Last minute photoshoot

I've been trying to get final portraits of pro boxer Fernando Guerrero in the original Main Street Gym before the guys move to their shiny, new location. The old gym has so much personality. I'm going to miss shooting there.

Today I scored a coup, as his brother Alex was available as well. He's about to make his boxing debut at the pending fights in Salisbury on June 19.

Of course it was last minute, so of course my assistant wasn't available. She knows my lights and their idiosyncrasies... better than I do. Gee I missed you, Melissa! So of course, it took me awhile to get the camera tethered, software set-up for auto-importing to lightroom, lights assembled, placed, connected and ... finally talking to each other. The PocketWizards were acting a bit testy tonight (probably the operator! ;-), and with everyone standing around waiting, I just pulled the plug on them and connected the lights directly to the camera.

20 minutes later, I was ready for the first test shot. Three hours later, we were done!

It's so much easier on a hotel shoot. When I'm working with amazing architectural photographer Dan Ham, I'm usually getting the computer up and running (we shoot with Canon's Digital Photo Professional with auto import into Lightroom), Dan's setting the camera according to our scout, and the assistants are handing us the appropriate cables left and right to get everything talking to each other. My focus isn't on the lights. So, when I'm shooting alone, I always feel a bit flustered. The answer: Shoot alone more often!