GODOX Strobes

[Derrel]

Thank you for all the great advice. I was looking at the Flashpoint/Godox monolights, and for $100, it seems that I can get a pretty decent starter strobe. But then I started thinking about size, weight, and power cords, and I'm thinking the AD200 might be a better way to go. The battery system and portability look like HUGE advantages.

The AD200 needs this Bowens S-type mounting ring to accept Bowens-mount modifiers, but it's under $20. https://www.amazon.com/Godox-Bracke...rd_wg=w4aj0&psc=1&refRID=ETDX5BMHRTKTTTPHV1FE

This is _NOT_ the same thing as having a monolight with a modeling lamp in it...this is still shooting in the dark, or shooting blind, as with speedlights. There is nothing that compares with full-time, real-time seeing the lighting effects of modeling lamps in the flash units. But...sometimes that's not needed. If you want to do real,serious portraits using studio flash units, then you want studio flash units, so you can literally SEE where the flash units, plural, are shining, at all times, before the shot is fired. At times, that's critical. At other times, not.

I guess I am referring back to your OP, where you mention one thing (portraits), but then later, I found out you do weddings. Different products would be better for different, specific flash uses and different shooting locations. Studio flash units and modern, hybrid speedlights are different tools. Buying recommendations could potentially be tailored to what,exactly, you want the products to be the very best at. And on what the user criteria are! Weight? Battery or not? Portability? etc

 

[TiCoyote]

Yep, I hadn't thought about the modeling light. That's pretty huge. Back to the drawing board.

 

[Derrel]

Yep, I hadn't thought about the modeling light. That's pretty huge. Back to the drawing board.

The modeling lights show you, at all times, where the lights are shining, and they let the subject sort of sense the light as well (mainly for models). I think modeling lights are pretty important for eye catchlight placement, and for nose shadow placement, and for getting that just-right positioning of the lights. In Rembrandt lighting, in loop lighting, and in split lighting, the exact placement of the main light in relation to the face is a huge deal. In darker, low-key type setups, or when using smaller modifiers, or when lighting backgrounds, or when using a honeycomb grid on a metal reflector from 5 inches to 22 inches in diameter.

Literally raising or lowering the main light by two to three inches, can make or break many portraits. Modeling lights allow the photographer to get the lighting exactly as is desired,and show him or her when the subject has moved out of optimal lighting.

Being able to literally see the lighting effects you are creating, as you move the light around and up and down, is a huge benefit. Having a modeling light in every flash head reminds you, constantly, exactly where the main, fill, background, and hair lights are shining. In tight quarters, where the background is narrow, or when you have to have the subject and the camera lined up within a narrow range of places, being able to see the background light's beam spread at all times, can make things easier and better. Shooting blind, with a speedlight, also means that eyeballs often have that dark, black, mostly colorless look, whereas with bright modeling lights, the pupil is closed down, and the colored part of the eye shows more, and it looks different than that dark, cow-eyeball look that screams, "This photo was shot with speedlights in a dim room!"

Yes, modeling lights in studio flash units are, indeed, a huge issue, and in my opinion, a huge asset.

 

[Destin]

Yep, I hadn't thought about the modeling light. That's pretty huge. Back to the drawing board.

The modeling lights show you, at all times, where the lights are shining, and they let the subject sort of sense the light as well (mainly for models). I think modeling lights are pretty important for eye catchlight placement, and for nose shadow placement, and for getting that just-right positioning of the lights. In Rembrandt lighting, in loop lighting, and in split lighting, the exact placement of the main light in relation to the face is a huge deal. In darker, low-key type setups, or when using smaller modifiers, or when lighting backgrounds, or when using a honeycomb grid on a metal reflector from 5 inches to 22 inches in diameter.

Literally raising or lowering the main light by two to three inches, can make or break many portraits. Modeling lights allow the photographer to get the lighting exactly as is desired,and show him or her when the subject has moved out of optimal lighting.

Being able to literally see the lighting effects you are creating, as you move the light around and up and down, is a huge benefit. Having a modeling light in every flash head reminds you, constantly, exactly where the main, fill, background, and hair lights are shining. In tight quarters, where the background is narrow, or when you have to have the subject and the camera lined up within a narrow range of places, being able to see the background light's beam spread at all times, can make things easier and better. Shooting blind, with a speedlight, also means that eyeballs often have that dark, black, mostly colorless look, whereas with bright modeling lights, the pupil is closed down, and the colored part of the eye shows more, and it looks different than that dark, cow-eyeball look that screams, "This photo was shot with speedlights in a dim room!"

Yes, modeling lights in studio flash units are, indeed, a huge issue, and in my opinion, a huge asset.

I never accounted for these issues when shooting with speedlights. But now that I have monolights I completely agree and see what you’re saying.

 

[Derrel]

Yep, I hadn't thought about the modeling light. That's pretty huge. Back to the drawing board.

The modeling lights show you, at all times, where the lights are shining, and they let the subject sort of sense the light as well (mainly for models). I think modeling lights are pretty important for eye catchlight placement, and for nose shadow placement, and for getting that just-right positioning of the lights. In Rembrandt lighting, in loop lighting, and in split lighting, the exact placement of the main light in relation to the face is a huge deal. In darker, low-key type setups, or when using smaller modifiers, or when lighting backgrounds, or when using a honeycomb grid on a metal reflector from 5 inches to 22 inches in diameter.

Literally raising or lowering the main light by two to three inches, can make or break many portraits. Modeling lights allow the photographer to get the lighting exactly as is desired,and show him or her when the subject has moved out of optimal lighting.

Being able to literally see the lighting effects you are creating, as you move the light around and up and down, is a huge benefit. Having a modeling light in every flash head reminds you, constantly, exactly where the main, fill, background, and hair lights are shining. In tight quarters, where the background is narrow, or when you have to have the subject and the camera lined up within a narrow range of places, being able to see the background light's beam spread at all times, can make things easier and better. Shooting blind, with a speedlight, also means that eyeballs often have that dark, black, mostly colorless look, whereas with bright modeling lights, the pupil is closed down, and the colored part of the eye shows more, and it looks different than that dark, cow-eyeball look that screams, "This photo was shot with speedlights in a dim room!"

Yes, modeling lights in studio flash units are, indeed, a huge issue, and in my opinion, a huge asset.

I never accounted for these issues when shooting with speedlights. But now that I have monolights I completely agree and see what you’re saying.

Here's a good article published by the Sekonic light and flash meter company. The Five Basic Portrait-Lighting Setups | Photography How To Articles – What's Your Specialty? Photographer

As they mention, their diagrams assume the use of parabolic reflectors on the lights (bowl-shaped metal reflectors in sizes like like 5-,7-,8.5-,10-,11-,and 16-inch, the kind of parabolic or "pan" reflectors that studio flash units have been fitted with since the 1940's), but the light placements and the shadow placement results are also applicable for shooting with diffused lighting achieved by using umbrellas or softboxes.

One of _the_ single biggest advantages of a real studio flash head is the ease of mounting a honeycomb grid and a diffuser and a barn door set on a light that has a 7-inch or 11-inch metal reflector with a good modeling light inside the setup. This allows for exact, precise placement of a gorgeous hair-light, or cheek-light or whatever, from very close distance to the subject. This avoids that "too bright!", raw-light look of a speedlight that's sort of aimed toward the subject to provide some separation or drama. The full range of light shaping tools (grids,diffusers, gels,barn door sets,snoots,etc) that can be fitted onto a traditional studio flash unit is what makes studio flash units so valuable.

As far as the accessory mount or "fit", as the British call it: the Bowens or Bowens S-type (same thing), 3-lug bayonet mount is the most common among third-party studio flash makers, and is a great choice, IMHO.

 

[Destin]

Yep, I hadn't thought about the modeling light. That's pretty huge. Back to the drawing board.

The modeling lights show you, at all times, where the lights are shining, and they let the subject sort of sense the light as well (mainly for models). I think modeling lights are pretty important for eye catchlight placement, and for nose shadow placement, and for getting that just-right positioning of the lights. In Rembrandt lighting, in loop lighting, and in split lighting, the exact placement of the main light in relation to the face is a huge deal. In darker, low-key type setups, or when using smaller modifiers, or when lighting backgrounds, or when using a honeycomb grid on a metal reflector from 5 inches to 22 inches in diameter.

Literally raising or lowering the main light by two to three inches, can make or break many portraits. Modeling lights allow the photographer to get the lighting exactly as is desired,and show him or her when the subject has moved out of optimal lighting.

Being able to literally see the lighting effects you are creating, as you move the light around and up and down, is a huge benefit. Having a modeling light in every flash head reminds you, constantly, exactly where the main, fill, background, and hair lights are shining. In tight quarters, where the background is narrow, or when you have to have the subject and the camera lined up within a narrow range of places, being able to see the background light's beam spread at all times, can make things easier and better. Shooting blind, with a speedlight, also means that eyeballs often have that dark, black, mostly colorless look, whereas with bright modeling lights, the pupil is closed down, and the colored part of the eye shows more, and it looks different than that dark, cow-eyeball look that screams, "This photo was shot with speedlights in a dim room!"

Yes, modeling lights in studio flash units are, indeed, a huge issue, and in my opinion, a huge asset.

I never accounted for these issues when shooting with speedlights. But now that I have monolights I completely agree and see what you’re saying.

Here's a good article published by the Sekonic light and flash meter company. The Five Basic Portrait-Lighting Setups | Photography How To Articles – What's Your Specialty? Photographer

As they mention, their diagrams assume the use of parabolic reflectors on the lights (bowl-shaped metal reflectors in sizes like like 5-,7-,8.5-,10-,11-,and 16-inch, the kind of parabolic or "pan" reflectors that studio flash units have been fitted with since the 1940's), but the light placements and the shadow placement results are also applicable for shooting with diffused lighting achieved by using umbrellas or softboxes.

One of _the_ single biggest advantages of a real studio flash head is the ease of mounting a honeycomb grid and a diffuser and a barn door set on a light that has a 7-inch or 11-inch metal reflector with a good modeling light inside the setup. This allows for exact, precise placement of a gorgeous hair-light, or cheek-light or whatever, from very close distance to the subject. This avoids that "too bright!", raw-light look of a speedlight that's sort of aimed toward the subject to provide some separation or drama. The full range of light shaping tools (grids,diffusers, gels,barn door sets,snoots,etc) that can be fitted onto a traditional studio flash unit is what makes studio flash units so valuable.

As far as the accessory mount or "fit", as the British call it: the Bowens or Bowens S-type (same thing), 3-lug bayonet mount is the most common among third-party studio flash makers, and is a great choice, IMHO.

The more I learn about the nuisances of lighting the more I feel like I’m throwing lights up and getting lucky.

This is the *one* area of photography where I would love to take a weekend workshop taught by a very experienced professional.

 

[Derrel]

Older books have some good instruction on how to use various types of lights: parabolic metal AKA pan; scrims or panels; umbrellas; softboxes;

https://www.amazon.com/Techniques-P...qid=1514142268&sr=1-3&keywords=gary+bernstein

https://www.amazon.com/Techniques-B...qid=1514142268&sr=1-6&keywords=gary+bernstein

https://www.amazon.com/How-Photogra...hotograph+women+beautifully+J.+Barry+O'Roarke

These three books were written by very experienced professionals, and were written mostly before the advent of the four-flexible-poles-and-ripstop-nylon-softbox, and I own these titles and still highly recommend them l. I learned a huge amount from these three titles. Learning to light using smaller metal-reflector sources (5- to 22-inch) and smaller umbrellas (30-inchers or so) made it easy to transition to using larger, softer light sources.

I worked at a studio where our main and fill lights were identical-sized 16-inch, 50-degree, deep parabolic reflectors with diffuser covers, and the background lighting was done with a flood-to-spot Photogenic brand flash head designed specifically as the best-possible background lighting device. Clamshell reflector, removable, and a variable-beamspread angle possibility. Great modeling lamp in it too!

 

[TiCoyote]

Thanks, Derrell. I ordered the "Best of Photographic Lighting" book. I appreciate the recommendation.