Umbrella Type

MDalby

I am just getting started in some portrait work. I have been all sports action shots to this point.

I am going to be taking some team basketball shots. Some of these shots could be outside and I would need to control shadows with fill light and some shots could be in the gym. If the shots are in the gym, I will be using studio lights.

I was looking around and there are reflective and translucent umbrellas etc. I was thinking reflective but I thought I would check with the pros first.

What should I be using for my needs?

Thanks,

MD

Art Scott

silver refelctive ....that way all the light bounces back to your subjects, so no light loss.

ziggy53

Lots to consider. For indoors, is the ceiling white or light enough to use for bounce? The walls? What are the other lights in the gym? Are the photos going to be used as color or B&W? Will you be shooting the team as a whole or will you be splitting the team into smaller groups? (... or both?)

For outdoors will you be shooting anywhere near noon? Do you have an opportunity to find "open shade"? Do you have AC power outdoors? Do you need to use the sunlight for key light or do you wish to overpower the ambient to gain complete control?

The more you can tell us about the situations/sites you will be shooting in, the more we can help. Obviously there are a lot of variables.

I will mention that Alien Bees has some "very" efficient umbrellas (Silver PLMs) that may be used for group images, sports and otherwise. They may even be used outdoors if you have access to full mains power and studio lights.

http://www.alienbees.com/plm.html

http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=7-10046-10396

Cygnus Studios

MDalby wrote: »

I was looking around and there are reflective and translucent umbrellas etc. I was thinking reflective but I thought I would check with the pros first.

As Ziggy mentioned there are many variables. Personally I haven't used a shoot through in a couple of years. For my style of shooting reflective umbrellas fit my needs better.

Silver, gold, combo units, there are a lot of options. Size is also a factor that you want to consider. Depending on your needs you could go small, medium or large. You also have to consider what lights you will be using. Flashes, continuous lighting, large studio strobes.

Shulvy

You'll also need to consider the fact that if you'll be outdoors, those umbrellas will be just like sails, catching the wind and taking down your lights unless you've got them weighted down