I invested in a new flash remote trigger to fire my portable 200-watt strobe light. It sets both auto and manual settings for flash output. Before that purchase, I also got myself a 2x3 softbox that came with a grid. I was excited to try them out when I met with Elle for a picture session at Fort Stamford Park, a community garden on Westover Road in Stamford, Connecticut.

Struggling with misfires when taking portraits is not fun. Before buying that new remote trigger, I relied on two PocketWizard radio triggers. I would have not made this purchase if they were giving me a consistent connection. I never cared about HSS or Rear Curtain sync features, but now that I have them, those are good features to have at my disposal.

I stray from all the noise on equipment brands, tips, and tricks about digital photography. I want to keep my workflow simple and not rely so much on gadgets, yet, a trigger system is convenient for dealing with light control and experimentation.

My takeaway from this shoot with Elle is that a 2x3 softbox used on broad daylight in a wide-open space gave full-length portraits a subtle contrast. I plan to use smaller modifiers on full-length portraits in my next outdoor shoot, and see what mood I obtain. The 2x3 softbox was great for giving eyes a vibrant sparkle and soften up skin texture on tighter shots.

The tools I mentioned in this post are the Godox XProC TTL Wireless Flash Trigger, paired with the Godox AD200, and a Glow EZ Lock 24x36" Quick Rectangle Softbox. I also used a Rogue reflector disc to bounce light on some portraits. To learn more about Elle, visit elleseramusic.com/