Some modifier suggestions for outdoor portraiture

I am in AZ shooting mostly outdoor portraiture.

Shooting high school seniors, Toddlers and families

I have 2 yongnuo 568ex2, 1 canon 580ex

have triggers and controllers

5 in 1 reflectors

I have 2 24x24inch lastolight soft box and a few white umbrellas 45" and under

What can i add to really get some nice light modifiers especially in the senior portraits..?

it's so hard there are tons of things out there, I like what I'm getting but want to make it better

How about a Elinchrom Maxilite. It works like a mini- sun

You have all you need- you might need to research more creative ways to use your present kit.

You have all you need. But with that 5-in-1, be sure to learn to make use of its scrim and black flag capabilities outdoors.

Not much more you can do to speed lights, aside from gels. I find CTO gels often make a bigger impact shooting outdoors than the choice of modifier. Strobes are a different ballgame...

sincity wrote in post #17458174
How about a Elinchrom Maxilite. It works like a mini- sun

Needs bare bulb to be effective.

I'm a fan of the Westcott 26" Rapid box.

Your gear is okay. Work on technique.

I agree with that the others have said.

You're not lacking anything (aside from power), but don't let that stop you.

I've been looking at the Rapidbox. Would the addition of their rapid strip be a decent combo?

Looks good!

I prefer their 26" Octo.

It is less about WHAT KIND you have, and more about HOW YOU USE IT. Flat lighting is flat lighting, whether it comes from a camera-mounted flash with a small softbox or it comes from an equally small umbrella at camera postion.

Back in the day--I'm talking back in the 70s--a lot of natural light photographers became wizards at working with what was called "subtrative lighting."

That was the technique of using scrims or black "flags" to remove or weaken lighting from one side of the subject so as to create directional light from the other side.

You can see this happen if you take a subject in open shade, such as cast by a building, and move the subject close to the wall that's casting the shadow. The wall will cut out even more light, and suddenly you have a broad, soft light on the open side with shadows as deep as you want them on the side close to the wall...just move the subject closer or farther.

An overcast day normally creates racoon-eye shadows. But put the subject under an overhang to cut the overhead portion of that light, and you get nice sidelight or broad frontlight. Box the subject on top and both sides, and you get the effect of standing in front of a huge umbrella.

No building nearby? That's when you used the black surface of that 5-in-1 reflector.

This was a rather difficult technique back in the 70s because films were slow--subtracting light when you're already in a dim-light situation meant long shutter speeds. But with the ability to easily shoot ISO 400 or more and with IS lenses, it's something more photographers should learn.