One more question. Like I said before, I own 2 strobes ((Godox AD400pro and AD300pro). With the Godox AD400pro for maybe a parabolic light shaper, what second light shaper would you choose for the AD300pro? I was thinking about a simple striplight (maybe hair light and background lighting). Not sure what size though. What’s your idea?
thank you.
** I would have to know what you shoot and
your preferred aesthetics /
what kind of results you want to achieve, before making a recommendation. Some recommendations come independent of aesthetics; First, get at least one good light stand. I recommend getting one where you can use it both with the legs open, *and also with legs closed!*... the Avenger stands with the angled sections above each wheel gives the stand a sturdy position while in the "closed" position - perfect for placing a bare strobe on the stand while in a corner or very closed confines. Heavy duty stands will save you a lot of grief, concern, and wondering "is this stand adequate for this modifier and light?", in the long run.
What's a good light shaper for one may not be optimum for another - it's all about aesthetics and there isn't a right or wrong answer. What are you mostly shooting? What kind of results do you want? (e.g. even/softly lit subjects, or dramatically lit subject matter?) For portrait work of various kinds - The light shapers I've use most are:
Broncolor Ringflash C: Absolutely one of my favorite and most useful, practical, expedient light modifiers when it comes to me getting paid. It's far more versatile that many know,
especially when used with grids, and various "beauty" modifiers (polished / unpolished). In a studio setting I will often use the ringflash in conjunction with a Para - so often I'll use the Para, the Ringflash, and a strip softbox (or bare strobe, whether it be a Bowens 500 Esprit, Broncolor strobe, or one of my favorites... Nikon SB800 speed light attached to a radio receiver or simply set to fire when it detects a flash, etc..) laying on the floor to better illuminate the back of high heels, especially if the backs/soles of the heels are matte black. For me, a low-powered ringflash won't cut it, especially shooting outdoors on a bright beach at 1pm when I have the sun to the subject's back, so they're not squinting.. the white sand is troublesome enough. When I'm on the beach up to my ankles/mid calf in the surf, photographing a gal in the water in a ball gown, 1200ws often isn't a lot of power, especially once you don a Circular Polarizer filter and stop down to F10 or so.
Broncolor Para 133: (without a doubt the most versatile for me with quick set up and tear down, However I like the light from the larger 177 and 222 best): If you're wanting to minimize your workload and have a nice specular/brilliant (as opposed to milky soft light) lighting your subject, the parabolic can work very well for that. For what I do - I'd buy it before a softbox hands down... but that's based on the aesthetic results that *I* happen to like and want to achieve in my photography... which I admit can be a bit quirky as I'm not trying to emulate every Jill, Janet and Jane. For me the Para 133, 177 and 222 are like what it feels like to use a drill press after years of manually drilling with a hand held power drill. It's very easy to work with in my opinion, and cut through a lot of crap - you set it up, and adjust it how you want it. It's not rocket science. Hell will turn to ice cream thrice before you find me trying to set up 3 or four soft boxes to light a single subject. I don't have time for that - and definitely no time for the set up/take down of that kind of set up. I'd rather set up a Para 133 or 177 (a bit slower to set up) and be done with it.. getting a nice enveloping light on the subject with minimal fuss. * If you want to equate this modifier to a sporting car, it would be a Porsche 911 Turbo S. It's an all-rounder that is hard to beat - especially when you put a dollar value on your time. * Placing a large heavy strobe on the focusing rod is ridiculous to me, but whatever people want to do with their own equipment is up to them and fine with me. I restrict myself to putting the smaller strobes on the Para focusing rods.
Because you mentioned it in a post -
Briese (not a brand I use)
: ... meh (what I think)... The bottom line *for me* is that Briese (their parabolics) doesn't look as good as the Broncolor Paras; Broncolor looks more "brilliant" and the Briese less spectacular with the light being less specular to my eyes. I wouldn't pay a premium for that. Whether Broncolor stole the idea from Briese or not doesn't concern my purse or business.
Large softbox: Scattered soft white light - it's a low-cost but highly effective modifier that you can't go wrong with in my opinion... I prefer the light from the Paras most of the time, but there are times where one may want a soft light, and softboxes are excellent in that regard. However, I really dislike setting them up (speed ring + rods) ... and I'm being eh.. nice.
Strip / thin softbox: Use as Hair light, High Heels light, use to light backgrounds, use to partially light nudes, etc.. The uses are many. I use strip boxes when I want a "slice" of light to hit across particular areas of a subject. Sometimes I may want to only illuminate the mid-section of a subject, showing off their abdominal muscles and belly ring-jewelry for example.
Bare Strobe: I'll use these in many different ways - one way is to put a bare strobe on a long piece of rebar (fits perfectly) that's firmly planted in the sand. Perfect hair light, etc.. I am also quick to boom a bare strobe, as often I want an old Hollywood look with rather hard light, especially when converting files to black and white / grayscale. Bare strobes are also nice when hand-held, and shooting on-the-fly, e.g., in a motel room or beach cottage, where I'm following the subject throughout the house as the subject free-styles their poses.
Wouldn't you know, Broncolor seems to be debuting a new Studio pack and lamp later this year. Good to hear. Looks like they've made some strides.
Ok, that's off the top of my head at 2:20am with jet lag and tired eyes - I hope this helps!
