The Early Strobist Photo

When Moishe Appelbaum handed me the prototype for what would become the center of Midwest Photo’s Strobist-oriented LumaPro electronic flash system, I held my laughter.

I was already familiar with the Strobist style of making photos because it was common to almost every news photographer. David Hobby was the only one of us smart enough to have turned it into a career talking about flash photography. David is the Strobist.

The LumaPro electronic flash system, a lightweight and powerful strobe, was not only affordable but also a versatile companion for any camera with flash sync, making it a practical choice for professionals.

Midwest eventually assembled a series of kits containing the strobe, umbrellas, mounting brackets, and light stands. I don’t know how many of the systems were sold, but everywhere I went, I could see either Midwest Strobist gear or an attempt to duplicate it with another brand of gear.

Getting my hands on the prototype was great. I told Moishe it arrived at just the right time as I had a picnic planned later in the day with a bunch of the grandkids and would put it to the test.

This photo is the result of that test.

She’s standing with the open sun behind her lighting her hair and torso. The LumaPro is bounced into a small white reflector on a light stand just out of the frame to the right. It is close to soften the light from the bounce. You can see the catchlight in her eyes.

The setup and operation were simple, and the strobe was effective.

Moishe had a hit on his hands. David sold many training DVDs about using the strobes. I had a great photo of my granddaughter Alaina.

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