Lighting Question

RBrogen

Hi All,

I have 2 Canon 580EX II and 1 Canon 480EX flash units along with the Canon ST-E2 wireless transmitter. The configuration works great and I setup the units on stands with umbrellas which seem to work very well for a pseudo portable studio. My question revolves around what would be the best recommended umbrella to use to bounce the light back from the flash units in order to provide fill light? Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

-Randy

LiquidAir

RBrogen wrote:

Hi All,

I have 2 Canon 580EX II and 1 Canon 480EX flash units along with the Canon ST-E2 wireless transmitter. The configuration works great and I setup the units on stands with umbrellas which seem to work very well for a pseudo portable studio. My question revolves around what would be the best recommended umbrella to use to bounce the light back from the flash units in order to provide fill light? Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

-Randy

I have exactly the same rig as you do except one of my 580s is the mk I. Here my three main portrait lighting strategies. You'll see I change my setup depending on how many lights I need for the backdrop.

1.
No light on background.
Strobe for main
Strobe for rim/hair
Strobe through a 50" umbrella for fill.

2.
One light on background
Strobe for main
Strobe for rim/hair
Bounce main off 48" white reflector for fill.

3.
Two lights for background (i.e. white background)
Strobe for main
Bounce background off 48" silver reflector for fill.

Note: my main light is usually too hard for fill, so I use a white reflector if I am bouncing it. However a white background is really soft, so sliver works great there.

tinfish

I have a couple of these. They are silver, which may or may not be what you are looking for. But very durable, and double folding so very compact. Very nice for taking on location.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/63313-REG/Westcott_2002_Umbrella_Soft_Silver_.html

davidweaver

Ah. You need to reading strobist.com. I don't work for them but I do like the very compact umbrellas they sell. Half the size ( when folded) of the ones I get from Alien bees / White lighting. depending upon what you shoot having a couple shoot-thru umbrellas is a good thing to have in your kit.