Flash Lightsphere

Aeth wrote in post #6212237
I've been suckered into the really expensive Tupperware.
If you cut a one gallon milk jug in half, guess what you get? The Lightsphere.

I did do a test with my wife making cookies... 1 was with an umbrella, and the other with the 'sphere on. They both produced very similar looks, but the lightsphere produced a more noticeable shadow.
However, we're in a pretty small apartment with white walls, the perfect location for the Lightsphere.
Can you guess which is which? These both are completely untouched in PP.

I'll stand by the Tupperware er, uh, Lightsphere in very run and gun situations, but I hate how much light it eats up.

Both these photos are taken with the 50mm 1.4, 4.5 @ 1/60 ISO 200 with a -.3 exposure bias. Auto white balance.

ohhhhhh....... cookies and root beer. Yum!

Number 1 was the lightsphere?

Actually, I'm going to guess that #1 was the umbrella. I believe it's "beam" would have been more defined and directional, causing a sharper shadow behind your wife. The LS would have scattered it all over the place, creating a less defined shadow.

Of course, I could be wrong having never used either . - Stu

sapearl wrote in post #6226040
Actually, I'm going to guess that #1 was the umbrella. I believe it's "beam" would have been more defined and directional, causing a sharper shadow behind your wife. The LS would have scattered it all over the place, creating a less defined shadow.

Of course, I could be wrong having never used either . - Stu

#1 is Lightsphere, #2 is umbrella. Look at the catchlight seen in the beverage bottle...the size is much larger in #2 photo, thus it is reflecting the umbrella.

As for the shadow definition, less well defined boundary of shadow edges in #2, also indicative of the size of the source. Although the LS scatters light all around and bounces it off many surfaces, it still has a very strong frontal direct component of light, which accounts for the well defined shadow in #1

I use this. It's a template for the diffuser. Just print and cut out of foam. Love it, works amazing. I didn't go through every post but I'm surprised it wasn't mentioned. In fact I saw one being used on Discovery. It was awesome, but never seen a LS used. Maybe for good reason.

Just use velcro around the flash and put velcro on the 3 bottom sections to adjust as needed. I wish I could find the site again...I'll look. It's on here somewhere if you search "diffusers"
http://static.flickr.c​om/56/271222003_51d94a​010e_o.png

Oh well..... I missed the catch-light in the bottle. I guess I'm just Watson to your Holmes Wilt .

Wilt wrote in post #6226144
#1 is Lightsphere, #2 is umbrella. Look at the catchlight seen in the beverage bottle...the size is much larger in #2 photo, thus it is reflecting the umbrella.....

sapearl wrote in post #6226642
Oh well..... I missed the catch-light in the bottle. I guess I'm just Watson to your Holmes Wilt .

I missed it too.....

Looks like I will be spending the evening punishing my self with a re-read of Light Science Magic!

Hmmm. we might need to send you BOTH to remedial Master Lighting class!

Wilt wrote in post #6226857
Hmmm. we might need to send you to remedial Master Lighting class!

NOOOOOOOO..... NOT THE FLASH POWDER!!!!!

No, punishment is dissecting individual photos produced with Fong products and identifying what could be better about them from a lighting perspective, and what product would do that. Extra points if the substitute lighting product is less expensive than the Fong equivalent.

Wilt wrote in post #6226947
No, punishment is dissecting individual photos produced with Fong products and identifying what could be better about them from a lighting perspective, and what product would do that. Extra points if the substitute lighting product is less expensive than the Fong equivalent.

Boy, the extra credit will be easier than the coursework!


PS -- Lightsphere for sale!

mattograph wrote in post #6227344
Boy, the extra credit will be easier than the coursework!

PS -- Lightsphere for sale!

The course is only a remedial one!

Aeth, how did you position the lightsphere? I "think" (more of a guess) you pointed it direct towards your wife hence producing the shadow. Is it supposed to be pointed up the ceiling ?

Also, its supposed to be used with flash on the hotshoe not offshoe.

Okay, the first one is the Lightsphere.

@ strobe monkey
I actually do what gary suggested and have it pointed straight up at the ceiling.

I really like how David (from strobist.com) describes the lightsphere, although he really never mentions it by name that it works like a bare bulb flash which if that's the look you're going for, then great.

True about the on hotshoe, but it bugs me when you see the video of him with his model in the studio and the softboxes don't produce as nice of a look over the 'sphere. I just wanted to see what the difference was. Soft light wise, they appear similar, not the same, but similar.
I've also noticed (this could TOTALLY be me) that when I have the lightsphere on, my recycling time seems worse.

I don't remember watching a video with the lightsfear used offshoe. I remember watching a video of the toilet seat diffuser used offshoe.
Its that old man with gray hair and beard's long winded video I never want to watch again.

Aeth wrote in post #6228218
Okay, the first one is the Lightsphere.

@ strobe monkey
I actually do what gary suggested and have it pointed straight up at the ceiling.

I really like how David (from strobist.com) describes the lightsphere, although he really never mentions it by name that it works like a bare bulb flash which if that's the look you're going for, then great.

True about the on hotshoe, but it bugs me when you see the video of him with his model in the studio and the softboxes don't produce as nice of a look over the 'sphere. I just wanted to see what the difference was. Soft light wise, they appear similar, not the same, but similar.
I've also noticed (this could TOTALLY be me) that when I have the lightsphere on, my recycling time seems worse.

softbox vs. LS...slight of mouth or slight of hand...three card Monte...all similar practices of the art of misdirection

recycling time...of course, it scatters light in all directions, so the flash has to output more light (than the flash lens only) to put enough light to the subject, and more output means more recycling time.