Live AMA with Matt Hernandez

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Matt Hernandez is a senior and athlete photographer known for his dynamic lighting and strong portraiture. Matt is here to offer guidance and answer questions you may have about lighting on location and in the studio, gear, editing, creating compositions, and working with athletes and seniors. You can check out some of Matt’s work on his Instagram (@matthernandez).

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We are excited to have Matt Hernandez in the community hosting our first Live AMA. This is a great time to learn and connect with Matt on his work and how he got to the level he is at today. Please be patient, as Matt will be typing responses out as questions come in.

[bmcdonough]

Hi! So excited to be here, thanks so much Matt!

[mike deen]

Thank you!! I'm sure we're all curious how to create these shutter drag images. Are these mostly front curtain sync or rear curtain?

[Matt Hernandez]

Thank you!! I'm sure we're all curious how to create these shutter drag images. Are these mostly front curtain sync or rear curtain?

There are several ways to do it. The one I use the most with my shoot for U of L Basketball of Miami Football goes like this:

[Matt Hernandez]

Thank you!! I'm sure we're all curious how to create these shutter drag images. Are these mostly front curtain sync or rear curtain?

Large black backdrop extended out onto the ground in a dark room with no ambient. This is crucial so you don’t get light contamination.

[Matt Hernandez]

Thank you!! I'm sure we're all curious how to create these shutter drag images. Are these mostly front curtain sync or rear curtain?

2: 2 LEDs (I use Westcott Solix currently) with 1x4 soft boxes at 45 degrees behind the subject. I use gels taped over the boxes for the color, but if you have a LED that will change colors that would be easier.

[Matt Hernandez]

Thank you!! I'm sure we're all curious how to create these shutter drag images. Are these mostly front curtain sync or rear curtain?

3: Collapsable beauty dish with an FJ400 as the main light on a boom arm (this might need to be adjusted through the shoot if they want to do stuff on the ground. I use the dish because it is small and concentrated. If you used a big light source it could bounce of the background and cause it to not be black.

[Matt Hernandez]

Thank you!! I'm sure we're all curious how to create these shutter drag images. Are these mostly front curtain sync or rear curtain?

4: I use a 24-70 and set the camera to ISO 400, f/5.6, .5 s, flash white balance

[Matt Hernandez]

Thank you!! I'm sure we're all curious how to create these shutter drag images. Are these mostly front curtain sync or rear curtain?

5. I use front curtain shutter so the strobe pops when I press the trigger, then I move the camera to get the streaks. Thats it

[alpha-jessica-a]

Question from Colorado Native from our announcement thread: First, thank you for all your videos, you have inspired me with your creativity, especially with your "sportraits". My question for you is do you do any photography just for you (landscape, street photography, etc.)?

[JDeierling]

First. Thank you for all of the educational videos that you post. I just left my full time job to do my photography/videography full time and will be adding sports portraits to my services. The info that I have received from your videos is invaluable. Any advice for starting sports portraits?

[Matt Hernandez]

Question from Colorado Native from our announcement thread: First, thank you for all your videos, you have inspired me with your creativity, especially with your "sportraits". My question for you is do you do any photography just for you (landscape, street photography, etc.)?

I honestly just LOVE sports, so it is by far my favorite. That being said, occasionally doing street photography with my iPhone when we are somewhere like Nashville down town, or on vacation where there are pretty landscapes can be fun too. Its important to try to do different things from time to time

[Matt Hernandez]

Question from Colorado Native from our announcement thread: First, thank you for all your videos, you have inspired me with your creativity, especially with your "sportraits". My question for you is do you do any photography just for you (landscape, street photography, etc.)?

so you don’t get burnt out

[ColoradoNative]

Question from Colorado Native from our announcement thread: First, thank you for all your videos, you have inspired me with your creativity, especially with your "sportraits". My question for you is do you do any photography just for you (landscape, street photography, etc.)?

Thanks!

[Matt Hernandez]

First. Thank you for all of the educational videos that you post. I just left my full time job to do my photography/videography full time and will be adding sports portraits to my services. The info that I have received from your videos is invaluable. Any advice for starting sports portraits?

That’s amazing congrats! Im very excited for you. So I can tell you how I got started…First, I went to games and shot action. If you do that regularly parents will take notice and start asking to buy them. Then inevitably you be asked to do a team shoot with strobes.

[Matt Hernandez]

First. Thank you for all of the educational videos that you post. I just left my full time job to do my photography/videography full time and will be adding sports portraits to my services. The info that I have received from your videos is invaluable. Any advice for starting sports portraits?

After I did several of those I started getting asked to take senior pictures, which I still do a ton of today.

[alpha-jessica-a]

Question from Tony Z from our announcement thread: Thank you for sharing so many tips and behind the scenes looks for all of us! I love following your accounts and videos! My question is do you feel that you can get the same type of shots you get without having high-speed sync lights? Or do you feel high-speed sync is a must? I have great lights but they are not HSS (Einsteins) and to switch would be a pretty significant investment for a hobbyist like me.

[JDeierling]

I was already invested in Godox (sorry!). Think I can get by with two 400s and 2 200's?

[Matt Hernandez]

First. Thank you for all of the educational videos that you post. I just left my full time job to do my photography/videography full time and will be adding sports portraits to my services. The info that I have received from your videos is invaluable. Any advice for starting sports portraits?

Besides that, the only marketing I do is social media and word of mouth. Always post photos from your good shoots and MAKE SURE to tag the kids. It might even be good to collaborate with them on really awesome shots.

[mike deen]

Please elaborate on the Hopkinsville lighting technique and flash settings

[Matt Hernandez]

First. Thank you for all of the educational videos that you post. I just left my full time job to do my photography/videography full time and will be adding sports portraits to my services. The info that I have received from your videos is invaluable. Any advice for starting sports portraits?

When you are starting it out it might be a good idea to do a couple shoots for free and for your portfolio and give them to the kids and parents to post. Just make sure they agree to tag you.

[Matt Hernandez]

First. Thank you for all of the educational videos that you post. I just left my full time job to do my photography/videography full time and will be adding sports portraits to my services. The info that I have received from your videos is invaluable. Any advice for starting sports portraits?

Also, reels have been become the new thing as far as getting your work in front of people. I can post a great photo and get a couple thousand views in a day or two, but if I post a reel it will be 10-15,000 views in the same amount of time.

[Matt Hernandez]

First. Thank you for all of the educational videos that you post. I just left my full time job to do my photography/videography full time and will be adding sports portraits to my services. The info that I have received from your videos is invaluable. Any advice for starting sports portraits?

My advice for that is to have someone take a BTS video with you, the light and the kid in the shot when you have a cool setup or shot you want to share. Then put the photo at the end of it in your reel. You can go check out my IG or tiktok to see how I’ve been doing it.

[JDeierling]

First. Thank you for all of the educational videos that you post. I just left my full time job to do my photography/videography full time and will be adding sports portraits to my services. The info that I have received from your videos is invaluable. Any advice for starting sports portraits?

Awesome, thank you!! I follow you on IG and will keep an eye out for that.