hexagonal light?

i've seen some photographers use hexagonal lights. what is the purpose of those lights? some specific light quality? is it just about catch light?
thanx a ton!!

Not that I know of. Maybe they just like the look, or they have a hexagon fetish?!

hexagonal or octagonal?

I view catchlights as reflections of what occurs in the environment. In the distant past, the catchlight was provided primarily by the ROUND sun. The along came RECTANGULAR windows as light sources. has anyone ever seen a hexagon or octagon naturally occurring when the photographer has not put them into place?!

Wilt wrote in post #10206432
The along came RECTANGULAR windows as light sources. has anyone ever seen a hexagon or octagon naturally occurring when the photographer has not put them into place?!

http://www.octagonsver​mont.com/
Just sayin'...

krb wrote in post #10206388
hexagonal or octagonal?

i meant HEX, but actually i'm kind of curious what with the deal with the octagonal lights is, too
thanx!

thank you all for the replies. i guess it's just about the catch light then. i cannot think of how different the light quality would be just because of the hexagonal shape....

The shape is obviously refleted in the catchlights but there's also the light that is produced. Ignoring the odd shapes for a moment, you get different light from a square softbox than you do from a narrow, rectangular strip box. If you want a light source that is both wide and tall it is easier to find a large octo than a large square. Looking at Elinchrom's offerings, for example, the biggest Quadra is 100cm on a side while the Octa is available in a 135cm and 175cm versions.

I feel that the rectangular softboxes are for more directional light, unless you are using a large 4'x6' box... but even that can be feathered. Octaboxes tend to be more of a wrapping light source unless gridded.
I would think most people are thinking of what they want to achieve with the light in respect to their subject, with little thought to the catchlights. Of course some people are catchlight crazy and want something specific as far as the shape goes.... that's why it's art.


Don't think I've ever seen a hexagonal light.