Flashpoint eVOLV 200 Pro II with Gavin Hoey & the AdoramaTV Crew

When you think of “Gavin Hoey,” you often picture him preparing for his shoot in his cozy home studio in London. However, for our upcoming trip to Amsterdam for the IBC trade show, the small AdoramaTV team wanted to see if he would fly into Amsterdam to shoot with us for a new product launch, the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 Pro II. Our Senior Content Producer, Fernando Martinez, got to work and started planning a shoot day, perfectly aligning our work trip. It’s been five years since we saw him last, so it had to be done right.

Gavin was thrilled; he planned to see us at the show anyway. Preparing a photoshoot like this requires scheduling ahead of time to adequately secure a location and find a subject to work with. Gavin knew he had a small window to do so, and with a few back-and-forth emails, social media posts, and Google searches, the Silk Huis Amsterdam location and our model, Lika, were chosen.

Shoot day prep

Walking up to the site, we see Gavin waiting outside with a carry-on case, which, if you’ve watched his videos, you know he loves props and gadgets. It is a stunning walk-up, historic, narrow building, modernized inside with an elevator large enough to fit the three of us pressed together and our bags. As photographers and videographers, there was plenty. We greeted the host, who offered us a beverage as we started to unpack our things.

Part of the process was scanning the space. Observing the light coming in, where we would set up, and ultimately, where most of the photo shoot would occur. Gavin immediately asked about the eVOLV Pro II. He wanted to see the new upgrades since he owns the previous model alongside the new R2 Nano trigger. For those unaware of the difference between the pocket flash units, I’ll add a side-by-side spec chart and the features he needed to know before he started his session.

What’s the Difference?

Shuffling batteries and backup charges out of our bags, loading our cameras with memory, and messing with audio, we briefly discussed the first setup and began to see his vision or theme. Or, as some may say, of this shoot. We moved aside a gorgeous table propped in the room to the side and watched as Gavin pulled out modifiers, light stands, and fabric, building his set. The location already had silk drapes, but he wanted to add more texture. An hour to prep was plenty ahead of the model’s call time (an hour after we arrived), but sometimes it isn’t. This gave us time to catch up and go down the timeline of his AdoramaTV journey, which is now over a decade long! When Lika arrived, she greeted us and showed Gavin what wardrobe she had brought, and we began to position ourselves.

Introducing the eVOLV 200 Pro II

For a more visual scene, Fernando had his gear set up and ready to capture Gavin’s intro. This means Gavin was mic’d up, and video settings were placed. I positioned myself next to him with my camera at hand and concentrated on the take. I remember pausing for a moment; you see, it’s surreal watching someone you admire in person and seeing how they compose themselves in front of the camera. He was laser-focused on getting the specs right and listening to what he said, improving the delivery. Once that took place, he whipped out the Flashpoint flash and began demonstrating the new functions to the camera (the audience).

Lighting setups

The softbox

Gavin focused on creating a soft portrait as the weather shifted from cloudy to partly sunny. He had already mounted his bracket onto the stand with the unit attached, allowing him to place the softbox in front of it easily. Gavin then positioned Lika in front of the drapes he set up, with exposed wooden beams holding them up, giving the setup plenty of dimension and contrast. The bounce of the white silk behind the model, her white dress, plus the softbox placed toward her at 0.7 increments of 1/32 power, gave her a dreamy effect. It’s a classic look highlighting the subject in the forefront without being distracted by the background.

He uses a light meter for every setup, which gives him the proper exposure and consistency. So, I stood clear of his way whenever he redirected the light stand or the model or when the sunlight was finicky.

Speedlight Head & White Walls

For this look, Gavin removed the softbox and positioned the flash toward a white wall. This bounced light around the room, giving him the softest portraits. As he became more comfortable with the shoot, he began looking for angles. Getting all kinds of compositions is crucial in getting a final image you are content with, so Gavin not only propped himself in front of her or to the side but also sat on the floor. This angle leads your eyes toward the subject and gives them more presence.

40″ Translucent umbrella, prop, or tool?

Do you recall when I mentioned Gavin and his props? Well, this is the moment! He created beautiful frames that made the feature image on both platforms. But before I get to my final thoughts, I suggest this is a must-have shaping tool for any studio photographer. It’s incredibly versatile, portable, and affordable. Get one, two, or three, and learn about the key differences between a shoot-through and a translucent umbrella.

For the third setup, the umbrella served as a two-parter. Gavin wanted a light modifier that the model could hold up and showcase the light by attaching it together. He asked Lika to sit on the ground, and with a dress on, her legs were to her side. He positioned her so that she was comfortable holding it up. This approach worked out because he could get low himself, placing his OM-1 camera on the ground. Although it has IBIS (in-body image stabilization), he preferred the angle. For comfort reasons, he swiveled out the screen and began to take frames. This resulted in marked shadows around the space, creating visually stunning depth and mood.

Taking portraits to new heights

Using the second floor (mezzanine) of the Silk Huis was a pleasant surprise and a good one to utilize. You can tell that Gavin had it in the back of his mind, and shooting down from above would give him a better narrative. He could play with wide angles and leading lines; truly, there’s so much detail to be seen. He didn’t have much room with the allotted space, giving him a different perspective.

I was on the main floor, right next to the setup, watching Gavin give directions to the model up high from a bird’s-eye view. He had asked the host if he could borrow a silk sheet he found draped over a few stands and placed it on the ground along with a few pieces of fabric for added texture. The flash was now set up with the Bowens bracket that is equipped with an umbrella hole for it to slide right through and a knob to secure it in place. It was set on a stand at an angle towards Lika.

As the sunlight washed the room floor, you could see it creating harsh lighting. So Gavin knew he wanted to soften it with a shoot-through diffuser, an umbrella with translucent material permitting light to pass through. What this does is half the light goes through the umbrella, and then half the light from the eVOLV 200 Pro II bounces off the walls and ceiling and fills in the shadows. He played with mixing the lights in his frame, enhancing the story he was trying to convey.

Getting creative with a bare bulb and wooden boards

While using the concept of taking top-down photos, Gavin wanted to test out one last accessory from the kit to create extremely hard light. This time, he had an idea to sculpt the light by adding a structure before it, allowing a fraction of the bare strobe head to shine through. With two wooden boards that were part of an entry table in the space, he knew he would execute a striking image by leaning them onto a sturdy chair and focusing on the model’s eyes. While the direct light was hitting his subject, he composed his moodiest set of images that felt more artistic, as now the shadows were more pronounced.

Who is the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 Pro II for?

This is subjective to your kind of photography and expertise level. Still, I’d take a second look at a unit that has given us plenty. Gavin Hoey’s narratives, enhanced through props, a well-chosen location, and an outstanding model, contributed significantly to the outcome, yet we depended entirely on this flash. Going overseas, having booked it all in advance to rely on one product, is tricky, but it kept up!

Cristina Santelises

Cristina Santelises oversees content for Adorama's 42West blog and manages AdoramaTV's YouTube channel. As a commercial photographer, she specializes in portrait photography and has experience in lifestyle shoots, headshots, music videos, weddings, and advertisements. In her free time, Cristina enjoys traveling, hiking with her dog, and exploring new restaurants.