Shoot-through umbrellas are some of the cheapest and quickest lighting modifiers to work with, and despite often being cast aside for other modifiers, they can still produce great photos in a range of scenarios. This awesome video will give you four tips for working with shoot-through umbrellas.
Coming to you from Gavin Hoey with Adorama TV, this excellent video features four tips for working with shoot-through umbrellas along with lots of great sample images. Many photographers eventually stop working with shoot-through umbrellas, mostly because they tend to throw light everywhere, which makes it a bit more difficult to control the precision of your lighting setups. Nonetheless, that is not always a deal-breaker; in fact, that can actually be an advantage in certain situations. For example, umbrellas can be great for things like group shots or for any situation in which you need to cast light over a broad area. They are also a great modifier for beginners, as they are super cheap and easy to use, making them a great companion to a speedlight as you start to dive into artificial lighting, plus you don't have to worry about things like different mounting systems or the like. Check out the video above for lots of helpful information from Hoey.
That model looked like she could have used some of Gavin's excess coke...
Gavin is looking stressed. Good information, though.