Why I HATE Umbrella Lighting…

[benjikan]

Why I HATE Umbrella Lighting…

If you want to get me to fall a sleep, just show me some images shot with umbrella lighting. Now I am not talking Richard Avedon, because Richard Avedon did a lot more than capture images with a single umbrella, he captured a moment that is so his signature, that anyone else attempting to copy would be dwarfed by the sheer magnitude of what Avedon accomplished.


Umbrella lighting is the ‘WalMart’ or the ‘Ford Pinto’ of lighting for me. It is the horrible gig at the Holiday Inn, where some dried up ex alcoholic is attempting to make a come back singing “I will Survive” to a bunch of totally miserable accountants congregating for their annual convention.


Umbrella light is that really bad hair do or dress that can only be seen in some totally kitsch boutique in Boise, Idaho. It is that Wedding photo that we have all grown to, ah, hmmm, Love?
It smacks of hey, I am now a photographer because I now own a couple of studio lights and have to have this because if I don’t I won’t be considered credible and it will impress anyone who doesn’t know any better and the bigger the better types…


Ah, give me that umbrella to be very, very safe and to not upset the REAL serious photographers out there that believe that you have to have a reflector to kick in some light in to “THAT” shadow area, otherwise it is NOT a technically good image.


What is even worse is that those who MUST HAVE an umbrella, will almost certainly have a…”Da Da, a Soft-box!!!” Now THAT is really impressive. Every time I see a set up with a soft-box and the “UMBRELLA” I pop the proverbial CHUBBY and have to sit down, as to not expose by excitement.


Now, if somebody were to say to me, “Hey check out what I did with this umbrella!” that would totally blow me away, I would be so F’ing pleased. But at this point in time, I have seen nothing but flat, boring, pedestrian, predictable, unassuming, dull and flat out knock me out with a VALIUM the size of a HOCKEY PUCK images.


Hey, but who knows. Given that surprises do happen, I’m open to the possibilities.


Surprise me.
http://www.benjaminkanarekblog.com/?p=814

[benjikan]

All I want everyone to do is not rely on what people say is where one should begin when purchasing a lighting kit. I like many did not know any better when I started and purchased the standard kit and until that all changed my professional standing was static.

This post is NOT meant to be insulting, it is meant to shift your paradigm slightly, no more no less.

[Anbesol]

hmm thats an unusual perspective, sounds like you might have some misdirected hostility? I like umbrellas, but I tend to prefer diffusers as they produce more pleasant light coverage. I don't understand, are you opposed to using umbrellas entirely? Or are you just unimpressed by what people have done with umbrellas?

I personally don't really use them to photograph something phenomenal or groundbreaking, but they do a good job spreading the light, and they are pretty easy to work with. I'm also still very new (relatively speaking) with using strobes.

You've also got to think - not everybody using umbrellas is trying to change the face of photography, or try anything revolutionary, rather - just capture some good images of people, and umbrellas are very practical, helpful, and useful. As far as product photography goes, can you think of something better?

[Alison]

I think it's a very insulting post to be honest. But that's probably because I have umbrellas.
They were my first lighting kit and although, I very rarely use them, because I prefer natural lighting, I have used them from time to time though and I wouldn't say my results were anything like walmart!

[Anbesol]

Yeah well it is sort of uptight and snobby, not every photograph needs to be museum gallery works of art. Sometimes people just want a good picture of their kids with good light coverage, time for an umbrella. If it pisses you off - you'll get over it.

[Loupey]

Photography is a journey during which several vehicles are used in an attempt to reach a destination that can never be reached.

A learning tool, regardless of its apparent simplicity, is still a learning tool and should be encouraged to be used.

Most "masters" had the most humble of beginnings. At any given time, I imagine there are hundreds of legitimate photographic prodigies on this planet who haven't had their break-out moment and are scraping every penny to buy the most basic of equipment to learn their craft and devour the experience.

I doubt you would give them the time of day at this point in their journey.

[Alison]

Well said Loupey. Some of us remember where we came from.
I am happy to say I am one of them. :thumbsup:

[adina]

perhaps this was meant to be a tounge-in-cheek reminder that there is no magic bullet? there is no specific piece of equipment that's going to make you awesome, and that you don't need to buy what someone else tells you is going to make you a better photog?

of course it comes off as harsh, because as a photographer, you (in general, not anyone specific) take it as a direct attack on your images. but if you assume that it's not directed at you or anyone specifically, it's just a moderately sarcastic reminder.

Sorry, I guess I read it differently. I use a softbox, and I thought it was funny. Especially the "i will survive" part. because you know after a few drinks, that's what every group of girls wants to sing. ;)

[Loupey]

It's one thing to express one's opinion. It's a different matter altogether to belittle other people for their choice of equipment/technique. Rude, insensitive, and not the purpose of these forums IMHO.

But what do I know. I prefer extension tubes over macro lenses, I use teleconverters, I use a monopod more often than a tripod, and I even own a couple umbrellas too. I use what I got to get the shot.

[Frog]

The only time I use an umbrella is to cover myself and camera on rainy days.

[adina]

It's one thing to express one's opinion. It's a different matter altogether to belittle other people for their choice of equipment/technique. Rude, insensitive, and not the purpose of these forums IMHO.
.

and i agree completely. however, i was pointing out that perhaps this was typed with a heavy dose of sarcasm.

[jetrim]

As a relative newcomer to working with models, I took this post much like Adina did. Recently I've been looking at lighting kits and something a well known fashion photographer said to me has been ringing in my ears as I browse through the many 2 head w/ umbrella kits available - "It's always easier to make hard light soft than soft light hard". His point was, if you take the time to really understand lighting, you don't need thousands of dollars of different types of modifiers, and I've seen this guy do more with a single head and a couple of pieces of styrofoam than many photographers could do with a room full of umbrellas/softboxes. From my VERY limited experience, it seems that ubrellas aren't a particularly efficient way of managing light anyway, there are far better choices, though some may not be as inexpensive.

[SkipT]

well alleast you 3 people who thought your where not being a snob on your blog hehehehe

Me I take everything ANYONE says with a grain of salt

Its all good.

[GB1]

A little frustrated there, benjikan ? I never considered umbrella lighting boring but I suppose if it's completely symmetric it can be. But good lighting guys do other tricks to create better results -- went to an Art Ketchum class several weeks ago, he tends to use a lot of soft boxes but also umbrellas and also loves hair lights. one trick was to create a dark line on the model using the front and another side-rear light. Check out

http://www.artketchum.com/photo.php?...lingerie/3.jpg

[benjikan]

Umbrella light, if chosen for a specific reason, can be ery beautiful. My only qualm is that it is used often without forethought as an automatic response to a lighting challenge.

[Alison]

I agree Benjikan. And I can see your point now, from your second post.

When you buy the kit you do assume you need the umberellas to use with your lights.
I think they are good starting point though, but I found I got a bit bored of following the rules and was wanting a bit more creativity from my kit lights. I can be a bit of a rebel at times lol.

I also think the instructions with kits should show just how creative you can be with your kit.

I have bounced my lights off walls etc. And have also illuminated my hallway with my lights and had my models stand in a doorway, thus hiding them from alot of the light.

Here are a couple of my umbrella "Walmart" shots used in 3 different ways (hehe I'm just kidding about the walmart bit) ...

1 illuminating the hall and 1 illuminating the model



both lights illuminating the hallway just letting some of the light catch my model in a doorway, while I capture her in a darkened room



both lights illuminating the hallway with my model in the doorway, shooting into the darkened room



I am a firm believer though, in letting your light be what you want it to be. And use whatever light you like. Heck, I have even used a desk lamp and street lights for my lighting :thumbsup:

[icicle]

Even if I'm not a Pro, I can say this there are two types of light good light and bad light, soft light and hard light, light and dark.
I may not fully understand umbrellas yet, nor will I ever understand them fully, I do understand the concept behind using them slightly.
For me they are a way to break up and to spread hard light to make it somewhat softer.
It also seems there are some who like to work only in man made light aka Strobe and light bulbs, and there are some that only like to use natural light.
Now if you want to look at this in a different view take the sky and the sun for example, you get hard harsh light directly from the sun, now you have a nice cloud cover (god's own version of a umbrella) you get softer light, now you add black storm clouds and you get very poor light.
So basically what I'm trying to say, man is trying to reproduce god's work indoors.

[livin4lax09]

i like umbrellas because I got two for $10 and they're good for artwork photography.


I echo what someone said earlier, not every piece has to be museum quality. A lot of the time we're hired to "get the shot" and in the case I like using umbrellas for, art work, the goal is not to make anything incredible, it's to light it evenly and reproduce it as you see it. Umbrellas do a great job close to the piece at 45 degrees, I have found.