The Biggest Light Modifier Ever
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- Опубліковано 3 кві 2018
- Making good lighting choices outside is an essential skill for photographers to have. When it comes to modifiers for your off camera flash, sometimes bigger is better.
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Nikon D850: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
Tamron 24-70mm 2.8 G2 Lens: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search...
Profoto B1 Strobe: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search...
Profoto 3' Octabox: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
Profoto 7' Octabox: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
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I can see how soft it is with the 7' modifier. But her face is mostly illuminated from the bottom up, creating an unnatural look. I would suggest to raise the modifier to have at least 3/4 of it above her face and test it again. You may not be able to do it in a windy day, but if there is no wind, having an assistant holding the light will help.
A really fantastic video and tutorial. Super clear to follow and what I really like is that you set out the difference between amateur and a true Pro. In this one you really showed how knowledge AND the access to the right equipment help get the better shot.
The coat hanger on the ground really sells it for me.
Haha, totally didn't notice it on location and didn't edit anything to notice it in the photos....whoops
To be fair it's pretty damn stealth, it just seems like cracks in the pavement at first glance lol!
Lmaoooo good eye
it adds texture
Not to pile on, but that's why it's sometimes good to have a second eye (another person) on the shoot... other than that, really nice to see what a 7' octabox can do outside, thanks for posting.
Always enjoy your tutorials Patrick, short and straight to the point, cheers
Big Head from Silicon Valley killin’ it
Yup thats him.
Wow you're right he sounds exactly the same.
RayValdezPhotography yeap*
Hahahahhaha!
Profoto may have discontinued the 7' octa, however, if you want to save some money, Wescott has a 7' parabolic umbrella that would give the same results, especially if using the optional diffuser panel. And there are alternatives to Wescott for even less money.
*impact*
When I saw the thumbnail I was thinking that looks a lot like my umbrella haha
While the 7ft image looks amazing, the bare flash one surprisingly doesn't look too bad. The harsh shadow under the chin is the only "bad" thing about it. Thank you for your work on this video.
I like most of Fstoppers contents, and for some I don't like, I don't feel it's necessary to comment. But this one, I must say, was disappointing to me because I think it could have been a great video if Patrick actually spent time getting the most out of each light beginning from natural light to 3' octabox, and to 7' octabox. He took a mediocre shot using natural light, not even attempting to pose and angle his model to get the best out of available light, and moved unto 3' octabox, then quickly unto 7' octabox. I guess I wanted to understand why 7' octabox was needed and beneficial and why natural light and 3' octabox weren't good enough, but it never got deeper than surface explanation like soft shadow.. still appreciate this channel.
Thanks for the video, these are great comparisons. I have been using the Paul C. Buff 80” parabolic umbrella with diffusion (with a Godox AD600) to get a similar look. Big modifiers rock.
What kind of diffusion?
Good advice, Patrick. Super clear and easy to follow as well.
My favorite part about this video is watching Patrick hoist that huge umbrella onto the light 🤣
Hey Patrick!! Nice dude! Your totally right, using the large box makes such a nice look. This is a great video for people that want to stand out from everyone else :-) Nice work!
Next lesson: How to afford Profoto gear. LOL
Go for Godox *runs and hide*
That’s simple get yourself some Insurance and rent whatever you need. No need to own it.
Concurring: Use Godox. Profoto is a total waste of money in this shooting environment. Keep in mind FStoppers are sponsored by Profoto, and they make sure to highlight the brand in nearly every video they do.
by bying godox !
Godox is great and sheep to
na brah, you need a 20 ft softbox
Nah a 20 by frame with ultrabounce on it and 4 b1 firing into it
Nice! Thanks guys for the info! Great tutorial.
Nice. Since i don't have a strobe, I did the same thing a week ago using an umbrella and a flashlight. The images were way better than using natural light especially because it was for showcasing clothing, the whole body was well lit.
Well done Patrick! I have seen some comments on having the light source from camera left, and I know that the palm tree is in the way for that exact background to be shot. One thing I'd like to add, is that by having an overcast day, you have matched the lighting feel with a large source, making it look more "believable" to the brain. Conversely, if it was a bright, sunny day, I would think a harder light source would make more sense. Thanks again for creating wonderful, inspiring and educational content!
Stan Foxworthy thanks Stan! I'm sure you know this exact location too...did you leave the coat hanger I clearly overlooked?
Well shucks, that's where that darn thing got off to... :-) The funny thing is, I don't think I even noticed it. That's why I have an awesome studio manager, she makes sure I don't screw up too bad! I hope most realize that this was a tutorial and not a real catalog shoot...
I feel like shooting this box with a 70-200 out on the beach or something with a sweeping landscape would be incredible. Full body studio light in a scene with more depth! Great video.
Great progression of improvement!
Great info and video, keep up the great work!
What's the name of that light stand, and where did you buy it from please?
What if you use two strobes medium size soft boxes? One to use on the head and another for the body at an angle that's more to take away the harsh shadows a bit too.
Nice video... really curious where in Charleston this was....
Could you use a long rectangular box? For similar effects? To light the whole body.
Finally someone that really gets it.
Nicely done. Did you do any retouching to the final images, they look quite, well, finished ?
Rick Mentore no retouching; just a basic tweak in lightroom. As you can see there was a coat hanger on the ground the whole shoot haha.
One suggestion I would make is that you should've placed the octa to camera left so that your light source was going in the same direction as the ambient, this way you could blend in some ambient for fill.. The octa is also a bit too much to the side whereas moving it more to a 45 degree angle would ensure more even light..
I do know the profoto 7' is discontinued, but a friend has one by Hensel that may still be available.
The light was actually coming from above since it was a cloudy day. I believe the sun was directly behind me and in the event that it could have snuck out behind the clouds, it would have been lighting her from the front.
Ahh I'm assuming it moved a bit from the first ambient shot, you can see the shadow going to the right under her chin, hence why I mentioned placing the light there.. :D
That's what I thought too. Also it would have eliminated that shadow casting from the hair. Just my thoughts. Thanks for the video anyway :-).
Yup..I generally will light from the side of the head with hair part unless it's a setup that'll mitigate the hair shadow..
This is where I like the photek softlighter - it can get big (I think 60"), and it's easier to setup/break down. The only bad side (when using it with a b1/b1x) is that you are inserting the light towards the interior of the umbrella, not towards the diffusion. Because it's so close/directed at the rear of the umbrella, you end up needing more flash power (unless you use a head with a dome which will spread light more evenly).
I'd love to do this test with the dome and the softlighter. It's ironic you say this because the next video we are releasing
is a comparison of the dome on and off in a beauty dish and softbox....the results are surprising :)
Ha- looking forward to seeing with you come up with! For years I used a softlighter with an older profoto pro-b3 pack and heads, and the power difference was noticeable when switching to that non-domed b1x. I might pick up a dome at some point to see if it makes a difference.
what sturdy tripod would you recommend for such a big softbox?
You tell good use of large octabox but when use small softbox in this condition so increase shutter for cut the harsh sunlight and other options plz tell.
Thanks for explaining the light modifiers, Just one question : If you pause the video at 6:25 and compare this frame to the all of the photos that you take with different umbrellas and professional equipment in this video, I feel everything looks better in natural light . Her face, hair, eyes, colors and all cloths has perfect light even the shadows are more soft.
Do you think video cam has better sensor and wide dynamic range? Why this frame of video looks better than photos?
the "biggest light modifier" you referring to is the cloud above right (aka overcast sky)?
it's a big piece of material modifying the sun afterall.
Hmmm. Seeing it this way for the first time. Interesting perspective.
Nice. Thanks for sharing
"Professional looking images" :D so accurate
Outstanding!
I think the 7' would've looked better from a feathered very overhead 45° position and powered down so it's not so dominate. This was just too "flashy" looking for outdoors. You could've gone the other direction and used a Magnum to create hard sun, using the overcast as a fill. That would've looked more interesting IMO.
Seriously. I hate soft light in outdoor portraits. It looks so fake.
"Way taller than EVEN me"
Aren't you like 4'5"? :-D
:D :D
Who dressed these people??
Apparently flares are coming back into fashion. When you live on a rainy shithole island like I do, this is bad news.
A pseudo-edwardian with post corduroy sensibilities.
What brand/model light stand are you using?
Could you achieve similar results to the 7' softbox by using two 4' soft boxes?
You’ll get 2 light patterns, 2 cross-shadows
those pants are killing me, please don't let them become trendy again
I heard bell bottoms were making a comeback, glad to see them. Oh, the tutorial was good too. :)
How would a 30"x60" soft box compare to this 84" octabox? I know the bigger octa is going to be softer, but is the difference really going to be very noticeable?
Probably not in softness necessarily but def in body coverage. 5' should be good enough but it's nice having the 7' when you have tall models
nice butterfly wings ;-)
how come there is link to tamron when he using sigma art
I see sandbags? What weight would a light and large modifier use?
Question: Would one regular Speedlight be powerful enough for the 7' or would you need a strobe for a shoot like this outdoors? Thanks for all your videos.
You should have brought a second one for the opposite side. I would have liked to seen the results.
Do you feel that a large umbrella would be a better choice here? If not, why?
wind would fuck it up.
Using a Soft box/ Octobox is slightly more directional with less light spill, if you decide to use an Umbrella tighten the screw just enough to secure the shaft of the brolly to the to the Strobe. The reason for this is, if a gust of wind dose catch it hopefully the umbrella will fly out of the shaft, also tighten the screw just enough so the strobe tunes into the wind allowing the umbrella to fly out of the shaft.
Large umbrellas are extremely underrated.
profoto xl deep white with soft diffuser in front, quick to mount, round catch light, very soft and directional enough light. Will not catch more the wind that a big softbox, anyway have always a assistant holding the light if you can in exterior because even with a beauty dish the little wind can trow it away. ( i damaged a B1 like that because the wind can always be more powerful than the weight you could put on the base of the stand )
Here is a photo that i took with this setup on inside. you can see the setup on the previous picture.
instagram.com/p/BSGLYe3FnNb/?taken-by=benl.pro
What radio transmitter did he use? Does anyone know??
I'm a hard light shooter personally. Bare bulb with a reflector and some diffusing paper if needed. Sometimes I used a deep, silver umbrella . I always say to people that there isn't any bad light, it's just different light.
natural light was really great , probably a reflector would have fill those shadows nicely
Thanks!
With the exception of the hard shadows, I actually think the setup with the bare light looked the best for this style of shoot. Just a little diffusion on it at the same position and intensity would've been perfect. The octobox setups were too artificial looking for my taste.
Great Video!!
P22 kit with diffusion silk works really good too!
Ah, someone else that runs "old school"! Might you be a FineLight disciple too?
Yes sir! I went to brooks and knew many other FineLight disciples including myself!
Nice to hear from Dean Collins disciples. He was not only a mentor but a close friend of mine. Helped set up many seminars back in the day. Some of the first actually. I still use my P22s. And P15s. Still have my P42 silk but the frame broke awhile back. They weren't the best in the wind.
Mike Collins, I was lucky enough to see Dean do some live seminars at Brooks years ago....miss those days so much. I bought a bunch of P22's from Calumet and still have about 6-8 aluminum frames that are still in good condition!
Good times indeed! I think I may have a couple of extra P42 frames if you ever want one (for free). Most of mine held up pretty good, only had issues when they were borrowed out and people thought they could be rough with them. Somewhere I think I even have one of the flexible mirrors we used to reflect light back into the panel. I also have plenty of the "T" clips, if you need any of those, too. Cheers!
@Patrick if she parts her hair to on the other side why wouldn’t you put the light on that side to open her up even more?
Probably should have done that but we were more concerned with the angles of the cameras and hiding some of the stuff on the left of the scene. But yeah, if we were 100% concerned with the image itself, I would have put the light on her left side. Good catch
I use a 26" octabox some magbox owners use a 24". I understand bigger is better but its impractical in the field. The weight alone is a problem. Not to mention the wind. This is like you said. A commercial shoot with assistants.
I actually like the barebulb shot better at 6:05
Shang-Hsien Yang me too
It is a nice look too!
in my opinion, the natural light and the bare flash ones look the best!
Is that focus beep?😂
I love focus beep :)
He doesn't have eye focus.
Focus Beep FTW. Models like it too!
One problem you run into the last set up is this weird upward lighting form the lower half of this huge soft box., look at her face and you see how it is lit from underneath., flag the lower third and you will be fine ( light will still hit the concrete or floor and kick up, avoid that.)
He put real Batman on his trpod! Batman is really one nice guy ... thanx Batman... you helped him to take good image
Could you tell me what stand you used for your softbox? I’m trying to find a strong one for my 5’ profoto softbox
Looks like the manfrotto combi boom
The bricks looks like wings!
Why do I feel the 3" shot looks better? maybe the flash was over powered when using 7"..?
Are you looking at her face or the clothing? I love the long highlight that runs down the entire side of the pants and jacket.
My guess is because the light is placed a bit higher with the 3' vs. the 7' octa. The 7' looks a tad low so that can make it look a bit unnatural on the face. Raising the light a bit would have been ideal but outside I'd be worried about such a large light falling over so I'd probably leave it pretty low too.
Was there some reason you left a wire hanger on the ground in the shot?
Ha, didn't even notice that. These images were just for demonstration and nothing was even edited
I want a diffuser like this, but they don't sell it anymore.. do you know in which other brand we find an equally large one?
You can get the Wescott 7' parabolic umbrella
The natural light and 3" octa looks by far the best...
Model attire are wonderful specifically colour combinations ... and there is no credit or link I found for her website in description list for credits ...
Pratick dressed like my old men!!!
The angel wings of brick are my fave element
Def picked this location because of that :)
Any link on the Light Stand that was used?
It's this boom stand by Manfrotto: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/546705-REG/Manfrotto_420B_420B_Combi_Boom_Stand.html
But how did you light the video!?
You can bring that softbox to camping and use it as your tent.
For what reason you put the light up?, Put it to the side, top light is bad light, ... we need side light and no shadows around the eyes...
wow.... bell bottoms, I have to get up in the attic to see if Ikept mine from the sixties.
It's back in the 80's
Rather grab the 3ft octo and use an extra grid box to light the legs a little +- 2 stops less. That combo is way more versatile that lugging a huge 7ft octobox.
3 foot octa plus large reflector ftw.
I thought the barebulb looked best Maybe get a reflector on the other side to handle the shadow under her chin.
I love the cardboard pants
Shooting this video on an overcast day is almost cheating. What would you do in bright sunlight?
Lastolite actually makes bigger modifiers - but I still like your videos.
The light needs to be more centered. Essentially above the right shoulder of the camera angle. This produces the softest shadows, fills more evenly the face, eliminating eye bags and an overly-contrasty butterfly under the nose. Right now the 7' softbox is placed too much to the side, which just screams flash outside. Using the flash to follow the directionality of the existing light source, but filling the shadows and compensating for the degree to which the sun is overhead will probably produce the most natural and flattering results.
Fun to see a glider.
"Or the UA-cam commenters tell me how much I put your lights in danger!" Lol! Ha ha ha ha ha! ......You know they will!
They always trash on Natural Light. Wheres Danny when you need him.
AfroPenKid Dani does great work but he requires a ton of post processing. These images are straight out of camera and for "catalog" work, that's the way you want to work. Retouching every person's face because of less than ideal lighting would be a nightmare or cost the company a ton of money for post work.
Because they don't know how to use natural light. But who is Danny?
I don't think that I would walk around with a softbox like that.
0:42 I'm a Butterfly.
4:12
"What is this guy doing...?"
I would go with a Profoto 5’ Octabox
personally i liked the 3' octobox best.
Adding light to a pretty well lit location by natural light seems off.
We should know when to use flash and when to only shoot natural light...
nice
I've seen bigger...😂
kris Williams that’s what Morgan said.....
😂😂
there are like only 2 sizes bigger and they are parabolics. like an 8 and a ten foot which no one has ever been seen using.
RayValdezPhotography no one has ever been seen using? Are the made by Scarlet Pimpernel Co.?
Yeah so have I. Any big product shoot (think cars) in studio is going to custom softboxes that are way bigger than this.
RayValdezPhotography I use them both regularly
try to use the octobox 3' or 7' in the Canary Islands ... even with two assistants ...! It's just impossible.
What would you be shooting in the Canary Islands?
Fstoppers that's a weird question. Canaries obviously...
I quoted "canary Islands" for example, because it is a very windy place, but to release an Octobox 7' outdoors, without assistants, it is rather complicated in fact. but the result is nice.
I say "Canary Islands" because I went for an editorial, I left the October 3' in the bag, too dangerous, I used a bowl
Cédric TOSONI that’s is one of the biggest challenges here in Vegas to.
Is this plugged into anything?
I do t understand y know 1 uses a lightmeter
Metal hanger on the ground at :40 seconds .....:(