Why I Don't Use Umbrellas as Photography Light Modifiers

The umbrella. The quintessential light modifier, right? Wrong! Over the years, I've developed a rather severe umbrella aversion. Umbrellas are an enemy that never find a spot in my camera bag, and I'm about to tell you why!

Note: When I say "umbrellas," I'm referring to umbrellas designed to be used as umbrellas. Softboxes that use umbrella-style structures but still function as softboxes naturally would be somewhat exempt from my fiery wrath.

Because Umbrellas Lack Control

Years ago, I heard a photographer describe umbrellas as light grenades, which is completely true. Umbrellas make soft light and blast it in a huge, wide arc that sends the light bouncing all over the place throughout your scene. Personally, a big part of why I use light modifiers is to control the light. Umbrellas make this next to impossible. If you just want some soft light, an umbrella can certainly do the job. If you want light that you can shape and control to illuminate the scene to match your creative vision, they fail miserably. 

Because Umbrellas Waste Power Output

Remember that bit about umbrellas lacking control and sending light everywhere? Well, that light needs to come from someplace. A light source only has a finite amount of power, and if you send that power in a billion different directions, most of it isn't going to go where you want it to and is effectively going to be wasting your flash power. This isn't such a big deal if you are in studio working with large strobes that have more than enough power, but as soon as you find yourself pushing the limits of a flash's output, such as when trying to overpower the sun or when working with high speed sync, that loss in power from an umbrella can be the difference between being able to get the shot you want and not. 

Because Umbrellas Are Flimsy

Umbrellas have a thin, open-ended structure designed to be lightweight and cheap. This makes them fragile. Through my career so far, I've used softboxes almost exclusively and never broke one. I've used umbrellas very rarely and broke several. I like my gear to be reliable, especially when a client is trusting me to deliver on a promise. Umbrellas add risk to that promise. They also act as mighty sails as soon as any wind shows up on location. 

Why You Should Still Consider Using Umbrellas

Wait, what? After all his fervent hatred, this fool is still telling you to use an umbrella? Yup, he is. I used umbrellas quite a bit before I expanded to a variety of softboxes. Why? Umbrellas are cheap! As someone new to using light modifiers, do you want to learn with a $10 umbrella or a $200 softbox? Umbrellas are a great stepping stone to get started modifying flash. They are also very light and easy to transport. I now drive a big truck filled with gear to every shoot. I used to take a bus or walk. Umbrellas are way easier to transport when all you have is yourself to carry your entire kit.

Conclusion

I hate umbrellas, but that doesn't mean that you should too. As with any piece of gear or method, evaluate it for the value it brings to your workflow and style. Don't let some stuffy softbox panderer like me tell you what you should and shouldn't use to light your scenes. Instead, experiment, and do what works best for you. (But don't expect to see me rocking an umbrella at a shoot anytime soon!)