Controlling off-camera flash with a gridded stripbox / softbox
With this photo session of Carina and Carolina, (yes, they are twins), I decided to start off with a landmark spot in New York – Staple Street. That bridge walkway between the two buildings, and this surprising alley has somehow become a landmark. Yet, it works. That walkway makes a perfect frame at the top of photographs.With the tall buildings in Manhattan, you usually get brighter areas or sky towards the top, or you get more buildings in the background. But here, you get that neat visual border. Nice!
Shooting on this late Fall day, in the shadows, the colors went muted and cold. The background turns to bluer hues because I decided to use flash for my lighting – and I didn’t want to be bothered with gelling my flashes somehow to match the very cold tones. In this case though, their black tops and blue jeans very much fit the colors and hues here … which makes their faces pop out even more in the final image.
These two photogenic girls are naturals at posing and take direction extremely well – making this one of those shoots the subjects (and setting) really help carry it to give a set of images that are eye-catching.
More about the lighting and the setup:
Best light modifier for off-camera flash – gridded softbox / stripbox
I think most photographers, when they start off with off-camera lighting, and move beyond a bare speedlight, tend to go towards umbrellas and soft boxes. Certainly good obvious choices, and we do need these tools in our lighting arsenal. Specifically, an umbrella is so easy to set up and inexpensive, that it should really be the first light modifier we buy. But stepping further out from that, where the magic lies, is when we can control our light to a great degree, even on location. The wonderful thing about the smaller gridded softbox / stripbox, is that you can really control where the light falls … and how the light falls off. Much more so than you can with a regular softbox, or a beauty dish with a sock.
With this shoot, I wanted a portable light modifier that gives soft light, but which I can control how the light is spread. When I’m using more than just a speedlight (and a softbox) on location, I usually vary it up between a Profoto beauty dish (affiliate) and a Profoto RFi 1’×3′ softbox (affiliate).
As you can see from that photo session with the Modern Gypsies, the beauty dish with a sock throws a fairly wide beam, and it becomes tougher to control the light, or feather the light how you want it. A gridded stripbox takes care of that. Feathering the light with a gridded stripbox gives you quite remarkable control over the light, and how it is spread … while remaining soft enough. By the way, the grid is often called an egg-crate, if you want to search for more info.
camera settings: 1/125 @ f/8 @ 800 ISO
Lighting & Design for Portrait Photography
Lighting & Design is a follow-up of sorts to Direction & Quality of Light. It’s a slightly eclectic mix, discussing the thought-process with various scenarios shooting portraits. The examples use available light, bounce flash, off-camera flash as well as studio lighting.
The idea is that in every one of the 60 sections, there is something to be learnt and applied, regardless of your level as a photographer or where you shoot – all shaped to form a cohesive narrative arc throughout the book.
You can either purchase a copy via Amazon USA or Amazon UK. The book will also available on the Apple iBook Store, and Amazon Kindle.
Recommended gridded softboxes for speedlights
Staying with Profoto gear, one option is the Profoto RFi dual-speedlight Speedring (affiliate). Then the larger soft boxes (not just Profoto brand), that use a speed-ring, can be used. So if you want to get an accessory that allows more juice than a single speedlight, and also allows you to use more serious light modifiers, then check out the Profoto RFi Speedlight Speedring. It is very sturdy, as you’d expect from Profoto.
Equipment used during this photo session
- Canon 6D
- Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II
- (2x) Profoto B1 flash units (B&H / Amazon)
- Profoto RFi 1’×3′ softbox
- Profoto 50 degree 1×3 grid
sweet! but you could have included some BANKSY art since he was in town…
We did … on Instagram. #twins # twin towers
FWIW – I really like the Cheetahstand Q-Box 24″ softbox, which is very similar to the Lastolite version (pop-up construction, double baffle) except the grid is included, along with a mask to create round catchlights. The whole thing, including the swivel/speedlight harness, comes in its own bag for less than $120.
Thanks Neil. I was wondering, did you suggest those outfits or did you just luck out how well they matched the cool colors?
Jennifer … there was a bit of luck, and a bit of specific choice involved with the clothing.
The twins’ mother and I had been in contact to coordinate the clothing. I wanted something more stark and monochromatic, so I nixed a few choices. In the end we settled on these outfits, and only when we did a few test shots, did we see how well this worked with the muted dark and cool tones.
Lastolite make a grid for their Ezybox Hotshoe Softbox, although it’s a square rather than rectangular box. In this instance it probably would’ve worked just as well.
I don’t suppose you took a comparable shot without the grid on the softbox?
I keep the grid permanently in place. It nestles in neatly, so I am able to just put it face down on the floor without the grid being hurt. And it is such a mission to attach, that it is easier to carry and store it like that.
twins and twin towers…nice
Did you have to get a permit for this shoot?
Nope, no permit needed.
Hey Neil,
If you’re looking to gridded striplights to use with speedlights, I just came across these – Hotrod Strip Softbox
http://www.lastoliteschoolofphotography.com/using-the-hotrod-strip-softbox
And Lastolite has a grid for them too.
https://www.manfrotto.us/lastolite
I haven’t tried them yet, but they look promising.
Hi Neil,
Did you use TTL for the flash / strobe or manual?
Manual flash, as far as I remember.