Flashgun softboxes

Byker28i

Byker28i

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Are these any good, do they work and if so what's recommended.

I've been shooting my car in various night time places and want to minimise the effect of the flashgun in the bodywork.

Some examples to explain what I mean.

138490600.jpg


worse still
138518775.jpg

138518813.jpg


I was out without much kit, uses multiple flashes from one flashgun to light the car but they've left reflections of the source all over the bodywork. I think I need something to soften the light thats small, compact and light that will fit in my camera bag.

Any suggestions?

Would something like these be any good?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003VQ1Q5S/ref=pe_75311_26901191_pd_re_dt_t1
31dTqLOhZJL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
 
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Light softness is directly relative to the size of the light source. Even with one of those, the light source is tiny in comparison to the subject.

Get yourself a westcott apollo soft box that goes up like a brolly. The flashgun fires into the rear and the light spreads out evenly to give you a nice large soft light source.

28" apollo is your friend here :thumbs:
 
I know this isn't shiny but worth a try. BTW i've seen this sort of setup before with multiple flash exposures then half it is done post production after.
 
Cheers.

usually I use a polariser, and did on shot 3. Shot 1 & 2 I didn't as I liked the reflections in the window.

Strobist site is full of good info, but I guess i was really asking if the small flash modifiers were any good.
 
jamesoliverstone said:
Light softness is directly relative to the size of the light source. Even with one of those, the light source is tiny in comparison to the subject.

Get yourself a westcott apollo soft box that goes up like a brolly. The flashgun fires into the rear and the light spreads out evenly to give you a nice large soft light source.

28" apollo is your friend here :thumbs:
Click to expand...

Hum interesting. Is there much advantage over shoot through brollies?
£100 price range means it'll go on the wish list, but I like the design.

Reflections I can live with if they are large and diffused. It's the sharp impact points that spoil it.
 
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I've been playing with lighting lately, wanted something that would put out a long, narrow beam of light, so made my own diffuser with a large cardboard roll and some silver tape.

The wireless triggered flashguns went in the end, wedged in with car wash sponges and tape over the end. Tracing paper over the slot diffused the light.
138490644.jpg



The result was:
138490599.jpg
 
jamesoliverstone said:
Light softness is directly relative to the size of the light source. Even with one of those, the light source is tiny in comparison to the subject.

Get yourself a westcott apollo soft box that goes up like a brolly. The flashgun fires into the rear and the light spreads out evenly to give you a nice large soft light source.

28" apollo is your friend here :thumbs:
Click to expand...

:plusone:
 
I would say its not worth it. To make soft light you need to increase the size of the light source. That doesn't really increase it that much, and also there will be a hotspot due to the forward firing head.

I can't see that being much of an improvement myself.
 
Do you need to radio trigger flashes in the Apollo or would it still trigger optically?

I've been considering an Ezybox 24" which has the flash outside the box, but would prefer the little bit larger Apollo.



Andy
 
The Apollos will apparently work with CLS or optical triggers but for true, 100 per cent certainty a wireless trigger will provide a safety net. Is use mine fine with triggers - very good softbox that produces some really nice light. Not the strongest build quality at first glance, but mine has lasted a lot of abuse. The 28" is a really versatile light mod and is light with the flash attached so can, if you want, boom it overhead without much hassle.
 
Cheers Pat,

I'd be using the Canon CLS equivalent for the time being so was just wondering :thumbs:
 
The professionals do it with with huge great banks of light. Like a load of massive scrims with multiple heads firing through them. Then pp over the joins.

I've had decent results firing a gun repeatedly around the car, just as you have already done, then cloning out the hot spots. You can do it like that at night as you don't need to battle the ambient. Can't you just clone out the hot spots?

Sometimes I quite like to leave them in. I discovered, by accident, that if you fire the gun consistently, ie same height and distance at regular intervals, that you can make quite attractive lines out of them!
 
Byker28i said:
Cheers.

What's the Micro apollo like?
http://www.karlu.com/westcott-micro-apollo-p-12804.html
Click to expand...

It's like a MUCH smaller Apollo ;) Where small = bad in this case. Useful in a pinch for portraits or softly lit macros. Very close to useless for this application.

Byker28i said:
I've been playing with lighting lately, wanted something that would put out a long, narrow beam of light, so made my own diffuser with a large cardboard roll and some silver tape.
Click to expand...

Nice! Looks like a sabre strip knock off ;) I was on the list to test those but they wanted horrific shipping fees to get it here. I keep meaning to make something and experiment though.
 
HoppyUK said:
The professionals do it with with huge great banks of light. Like a load of massive scrims with multiple heads firing through them. Then pp over the joins.

I've had decent results firing a gun repeatedly around the car, just as you have already done, then cloning out the hot spots. You can do it like that at night as you don't need to battle the ambient. Can't you just clone out the hot spots?

Sometimes I quite like to leave them in. I discovered, by accident, that if you fire the gun consistently, ie same height and distance at regular intervals, that you can make quite attractive lines out of them!
Click to expand...

Yup, another learning curve. I was driving out of canary wharfe, saw the location, tried the shots. Lots to learn there, but that's part of the fun. Instead of PPing out the hotspots I may just straighten then and extend them along the line of the car.

It was a last minute decision to take the shots, based on an early arrival and time to kill so I didn't have a lot with me. Next time I'll take a little more.

I've another shot of outside my house using 22 layers and 4 flashguns on a lighting stand where I've moved around the car. In this case the flashguns were at a fixed height. I suppose I could keep the flashgun around waist level to keep it at a steady height in the canary wharfe pic.
137783120.jpg
 
JonathanRyan said:
It's like a MUCH smaller Apollo ;) Where small = bad in this case. Useful in a pinch for portraits or softly lit macros. Very close to useless for this application.
Click to expand...


Yup - thanks all I think you've dissuaded me. I really appreciate your input.

JonathanRyan said:
Nice! Looks like a sabre strip knock off ;) I was on the list to test those but they wanted horrific shipping fees to get it here. I keep meaning to make something and experiment though.
Click to expand...
Yup saw those after I made it, and then started finding others had made similar. This was just a eureka moment whilst pondering the problem and walking past the discarded carpet tube.
The studios use huge light reflectors above the car and bounce light. I considered using cheap artists canvases screwed together but didn't want to risk it above my car, I'd already broken flashguns and brollies with the wind.

Thanks all - big umbrella softbox it is then. It's something I can use with portraits as well so won't be wasted. Looks like Karlu has them at a reasonable price. Just need to smuggle it past the financial controller (missus). ;)
 
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Don't know what anyone else thinks but my opinion is the photos are superb. If I could get shots like that I would be well happy. Problem is getting "er indoors" to polish the car first.

Realspeed
 
If you wanted to "try before you buy" I have a few portable softboxes with speeedlite adaptors you can borrow and see how you get one with them.

Ian
 
realspeed said:
Don't know what anyone else thinks but my opinion is the photos are superb. If I could get shots like that I would be well happy. Problem is getting "er indoors" to polish the car first.

Realspeed
Click to expand...

Thanks, it helps having a fibreglass car. The gel coat is always shiney, the car itself was quite dusty.
Shot as part of my last assignment (or bits of it). I might put the post up in transport
 
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Kemble3 said:
If you wanted to "try before you buy" I have a few portable softboxes with speeedlite adaptors you can borrow and see how you get one with them.

Ian
Click to expand...

That's very generous and thanks. I'll try the suggested one above first and if I need more help I'll give you a shout..
 
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Byker28i said:
Yup - thanks all I think you've dissuaded me. I really appreciate your input.


Yup saw those after I made it, and then started finding others had made similar. This was just a eureka moment whilst pondering the problem and walking past the discarded carpet tube.
The studios use huge light reflectors above the car and bounce light. I considered using cheap artists canvases screwed together but didn't want to risk it above my car, I'd already broken flashguns and brollies with the wind.

Thanks all - big umbrella softbox it is then. It's something I can use with portraits as well so won't be wasted. Looks like Karlu has them at a reasonable price. Just need to smuggle it past the financial controller (missus). ;)
Click to expand...

I've heard that shower curtains on a long rail are quite effective - shoot through them, or bounce I guess.
 
Works a treat and you can use it open, with tracing paper over as a diffuser and if needed tape some cardboard barn doors to it.

Mines about 8 foot long so you need to shoot the vehicle in two parts and combine shots in photoshop. I found that length was manageable (weight etc) with two people holding it in position. I didn't want to trust it to stands.

A large car wash sponge cut in half (one bit for each end) works well at holding the flashguns in, with a little tape over the end just for added security.

I'm now just working out how I can position the car and tension a shower curtain so I can bounce light off it. :D
 
Got back from Hols - I'm now the owner of a westcott brolly softbox. Great looking product, easy to carry and setup so a great recommendation - thanks.
 
What size did you get? 28"? Excellent piece of kit considering its for use with a flashing - light quality is good.
 
Byker28i said:
Yup 28". Haven't used it yet but hoping to this week.
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It handles a single speedlight well.

The main issue most people have with it is the tilt - to get it really angled downwards you don't thread the stand through the slit in the bottom, you thread it through the front diffuser, which looks a bit naff tbh. Plus, it's a pain to adjust the angle because you have to keep undoing the front or going in from underneath. A boom works better, especially one that's on an an angle tilt off the main stand. Shouldn't need counterbalancing though.

Do a search in the strobist flickr group discussions - there's plenty if info on it. :)
 
When i used to light cars for togs we always had reflected light outdoors, several 4 foot x 8 foot poly bords would be clamped together about 10 foot away from the car and many mains powered (genny) flash packs would be fired into these. normally 4 x 2400 watt sec balcars as they run well from genorators. iso 100 would get us f11, never used small flashes or direct light always bounced off poly boards. if you are trying to do this on the cheap its not easy. the get the long thin line of white accros the roof of the car we used a fisher light, this is about 20 foot long by 3 foot wide , contains 20Kw of flash, held over the top of the car with big stands cables, all this takes lots os money and time but thats why the car togs get paid a lot, not an easy job. normally the car tyres are washed and cleaned, somtimes sprayed black, the body work is polished like mad, i sometimes hosed down the road with water to give reflections, takes hours but worth the time. best of luck, David
 
specialman said:
It handles a single speedlight well.

The main issue most people have with it is the tilt - to get it really angled downwards you don't thread the stand through the slit in the bottom, you thread it through the front diffuser, which looks a bit naff tbh. Plus, it's a pain to adjust the angle because you have to keep undoing the front or going in from underneath. A boom works better, especially one that's on an an angle tilt off the main stand. Shouldn't need counterbalancing though.

Do a search in the strobist flickr group discussions - there's plenty if info on it. :)
Click to expand...

Cheers top tip. Will be using it to shoot a friends daughters tomorrow
 
flashted said:
When i used to light cars for togs we always had reflected light outdoors, several 4 foot x 8 foot poly bords would be clamped together about 10 foot away from the car and many mains powered (genny) flash packs would be fired into these. normally 4 x 2400 watt sec balcars as they run well from genorators. iso 100 would get us f11, never used small flashes or direct light always bounced off poly boards. if you are trying to do this on the cheap its not easy. the get the long thin line of white accros the roof of the car we used a fisher light, this is about 20 foot long by 3 foot wide , contains 20Kw of flash, held over the top of the car with big stands cables, all this takes lots os money and time but thats why the car togs get paid a lot, not an easy job. normally the car tyres are washed and cleaned, somtimes sprayed black, the body work is polished like mad, i sometimes hosed down the road with water to give reflections, takes hours but worth the time. best of luck, David
Click to expand...

Yup - I've seen it done, plus played in a big car studio a few times, but to get that lot on location needs a huge crew and van for the kit.

Hopefully this'll work well, and it fits in my huge lighting bag, plus is adaptable for other uses.
 
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