Practical Photography - UK (2020-04)

learn thelingo

fl ashmodifiers

Don’tbe baffledby technicaljargon!

Wecutthroughsomecommonterms

used fo r modifiers...

nsoftbox

A softboxis a collapsiblefabricbox

supportedby flexiblefibreglassrods.

thefr ontfacingpanelof theboxis

madefroma translucentwhitematerial

tocr eatea largerlightsource.the

surroundingpanelsarereflectivesilver

onth e insideandblackon theoutside

topr eventunwantedlightleak.

nhoneycombgri D

thismodifieris usedto controlthespread

ofthelightso thebeamisn’ttoowide.

it worksby directingtheflashthrough

a shallowgridso thelightfiresforwards

wi tha limitedspreadto theside.

nsnoot

A snootis usedto createa muchtighter

and focusedbeamof light,akinto

a spotlight.essentiallytheyarea black

cone,withth e narrowendcr eatingthe

tightbeamof light.

ncolourcorrectiongels

gels ar e availablein a widevarietyof

colours.themostcommonlyusedare

cto gels whichmaketheflashwarmer

tocolourmatchindoortungstenbulbs.

youcan alsousemoreunusualcolours

forgettingcreativewithflash.

ns- typemount

many modifiersusethes-t ype mountto

at tachto a flashbracket,allowingthem

tosecurelylockin place.

PracticalPhotograPhy.com 91

Flash Know-how

that you fit to the flash head – or via
a flash bracket. there are three key
ways the characteristics of the light
can be controlled with a modifier. they
can diffuse the light to make it softer,
control the spread of the light so it only
illuminates a specific area, and they can
even change the colour of the light. the
most common modifiers are softboxes
and umbrellas. these are designed to
diffuse the light making them ideal for
portraits, and are often the start point
for photographers modifying their flash.

How do they work?
modifiers such as softboxes, umbrellas
and diffusion domes create a softer light
source by sending the flash light through
a translucent membrane. in a softbox,

this is a fabric panel. this creates a larger

light source which produces softer light

with a more gentle contrast between the

highlights and shadows. to control the

spread of the light you can use modifiers

such as grids or snoots. these create

a tighter beam or a spotlight-type effect,

so you can direct the light to specific

areas. if you want to change the colour

temperature of the light you’ll need to

place a coloured gel in front of the flash.

Why should I invest?

Flash modifiers are relatively inexpensive

• you can buy a softbox and the required
  S-type bracket for £40. this will transform
  your flash into a studio-quality light
  source. adding modifiers to your kit
  will expand your creative potential.

Above u sing an s-type flash bracket allows

you to attach a wide range of modifiers to

your flash and also fit it to a light stand.