How to Use Umbrella Lights in Photography

Video Transcript

"I'm going to talk about how an umbrella light is used in photography. Now an umbrella is exactly like it sounds. It is an umbrella that opens up, comes out like a parachute and the way I use it most often is in the studio whereas I take my umbrella, there is a strobe unit that I have and there is a small little slot, a hole that I am going to use the base of that umbrella, the stand and I am going to slide it into the hole and I'm going to face it towards the strobe so the strobe is going to fire, it is going to hit the umbrella and then bounce back in a way so that I can diffuse my lighting. Now I don't want to use a raw strobe on someone because it might be a little bit too harsh so that is when I'll use my umbrella and I can position my umbrella in a certain way that I can actually control my lighting a bit more than if I am just using a raw strobe or a diffuser so that is how that I like to use umbrellas. There are different sized ones, there are big ones, there are also different prices. There are some that cost $20 and there are some that can cost easily upwards of 150 to 200 bucks. There are also different colors. You might have a white, a silver, or a gold for a warming effect on these on whatever you are photographing. I want to always be a little bit careful with my umbrellas, I want to make sure that I open them up carefully, close them down carefully because the ribbing on them can easily rip and I always want to treat them nicely so I don't have to go out and buy another umbrella if I haven't handled it correctly. They also fold back up. They usually go in a plastic case or sleeving and that is it. I keep them in my studio, I try not to forget them when I go on location and that is how I use an umbrella."