A little background...

Not an uncommon problem: A magazine client has an important story for the week, and wants a cover image to go with it. But the photographer (me) arrives at the event they assign and finds people standing at a podium with a couple flags behind them. What to do to make this scene a little more cover-worthy?

How about a nice (blue) strobe on the beige wall next to the flags? (Just set the strobe on the floor.) Plus a light on the subject. Two small strobes from the camera bag and the resulting image (of an AT&T official, above) is a lot more interesting!