I received a nice email a few weeks ago from a fantasy author in Victoria, Shereen Vedam. She asked for publicity photos of herself, something a bit different than those typical author photos she had seen through the years.
With the help of Google she found my blog and on it a photo I had taken of my wife. In that same blogpost was a screenshot of Terry Pratchett, my favourite author, which had a similar setup. Both were lit by a flash tied inside an umbrella they were holding.
The Pratchett connection was actually more meaningful to Shereen than I would have expected. Her fantasy historical manuscript, The Coven at Callington, is one of six manuscripts shortlisted in a Terry Pratchett first novel contest (actually The Terry Pratchett Anywhere But Here, Anywhen But Now First Novel Prize). Apparently there were over 500 entries in all.
We ended up meeting in Goldstream Park, bringing lots of props. Our favourite prop was a large shield with a coat of arms. Most of the time we were on location, the sun was hiding behind clouds, so we were able to use the natural light, usually with one reflector, without getting bothered by harsh shadows. Still, I also played a bit with a flash, putting it in a hole under a tree, and I also used it to brighten up the coat of arms a bit.
It was a fun session for everybody involved (there were four of us in all) and we were happy with the outcome.