"My images are all about creating pools of light, using darkness and shadow wherever possible. Lighttools Soft Egg Crates are the only way I can have tight, soft light. I've found them invaluable for the Hollywood stuff I do, where I still want to have a dramatic look to the light but it's so important with the personalities I'm shooting that it's soft and flattering.
I used to work with a lot of hard light. With the Soft Egg Crate grids I am able to mix in softer light in situations where I couldn't normally have used it because it was spilling out all over the place. For so many years, softboxes were pretty much out of the question for lighting dramatically because they were so uncontrollable. Even with lots of flags they were still all over the place."
Michael Grecco is an award-winning internationally renowned director and photographer of celebrity portraits, advertising and editorial commissions, private collections and fine art. He has been shooting iconic portraits of the most recognized entertainment stars such as Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Will Ferrell and Penelope Cruz.
Grecco is valued for his innate ability to connect with each subject to bring out surprising nuance and a conceptual twist that makes even the most recognizable faces intriguing and fresh. His images captivate our attention and imagination, delivering on every aspect of his client's vision - whcich include recognized brands such as Apple, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Direct TV and Pfizer.
As a Hasselblad Master, Grecco is a sought after trainer, traveling the globe speaking and leading informative and hands-on workshops. His provocative documentary movie and accompanying book Naked Ambition has earned critical acclaim, and his award winning still images are published the world over in magazines such as Esquire, Time, Entertainment Weekly and Forbes.
Grecco is often referred to as the Master of Lighting, and is the author of the best-selling photographer's guidebook Lighting and the Dramatic Portrait, The Art of Celebrity and Editorial Photograph.
Based in Los Angeles. Michael is a devoted father to three who in his spare time can be seen exploring his hometown subcultures on his Vespa with his favorite camera in tow.