Last Friday I spent some time talking with Tony Gatlin, a PPA (Professional Photographers of America) member based near Little Rock, Arkansas, in the US, and a new Illuminati Meter user.
“I get to make people smile for a living!,” says Gatlin. That is what motivates his photography business – a business he describes as portrait photography with a sports specialty. While he has to work quickly to create his unique images, his student athlete subjects still get the star treatment. And the Illuminati Meter helps him do it.
“On location, a lot of what I do is time-critical. I’ve got anywhere from twenty to fifty athletes waiting on me with their anxious parents and coaches. The traditional hand-held meter took time. Walking in and out of my scene slowed me down.”
Tony relies on the Illuminati Meter to help him save time while creating his signature images – and getting the meter readings on his phone via Bluetooth is a big part of that. “The Illuminati meter fit my style,” he says. “It streamlines the process for me. I put it on a light stand in my scene and get the readings from my iPhone. No more legwork.”
In addition to the time-saving Bluetooth transmission feature, Gatlin is a big fan of being able to measure the color temperatures of the varying array of light sources he encounters. “The Kelvin color temperature from the meter is life-altering. In my work I deal with all kinds of lighting, anywhere from gymnasiums – which are terrible – to hallways, conference rooms, the coach’s office – even closets! The Illuminati Meter helps me get a natural color balance.”
As for fixing an image later in software – that is not an option. As Gatlin says, “Got to start with a great image. Can’t build a quality composite with a bad image. Got to be able to do that in-camera”, Tony says. “It saves me a lot of time later!”
You can see more of Tony’s amazing work at: http://www.tonygatlin.photography
