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Do you use umbrellas for for group photos during weddings?

haring

Member
Do you use umbrellas for for group photos during weddings? Do you have a before (without the umbrella setup) and after (with umbrella) shot so we can see the difference?
 

Ben Rubinstein

Active member
Yes, I find brollies in their different formats (small/big/PLM/umbrella box/etc) to be the easiest modifier to use for weddings myself.
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
I like umbrellas for their portability, but the newer small octa-reflectors, like Elinchrom's deep dish 27" throw a significantly better light IMO...
 

kdphotography

Well-known member
I find Wescott's 54" Apollo Halo Mono to be excellent for wedding groups---large light source, fast and easy to set up.
 
K

Khatsalano

Guest
Jack,

Can Nikon sb 900 type strobes be used on the Elinchrom's deep dish 27" .
Thanks
 

Ben Rubinstein

Active member
Some of the new folding soft boxes and octoboxes pop open just as quickly as umbrellas.
The problem is and I have two of the Latolite umbrella boxes which are similar to the Westcott version, etc, is that you just lose too much light for use with a hotshoe flash which is significantly underpowered for the task anyway. I can do it with my dual flash rig but not without taking my flash into danger of overheating with wedding usage.

This shot was a Calumet double fold 43" brolly with a dual speedlite setup camera right and on camera flash (bounced) as fill. Even then I was using iso 800...


Here's a group shot with the light closer to the camera, same setup and lighting otherwise.

 

fotografz

Well-known member
I have tried the umbrellas. They work well.
Until the time that they don't.

Of course umbrellas work ... they are ubiquitously used, but limited. As Ben mentioned, umbrellas are relatively inefficient, and even more so when used with a speed-light. Very hard to use outdoors unless someone is firmly holding onto it, or there is zero breeze. Same for soft-boxes.

The quick set Elinchrom Deep Octa that Jack mentioned is designed to maximize light output, but only works with Elinchrom strobe heads. However, I see no reason one couldn't be adapted for speed-light work ... it'd just take some MacGyver rigging. It seems to be a very efficient light modifier.

-Marc
 
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