Photo Studio - What are all those gadgets for?

Have you ever considered a studio shoot but you're put off by all of those gadgets you've seen in images of photography studios before? I don't blame you! I mean, it looks like a 101x magnification of a dentist's office! 😃

Or maybe you have gone for a studio shoot before but you still have no idea what all of these things were there for!

I am going to give you a quick overview of the purpose of these 'gadgets' so that if you ever land up in a studio shoot (again?) you'll be 'educated' because you know that these 'gadgets' are actually your best friends!



Let's start off with 'what makes a studio image different from an image taken somewhere else' (whether with a cell phone or with a pro camera)?

Yes, you probably guessed right. 'Light'. Soft light. No sharp shadows (unless effort was specifically made to allow strong shadows for artistic purposes like the shot on the left. These are called 'low key' images).










Another characteristic of a studio image is the absence of strong brights (unless effort was made to over expose a scene for artistic purposes like the shot on the left. These are are called 'high key' images).

 




Opinions differ about exactly how much over / under exposure turns an image into a high / low key shot but these images will give you the idea.

Another characteristic of a studio image is 'perfect' backgrounds. Whether pure white / black, a mixture of patterns or whatever - it gives an image a beautiful background because the photographer has control over it. No 'photo bombers', flying objects or other clutter in the background.

These things (control over light and the background) is basically all that a photo studio is about. And that is exactly what these gadgets are for!

So, let's sum up what you'd see in a studio:

1. A backdrop



A backdrop may be 'clean' (smooth with single color) or it may have an artistic mixture of colors to complement a particular theme or color scheme. Sharp shadows (of the 'model') on a backdrop is a no-no and the photographer may use lighting specifically to eliminate it.


A color-mix backdrop was used in the image on the left in order to create an interesting background.




2. Octaboxes and beauty dishes


These are probably the most intimidating objects in a studio. Until you have seen what they do. Then you immediately fall in love with them. A beauty dish has earned its name - for a very good reason!

They spread light evenly across your face / body and eliminate strong shadows.

A beauty dish has a 'reflector dish' right in the middle (see the image on the left) that reflects the light source back onto the 'umbrella' section, which then in return reflects the light back to you. The light thus does not hit your face / body directly, causing a beautiful soft effect.

The octabox looks exactly like the beauty dish but it does not have the reflector dish in the middle. It might thus create a little stronger light which may be handy in specific situations, such as outdoor shoots.

Beauty dishes and octaboxes are covered by a fitted 'cloth' most of the time in order to soften the light even further. 

3. Other light sources.

Other than beauty dishes and octaboxes, she speedlite (sometimes spelled 'speedlight') is probably the most common light source in a studio.

They fulfill exactly the same role as your on-camera flash albeit with a much stronger (adjustable) light. They usually fulfill a supporting role, used to prevent strong shadows on the backdrop or to highlight certain areas on your face or body.

Speedlites are sometimes fitted with 'diffusers' of various forms and makes in order to diffuse light (i.e. to prevent strong shadows).


There are various types of other light sources (on stands and/or hanging from ceilings or walls), each fulfilling the roles as discussed above to various degrees - or roles very similar to it.

Reflectors

Reflectors are exactly that - reflectors. They come in various shapes, forms and sizes and are used by your photographer to reflect light. They may be positioned close to you or far from you. You may have to hold one on your lap - or an assistant may hold it in place. They are used to reflect light towards you - or certain parts of your face or body.

Summary

That just about sums it up! Quite simple, hey? So next time when you see these 'gadgets', accept that they are your best friends and appreciate them as you photographer moves them around to make you look like a super model! 😊