DIY Lighting Modifiers... or buy new monolights?

[ChrisAdval]

I have an issue, my set of impact monolights don't have any light modifiers made for it by impact... but I also have another monolight from adorama/flashpoint but they got very, very bad reviews on melting.... so I'm looking into either DIY Lighting Mods for my impact set or/and buying a monolight that has good light modifiers like alienbees? Don't know, what do you guys recommend in this situation?

[wulf]

Originally Posted by ChrisAdval

I think you meant to make a new topic....

Tidied.

Wulf

[sk66]

Well, not knowing exactly which strobes you have and if they are very good (I wouldn't really now either way) I can't tell you exactly what to do. That said, wasting your time trying to jerry rig modifiers for barely "ok" strobes seems a waste to me. Also, this is for your studio as you try to go pro right? Hacked together stuff doesn't usually look quite "professional".

[ChrisAdval]

Originally Posted by sk66

Well, not knowing exactly which strobes you have and if they are very good (I wouldn't really now either way) I can't tell you exactly what to do. That said, wasting your time trying to jerry rig modifiers for barely "ok" strobes seems a waste to me. Also, this is for your studio as you try to go pro right? Hacked together stuff doesn't usually look quite "professional".

yes trying to go pro as much as I can, but also trying to build my portfolio's strength with better lighting techniques which right now I can't afford better lighting that have good lighting mods available.

I have - 3 - Strobe studio lights - Two Monolight Kit without Bag (120VAC) - Flashpoint Budget Studio Monolight Flash, 160 Watt Seconds, with User Replaceable Flash Tube

Impact Two Monolight Kit without Bag (120VAC) EX100A-2KII B&H

BF160 Flashpoint Budget Studio Monolight Flash, 160 Watt Seconds, with User Replaceable Flash Tube.

[zona5101]

I think long term you'll want to upgrade your lights. In the interim you can use umbrellas. You can also shoot through translucent material to get a softer light, for example the center section of a 5-in-1 reflector. Photoflex sells a translucent material that you could build a pvc frame...or silk/nylon material from the fabric store. Using a material to shoot through will mean a frame, a clamp of some sort and a light stand to hold it in front of your light. Still significantly less expensive than a new light kit.

[ChrisAdval]

Originally Posted by zona5101

I think long term you'll want to upgrade your lights. In the interim you can use umbrellas. You can also shoot through translucent material to get a softer light, for example the center section of a 5-in-1 reflector. Photoflex sells a translucent material that you could build a pvc frame...or silk/nylon material from the fabric store. Using a material to shoot through will mean a frame, a clamp of some sort and a light stand to hold it in front of your light. Still significantly less expensive than a new light kit.

What I'm trying to do is separation light with my monolights, which I would need a snoot or grid to do to get the right form, I'm I correct? I'm very new to using separation light technique, I have a foldable snoot for my speedlight but its not powerful enough for f/9 in the studio.

[zona5101]

you should be able to fabricate a snoot pretty easily from cardboard, heck if you were worries about terpteture you could take a piece of dryer exhaust tube (made of thin sheet metal and cut/bend it into the shape you want.

For a grid you can take a piece of black coroplast and cut it into strips and assemble to the shape you want.

[ChrisAdval]

Originally Posted by zona5101

you should be able to fabricate a snoot pretty easily from cardboard, heck if you were worries about terpteture you could take a piece of dryer exhaust tube (made of thin sheet metal and cut/bend it into the shape you want.

For a grid you can take a piece of black coroplast and cut it into strips and assemble to the shape you want.

gotcha so look into the DIY route is best

[zona5101]

Originally Posted by ChrisAdval

gotcha so look into the DIY route is best

maybe for now... I mean if you hit the lotto dump your lights and go all profoto but until then inch along upgrading where you can

[NathanFranke]

DIYPhotography.net | Photography and Studio Lighting

You can replace the macguyvered solutions with pricier versions of the same that look "more professional" as you go. Personally, and I may be alone in this, I think that the diy options show more expertise on the part of the photographer than some slick store-bought contraption. Factory made stuff can be thrown in front of something just because, but a cheerios box snoot and something clipped to a pvc pipe--that has a purpose.