO, my wedding portfolio continues to grow. I feel so lucky to get to experience these moments with people and to share love. My bold, compositional, cinematic style complements these events, and my journalistic, documentary background helps me to fully capture the moments, to fully tell the story.”
