Choosing the right lighting modifier can seem like an endlessly daunting task. In this video, I break down my thought process and show examples of how I use different modifiers for varying types of images as well as explaining the key differences in my equipment.
As photographers, we are absolutely spoiled for choice when it comes to cameras, lenses, lights, and of course, the lighting modifiers. With a seemingly never-ending supply of marginally different options, it can be really hard to decide on which you should both buy and also which one you should select for any given image. I work as a commercial food photographer, and we rely heavily on artificial lighting, so having an understanding of how different modifiers work and how to get the best out of them is of great importance. I have spent years testing out various bits of kit before ending up with the selection that I have.
Although modifiers fit into a few categories, each category has a huge amount of variation within them as I explain in this video by looking at multiple types of spill kills, reflectors, and softboxes of various sizes and construction. I then go on to show real images that I have taken with each modifier with an explanation as to how and why I chose to use that modifier and what it gave the image that other options would not have.
What is your go-to lighting modifier for your genre of photography?
