Lighting 101: Umbrellas

Ed. Note: This post was originally written in early 2006. In the interim, I have grown to use umbrellas completely differently than when I first started this site. To that end, please note the update at the bottom of the post.
-DH, May, 2011
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Remember that umbrella adapter you stuck on the top of your stand?

You are probably going to want an umbrella as your first soft light source. There are two general kinds -- the reflected umbrella and the shoot-through umbrella. I strongly prefer the white, shoot-through version, as it is more versatile. In particular, because you can bring it right up next to someone's face for both power and softness.

If you are going with the compact light stands, you'll probably want a 43" shoot-through umbrella, which is pictured above. It folds down to about 14" so it transports very easily along with your compact stand. You can ball-bungee it to your strapped stand and have a nice, transportable light kit.

They are cheap (less than $20) small and easy to transport. Because of the telescoping shaft, they can be a little fragile. But use care, and they will last.

If you are saving money on a moderately priced light stand, you might choose a standard (i.e., not a double-fold) umbrella. This is not really a critical choice. It's going to be based on your workflow. Don't agonize over it too much -- you'll likely have several stands and umbrellas before too long.

I used to use the reflected umbrellas (they have a white or silver lining and a black backing) but I almost never do any more. I pretty much stick to the shoot-thru's 99% of the time.

Now, let's look at how to use them.

Umbrellas give you a good mix between softness, efficiency and control. Softboxes offer more control over the beam of the light. But they cost way more and eat up much more of your precious little watt-seconds.

With an umbrella, you get soft light that is reasonably directional.

(If you want to light a whole room, you will likely be bouncing off of a ceiling. More on that later.)

Stick it in close and you get soft-but-controlled light that works great for headshots and environmental portraiture.

This is a very simple way to make your mugshots look more like they were shot by a professional and not by someone from the Department of Motor Vehicles. With a short tele, and umbrella'd strobe and awareness of your ambient light, you can make a headshot look more like a cover shot.

Back it up and you get directional light that will cover a larger area. You can move the subject around a decent amount (or not worry if the subject is moving around on his own) and the light will stay good.

It is safe, classic-looking light that is easy to tote around. Total no-brainer in the bang-for-the-buck department.


Update, May 2011

In the photos above, the umbrella is being used from what can be considered to be a "classic" position -- 45 degrees up and over to one side. There's nothing wrong with this, and it is probably how you will start out using the light source.

The danger is, you don't move past that and your photos start to all look alike. That is the blessing and curse of an umbrella -- it is easy to look good with it, and it is a very safe light source.


But, as seen above, umbrellas also can be used to create more unusual and dramatic light. And that's where I like to hang out now.

The portrait of cellist Caleb Jones is a great example. (Click here to have that assignment -- including a behind-the-scenes video -- pop up in a new window.) We were flying the umbrella just over and behind his head. By doing that, we created a light that was less predictable, and more ethereal.

An umbrella on a small light stand is light and portable enough to be flown over someone by using an assistant as a "voice activated light stand". This gives you all kinds of opportunities for different lighting directions.

Work the angle. Try different orientations. Get out of the 45-degree rut. You'll be surprised at what an umbrella can do.

Take this portrait of Pat Morrissey, in Edinburgh.

By flying the umbrella out over him (but, unlike the cellist, slightly in front) we create a more mysterious "character" light. You can see the location of the light by looking at the reflection in Pat's eyes.

Again, atypical position for an umbrella light. But, I think, more interesting than the standard "45."

For Dancer Kassi Mattera, left, we took an opposite tack. The umbrella is being used not as a key light, but as a "fill" light. (Don't worry, you'll learn more about multi-light setups soon enough.) The umbrella is coming from below. It is actually positioned on the ground in front of her.

Not typical, but interesting. That umbrella is filling at about two stops under the main exposure level. Kassi is being lit by another, hard light source at upper right.

The umbrella, on the floor, is bathing Kassi in soft, "bottom light" and keeping all of the hard light's shadows from going to black. (Click here to see a full run-thru of this shoot in a new window.)

Long story short, umbrellas are a great choice for a first soft light modifier. But even better (if you allow yourself) you can grow them into far more interesting light sources by getting them out of their -- and your -- comfort zones.
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Next: Bouncing off of Walls and Ceilings