When I’m considering investing in a specialty item and incorporating it into my workflow, it needs to do one of two things really well. It either needs to do something that none of the other tools in my studio can accomplish on their own...

Of all the genres I shoot, bridals are one of my favorites by a mile. I love the dresses. There are few things cooler than a super-ornate, well-fitted wedding gown and a happy, full-of-life bride who can’t wait to shoot.

I’m a big fan of great lighting, especially dramatic lighting. Fear not, all you lovers of supersoft light—I’ll be covering that as well in an upcoming issue. I write often about the different methods and tools used to create various lighting styles.

Each of the 10 looks demonstrated in this article were created using only one light and a Mola Demi beauty dish. Keep in mind that these techniques apply to just about any similarly sized light modifier, although the quality of light will differ.

When I decided I wanted to do studio stuff with artificial lighting, I turned my home theater room into my first little makeshift studio. I had two constant lights and a white sheet for a drop.