Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time
When somebody begins a video with the phrase “what a load of marketing bulls**t”, they’re about to either make themselves look like an idiot or they’re going to back their claim up and show you some solid evidence. In this video from Karl Taylor, I’m leaning towards the latter. Karl takes a look at parabolic softboxes and demonstrates why they really don’t offer all that much benefit over regular octagonal softboxes (or octaboxes).
We’ve seen and shared our fair share of DIY light modifiers. But how about making a really huge softbox? And it’s not only huge – it’s cheap to make, lightweight, sturdy, and gives you splendid results? In this awesome video, Shane Hulburt of Hurlbut Academy will show you how.
There can be many reasons why you don’t have a softbox, but there can also be many situations when you could really use one. I know I’ve had them. If you can relate, this awesome tutorial from SLR Lounge’s Pye Jirsa is just what you need. In this video, he shows you how to turn your on-camera flash into an off-camera softbox and get the flattering, soft light. You will need around $30 worth of gear for this, but you know what’s great? You probably already have it at home.
There are a lot of LED panels out there these days with no real access to add modifiers. Sure, there are some that are Bowens mount that let you use the same sorts of things you’d use with strobes, but for panels, not so much. There are also a lot of Fresnels out there, that can be a pain to attach softboxes to as well. DOP Choice’s Universal Snapbag solves that problem by attaching directly to the barndoors on the front of the light. We spoke with DOP Choice at IBC 2019 to find out more.
It was a while since I was thinking how to perfectly center the Godox H200J bare bulb head in the S-Type Bracket. The AD200 and the S Bracket just cant be centered. Surfing the net, I came across this post by Ken Tam.
Ken thought of removing the screw to secure the headlights accessories. Perfect, but this does not make it more difficult to mount the reflector disc when we combine the AD200 with the S-Type Bracket.
When photographing portraits in a studio, you can create many different looks using only one light. Depending on how you place it and how big it is, a softbox can significantly change the look and mood of your photos. In this video, Jay P Morgan discusses different factors of softbox placement. And when you learn how they affect your portraits, you’ll know exactly how to achieve the look you want.
Availability of 3D printers has opened new possibilities for creating all sorts of gadgets for photography. So, New Zealand-based photographer Nicholas Sherlock took advantage of his 3D printer to make himself an LED softbox. He designed it, printed and assembled it himself. It features a 3D-printed diffuser, honeycomb light shaper, and even rails on the bottom for adding mounts and accessories.
There are different ways to modify studio lights and adapt them to your shooting needs. In this video, Manny Ortiz compares three popular modifiers: a beauty dish, a softbox, and an umbrella. He uses all three in the studio to show you what to expect from them and how to use them to achieve a nice, flattering light.
In my newest video I compared the 6 different softbox options available from Cheetah.
This includes the Quick SoupBowl (QSB-26, QSB-34, QSB-42), Quick RiceBowl (QRB-36, QRB-48) and Max20.
Every day I see people posting in Facebook groups asking about softboxes and whether or not they should buy one with a grid. Personally, I always advise going for one that comes with a grid. Even if you don’t know why you might need it yet, if you get one without and then find out that you need one, it can often be impossible to source just the right size and shape.
But what exactly do grids do? And do you really need one? That’s what photographer David Bergman looks at in this two-minute video. He goes over what grids are for and when you might choose to use one. I have grids for all of my softboxes and octaboxes. I don’t always use them, but when I do need them, they’re absolutely invaluable.
You can find out more about John on his website and follow his adventures on YouTube.
His videos have over a hundred million views, have been extensively published by news outlets, and has even received recognition from a few film festivals, such as International Ocean Festival
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