The more precise and accurate the light source
is, the more it will cost the photographer. Many
photographers purchase inexpensive lights that fea-
ture a slider to reduce or increase the intensity of
their light output. They must meter the light, move
the slider to increase or reduce strobe output, re-
meter the light, slide the slider again, etc. By select-
ing a high-end unit with a digital readout like those
found in brands like Hensel, Profoto, or Broncolor,
you can keep the session flowing and devote more
of your time to shooting, rather than worrying
about whether or not light intensity was reduced or
increased appropriately.
If you are working on a tighter budget, try to
save a few bucks and then purchase a high-end
lighting unit. If that is not an option, select an
upper-mid-level or lower-high-end Dynalite unit or
a comparable brand. You might also see if your local
photography store allows you to rent equipment so
you can try it before you buy it. (Note:I have indus-
try sponsors and supporters, and I’m sure some will
say, “Rolando is pushing his sponsors’ equipment.”
I totally understand why someone would jump to
this conclusion, but I do not jeopardize my in-
tegrity for anyone. Retail stores only rent out high-quality equipment. If you
don’t trust my endorsements, call around to a few providers and see what
these shops are renting.)
Often I’m hired for private or semiprivate instruction, and find that my
clients possess the most expensive makes and models of a specific camera brand
but own cheap lights and cheap lenses. The old adage applies here: you get
what you pay for. As consumers, we like good values, but as photographers,
we must realize that, in the long run, we’ll pay twice over time.
In order to create great images it takes great lights, not cheap lights. Can
I light a great image with cheap lights? Yes, of course I can. Cheap lights don’t
make my photography look amateurish because I’m trained and experienced
to overcome their faults. Though I could make do with cheap lights, it would
just be a bad business decision for me, as they’d do nothing but slow me
down. Ultimately I want to work accurately, efficiently, and effectively while
utilizing my time wisely.LIGHTING BASICS 21FACING PAGE—This photograph of Heather uses a simple two-
light setup. To camera left, I placed an accent light behind the
model (a Hensel Integra 500 Pro Plus monolight fitted with a
Chimera Super Pro Plus medium strip box and a Lighttools 40-
degree grid). The main light (fitted with a 22-inch beauty dish)
was placed dead on. I also postproduced this image with the
Nik Software’s Bleach Bypass filter. (CAMERA: Canon EOS 5D
Mark II fitted with a Canon 70–200mm f/2.8L IS USM lens. SET-
TINGS:148mm effective focal length,^1 / 160 second shutter speed,
f/5.6, white balance at 6000K, ISO 100)