Thoughts on Umbrella Lights?

[AmberAtLoveAndInk]

I currently have 2 soft-box continuous lights (badly needing a third!) and a nice external flash with it's own soft-box attachment for fill light (that's what I'm using for now since I do not have a third light source to balance out a dark room). I have been doing a lot of indoor shoots for toddlers and infants. My questions is, before buying a third soft-box light should I switch to umbrellas? They look really neat and seem to do well with indoor portraiture but I have never used one and wondered how the light reflects when using one. Do you have to put your umbrella light directly over your subject or what?? I guess the online pictures are just confusing.
Also, if you do suggest umbrella lights, what brand and what type of bulb should I use? I have 500 watt Eiko bulbs in my soft-boxes and the light is a little too warm for me.

 

[sk66]

Umbrellas tend to throw a lot of light around the room. If you actually want to be "in control" of the light you need a lot of space for that light to fade off into. In a smaller space the extra light tends to add to the ambient levels (like bouncing a flash behind you). That can be "ok" but tends to create a "flatter" image. For babies/kids flat lighting can be nice. ("flat light" with few/no shadows is very common these days).

The characteristics of an umbrella can be very similar to a softbox when used as a "shoot thru," but it tends to have less even wrap as the center of the umbrella is closer and hotter. As a bounce, it has more even wrap but you can't get it as close to the subject (most use their modifiers from too far away IMO, and it makes little difference then). Umbrellas do have the advantage of being easier to transport/setup and are cheaper.

Personally, I don't use/recommend constant lights so I can't be of much more help.

 

[AmberAtLoveAndInk]

Thanks sk66! I'll keep that in mind. I do not have a formal studio and do all of my indoor shoots at the client's home and since room sizes vary I'm guessing I'm better off sticking to my soft-boxes until I have my own studio with bigger space and more controlled results.

 

[tirediron]

What I'm going to suggest is: Learn more about lighting. Do not buy ANYTHING else until you have read this book cover to cover, and then read it again! You are confusing light sources and modifiers. The bulb is the source, the umbrella, softbox, or whatever is attached to the light source is the modifier. I would strongly recommend you bin those constant lights and get some decent strobes, even these inexpensive flashpoint lights from Adorama will make your life much, much MUCH easier!

Once you've read L,S&M you will understand the differences between the various modifiers, and your quality and consistency of work will go up dramatically.

 

[AmberAtLoveAndInk]

What I'm going to suggest is: Learn more about lighting. Do not buy ANYTHING else until you have read this book cover to cover, and then read it again! You are confusing light sources and modifiers. The bulb is the source, the umbrella, softbox, or whatever is attached to the light source is the modifier. I would strongly recommend you bin those constant lights and get some decent strobes, even these inexpensive flashpoint lights from Adorama will make your life much, much MUCH easier!

Once you've read L,S&M you will understand the differences between the various modifiers, and your quality and consistency of work will go up dramatically.

Thanks for the advice, will check into this book, lord knows I need some help on lighting techniques... which is why I asked about the umbrella lights. I feel like everyday I am learning something new in this field of work!

 

[Gavjenks]

Softboxes are more directional, they have actual "edges" to the beam of light so that you can feather the light versus shadow noticeably somewhere on the subject or background if you want, and they will overall be dimmer at the same flash setting. They're also more expensive for the same size light source. And they are often more diffuse and evenly lit, since a lot of the light is reflecting AND passing through a diffusing cloth AND passing through sometimes another diffusing cloth.

Umbrellas have no noticeable edge to the light. It might be brighter right in front but gets darker outward so gradually that there is no edge usable as a compositional element in you photo. They bounce everywhere which if you are in a white room will come back onto your subject, which can be good or bad (and overall brighter). Or if you're in a colorful room they will pick up a color cast and put it on your subject, which is usually bad. They only involve one piece of fabric or one bounce, so they are less even. And huuuuge umbrellas can be had for cheap.

Umbrellas also pack up more conveniently for travel and can be held more easily with a speedlight in one hand. And they attach to stuff more easily. Less complex hardware compared to softboxes which usually use more involved speedring technology. An umbrella you can strap to something with a hairband in a pinch.

Oh also, umbrellas don't get as hot inside / less of a fire hazard than a small softbox would be if you have a strobe with a modeling light.

 

[table1349]

B&H Wedding Guide: Choosing Umbrellas and Softboxes | BH inDepth

 

[KmH]

There is a device that is half umbrella and half softbox, that is called a brolly.

Photek Softlighter II, 46 inch Umbrella with Diffuser.

 

[Derrel]

There is a device that is half umbrella and half softbox, that is called a brolly.

Photek Softlighter II, 46 inch Umbrella with Diffuser.

The above Photek Softlighter is a modifier that Annie Liebovitz uses very often on high-profile people and big-dollar shoots. It has 10 ribs, and is more round than cheaper modifiers of similar design.

Here is an 8-rib Chinese-made knock-off. I have a pair of these. They are VERY good, especially for the ridiculously low price.

2 White and Black Double Layered Umbrella Reflector Diffuser Brolly Box | eBay

Watch this video for info on HOW umbrellas of various types work.

 

[Gavjenks]

I'm glad they did that all so controlled, but is there a place where you can look at those umbrella shots overlaid or next to each other? Not digging the sequential video format for comparison =/

Also what was with the random dolly advertisements?

 

[runnah]

I recently got one of these and I absolutely love it!
Sets up like an umbrella, works like a soft box and even has a beauty dish attachment. It literally takes seconds to setup. This is my goto travel speedlight setup.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/925397-REG/westcott_2031_rapid_box_octa.html

 

[AmberAtLoveAndInk]

Haven't checked in on this post... lol. Thanks for all the advice, the hybird umbrella/softbox looks pretty neat.

 

[Mike_E]

Light, Science and Magic first but in the mean time you might play around with your white balance settings to get the look you want.

I like the Brollyboxes and you can find serviceable ones for cheap but the Westcott Apollos (Westcott Apollo Softbox with Recessed Front (28 x 28") 2334) give you the best of both worlds between an umbrella and a softbox. They do cost about three times what a cheap brollybox or umbrella does but they'll last a lot longer and setup is a breeze. There is also a monster 50" that is still easy to set up and use (I have one and it keeps my SBs that need a speedring in the closet).

Shoot through umbrellas are best, in my estimation, for bringing up the ambient (background) levels without creating hotspots.

 

[sifelaver]

i like soft boxes but umbrellas are very convenient. my little white umbrellas fit into a bag no problem, soft boxes take more work to set up. umbrellas take more time to get exposure right.