----- Original Message ----- From: Brendan Subject: Softbox or umbrella
> Softbox or umbrella? Next week I'm going to order the > Alien bee B1600 unit and wondered which would be the > most usefull accessory if I can only have 1, an > umbrella or softbox. I know soft boxes loose less > light but I want as little shadow as possible with one > main light source, no more deer caught in headlights > looks as with on camera flashes, even when bounced or > diffused. Any advise on placement of the light would > also be nice, I have the AF500 that I can use for > background or hair light and I'm still getting a > little 100ws unit to. Soft box, definitely. I have a couple at the studio that fold up just like an umbrella. I don't recall the make, maybe PhotoFlex. Umbrellas are kind of clumsy to work with, and the light quality can be quite awful. They are also dreadfully inefficient, wasting at least 50% of what hits them. The rest is splashed around the room, making a complete mockery of your attempts to control it. You can do nice work with 2 lights and a reflector for fill. Here is a picture done with one light in a soft box and a reflector for fill http://www.accesscomm.ca/users/wrobb/polatest.jpg William Robb - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
