Umbrella bracket
Impact shoe
Stroboframe shoe
Photogenic Eclipse reflected (top)
60 inch Photogenic Eclipse shoot through (top)
There are more sample pictures similar to the above, as part of another section pertaining to understanding flash basics. That Fundamentals Part 3 is about soft light.
Menu of other photo pages here
About Umbrellas
The flash used above was a Nikon SB-800 speedlight, except frame 2 with softbox was an Alienbees B400 studio light. The first four frames adjusted power level to f/11. Frame 5 was f/5, and frame 6 bounce was f/7, both at full power ISO 200.
It really does not much matter to the light quality if it is shoot-through or reflected, or softbox or umbrella (the amount of stray spill light scattered in the room certainly does vary however). What matters is how large it is (to create all the different angles that the light is coming from), which is often about how close it is, since close also makes it be large.
Play with this yourself, to see it for yourself, to become a believer. Nothing is ever as dramatic as seeing our own result. An umbrella is an inexpensive tool that makes a huge difference. The way to use umbrellas is: large and close, early and often.
Umbrella brackets
Speedlights do work great in umbrellas, with an umbrella bracket like shown (search B&H for both terms: "umbrella bracket" and "umbrella mount"). There are several brands of umbrella brackets which are all the same import product (if they look alike), relabeled with several different brand names. The umbrella bracket fits on any standard 3/8 or 5/8 inch light stand stud (via the V shaped holes), or it also includes a brass adapter to fit a 1/4 or 3/8 inch thread (male and female), like a camera tripod or flash adpaters (note that tripods are a bit short for umbrellas). Many light stands have this same 1/4-20 NC tripod thread.
Note this bracket has a slightly tilted hole for the umbrella shaft, and when inserted from the correct side (as shown), the umbrella is tilted upward, to be even with the elevated flashhead. If your umbrella hangs too low, insert the umbrella on the other side of the bracket, opposite the knobs. (Pay attention to this mistake every time, as the flash is limited if aimed at the upper edge of the umbrella).
Note that the flash head rotates on its body. If using the optical sensor on the side of the flash (sensor is halfway visible in this picture, in front of battery door), you rotate the shoe and body so the sensor is aimed toward its trigger source. The flash head then rotates back to point into the umbrella. So with umbrellas on each side of camera, the one on left is normal about as shown, and the one on right is rotated 180 with the flash LCD in front, towards umbrella... both sensors aimed at camera commander. Works fine.
The Impact brackets are (or were?) shipped assembled wrong, and the picture on the package was wrong too. It showed the bracket upside down, but it must be as shown at right (the umbrella must go in the top half) to allow tilting the umbrella (so simply swap ends with the brass inserts to correct it - no big deal). You can pay twice as much for an aluminum umbrella bracket, but these plastic ones work perfectly, and seem quite tough.
Umbrella kits
There are umbrella kits available, containing two umbrellas (convertible to shoot-through), two 8 foot stands, two umbrella brackets, and one carrying case:
Impact 32 inch $99 (includes not-great flash shoes, but no storage/carrying case included). Impact is a B&H house brand.
Smith Victor 45 inch or Adorama $108 (no flash shoes included, stands are not air-cushioned) This one was used above - I like it a lot. This is 45 inches. The 40 inch description is straight across, but Smith Victor says 45 inches (over curved top, like all others). Smith Victor Raven RS8 stands (they are black), individually $40. Smith Victor 45" white umbrellas, individually $25.
Photogenic 45 inch $150 (no flash shoes included, stands are not black). Photogenic TALS8 Talon stands, individually $74. Photogenic Eclipse umbrellas, individually $28, which have a very good reputation. See below about the folded-back black cover picture (removable black cover is a feature of all convertible umbrellas, for shoot-through).
Photoflex 45 inch $165 (medium weight stand with larger footprint for heavier loads, like studio lights. No brackets or flash shoes included). LSB-2214 stands, individually $52.
All four links here are convertible umbrellas, which can be used as either reflected or shoot-through (see below). All stands are 8 feet. Three of the stands are light-weight, weighing near 2.5 pounds with 36 inch footprint, except Photoflex is 3 pounds and 43 inch foot print. One stand is not air cushioned, one stand is not black. (see below).
These kits seem a real bargain for what they do for us. Brands vary in size, but do not expect a 45 inch umbrella to be 45 inches across. Typically the umbrella dimension is the rib length (or fabric dimension), measured over the curved top, so the actual straight-across diameter will be a little less.
A few actuals for example:
Photogenic Eclipse 60 is 49 inches across points, 45 across flats (its shape is more flat than rounded)
Alienbees 45 is 37 inches across points, 34 inches across flats (shape is more deep than flat)
Smith Victor 45 is 42 inches across points, 38 inches across flats (seems just right).
Impact 32 is 33 inches across points, 29.5 inches across flats.
45 inches is a convenient size to work around. 60 inches gets in the way in a regular room. I often quickly hand hold a 32 inch (holding the umbrella bracket in one one hand) for quicky photos of things to email to show someone... an umbrella really makes a difference.
Eight foot stands are about as high as you can use with reflected umbrellas under a ten foot ceiling. However, stands taller than you need is one way to get somewhat heavier stands, with wider footprint, more sturdy for off-center loads. An eight foot ceiling will be a real problem for full length portraits, but seated portraits will work well.
You can continue to use any of the kits above with studio lights and umbrellas, however the light-weight stands will be too light for softboxes or heavier offset loads. The stands will tip over with a heavy offcenter load. Be sure to always place one foot of the stand directly under any offcenter load, and a larger foot print is much better bracing. But umbrellas are very light-weight, and very little issue (except for wind of course).
Good flash shoes
Speedlights also need flash shoes added on the umbrella bracket, to hold the speedlight flash shoe foot. In contrast, studio monolights (like Alienbees) just fit directly on the light stand, and have their own means to hold the umbrella, and do not need the bracket or the shoes. Three of the kits above do not include the flash shoes for speedlights.
Stroboframe 300 shoe My preference, metal, strong, holds like a vise, and also fits the thicker SB-900 foot. About $10. Note for most purposes, you want the version in the link, the "Stroboframe General Purpose 300-405 Shoe" version with the knob (the knob not used with umbrella bracket). The slightly more expensive "Flash Mount Adapter 300-SHO" version without knob has a locating pin in the bottom for a flash bracket, which would interfere on other uses.
The Stroboframe shoe is shown again above (red knob). A light clamping holds very securely, very satisfactory. Shown here with a
standard 5/8 inch adapter for use without an umbrella bracket (like for background, or on a hair light boom. These are not very strong though, tightening too much can snap the plastic.). Or for a tripod screw mount, the
Giottos MH-1004 Mini Ballhead is perfect for a speedlight.
The Impact bracket includes a minimal aluminum block flash shoe (yellow at right above), which I would recommend replacing with one of these two good ones above, to hold the flash securely. People seem concerned about the minimal bottom clearance for the flash pins, but it seemed sufficient to me, and never gave trouble. The Nikon shoe foot pins are disabled and dead in Remote mode anyway. But I used the SB-800s in SU-4 mode, when they are still active, and never saw any issue. My big issue was that the set screw just rapidly loosens by itself, and my SB-800 fell out onto the floor twice (which seems a big deal to me). Then I ground a notch in the side of the flash foot to let the screw go into that notch, which seemed to work as a safety guard. But I finally just replaced the shoe with the Stroboframe shoe shown (red knob), which made me very happy.
Universal 5/8" stand mount
The plastic Nikon AS-19 flat plastic stand will work here as a flash shoe too (it has the 1/4 inch thread on bottom), but its length may interfere slightly with the bracket knob, and it does not feel as sturdy in this use. But it works, and the flash will not fall out.
Just to understand how it is assembled, the umbrella brackets do include brass insert adapters (like these for example), which are standard light stand 5/8 inch studs, which optionally can go into the top and bottom of the bracket. The one with female thread could be used in the bottom to fit on a camera tripod, and the one with male thread goes in the top to provide the 1/4 inch thread to hold the flash shoe (the flash shoes are not often included). The assembled picture above uses the brass insert in the top of bracket to hold the flash shoe, but the bottom insert is usually not used - the bracket simply fits on the standard stand mount. The picture at right shows the top of a heavier stand, with the standard 5/8 inch mounting stud on top (many also have the 1/4 inch thread, as shown). The tear-drop hole in the bracket fits on either a 5/8 or 3/8 inch stud. The umbrella bracket just sits on this stud, locating on the larger 5/8 inch diameters top and bottom, and clamps down on the inner diameter (recessed so scuff marks don't bother it). However ... a few stands have a taller mount stud that interferes with fully seating the bracket on it adequately. In this case, just screw the provided brass insert to the top of the stand, and put the mount on it.
Note that tripod screws and these flash shoes and light stands have 1/4-20 UNC thread, 1/4 inch diameter and 20 threads per inch. This is the standard 1/4 inch coarse thread available in any hardware store in North America. UNC is NOT the same thread angle as British Whitworth.
The umbrella shaft hole is in the top half of bracket, with the flash shoe. This flash head should be pointed down, because the umbrella is inserted on side opposite the knobs (an easy mistake, but then the umbrella will be too low below the flash).
Here is another page showing Umbrella Field Widths of various size umbrellas.
Idle chatter, about what you might expect: The Nikon spec chart in rear of speedlight manual specifies the angular coverage of each zoom setting. The speedlight 24mm zoom setting is 78x60 degrees, which is about right to fill an umbrella. Take a flash picture of the shadow of the umbrella on a near wall behind it if concerned, but 24mm will not spill at maximum shaft length. In the same umbrella, the SB-800 at 24mm zoom meters one full f/stop less light than the 160 watt second Alienbees B400 (one stop is half power). One SB-800 at 24mm zoom ISO 200 manual full power will meter over f/11 at 4 feet from fabric of 45" reflected white umbrella, and one will meter f/5.6 at 10 feet for groups. Two umbrellas are stronger, depending on how they combine, but never over one stop more. Close portraits in CLS Remote/Commander mode are easy at f/8 with two of them (but recycle time is not fast at f/8). According to Nikon's Guide Number specifications, I bravely assume the SB-600 ought to be within 1/2 stop of this (at 24mm).
My Smith Victor umbrella is about one stop stronger reflected than shoot-through (at same distance from fabric, but shoot-through is of course typically used closer). This means 1/3 goes through a shoot-through, and 2/3 is scattered out its rear (so it needs to be very close). A silver umbrella may be up to 1/2 stop brighter than a white one, but white is much better for portraits of humans. And silver cannot be shoot-through, but it has a good reputation for furry pets which we want to be shiny.
What makes an umbrella or softbox be a soft light is its large size relative to the subject. A little 12 inch speedlight softbox simply can do very little, as compared to a 45 inch umbrella. Ideally, its size should be at least the same size as the area or field that we are photographing. A 45 inch umbrella (which measures more like 40 inches) is a very convenient size for portraits. And ideally, it should not be farther away than about that same distance too, to remain "that large", as large as the subject. Which is just a rule of thumb, but it seems a good one for both umbrellas and softboxes, when it is possible. Large and Close is what makes soft light. Full length portraits or groups make close less possible, but these more distant subjects don't need as much softness anyway.
An umbrella will give the same soft lighting effect as a softbox. There is no magic in the specific fabric, instead it is only the large size and close distance that creates soft light in both.
The big difference is that softboxes are better contained, with all the light confined to the forward direction, whereas umbrellas (especially shoot-through) scatter much light all over the room. Reflections can be an issue in a small green room, but if the umbrella is rather close to the subject, then normally that overall stray path to the walls and back is much longer, and the inverse square law helps (but 3x longer path length is "only" down 3 stops). Softboxes are usually double baffled, to minimize any hot spot that close shoot-through umbrellas can show. Softboxes have reflective walls inside, and the entire box is the lights reflector, and with a 180 degree bare-bulb light source at the back, so that the light bounces around every possible which way inside to come out the front at different angles, to fill and be soft. But speedlights are constructed differently anyway, see the picture at page bottom. My opinion is that the "larger is better" theory suggests the tiny speedlight softboxes would be better replaced with a full size umbrella.
Outdoors, be prepared, the wind will blow over your umbrella and light stand (with your light on it). The umbrella is a big sail, and it takes off very easily. The best plan is a human helper to always stand with it to hold it and never let their attention lapse. Or you can add heavy weights to the base (sandbags, water containers, etc), or even stake the stand down to the ground. But be prepared, this will happen.
Air cushioned stands
The pole sections of these stands have sealed bottom ends, to make a closed tube which become columns to trap air, so that a closed tube inside it will not easily fall by itself when the clamp is released. These are great for heavy loads for which assistance may be helpful. I may be the only one with this quirk, but for ultra light-weight loads like umbrellas and speedlights, I prefer stands that are not air cushioned. I would rather they be smooth operating, so they are a pleasure to use, instead of having to wrestle them down every time, fighting to lower it against the air pressure. Just do always remember to always hold them before loosening them. :) They will drop instantly if you release them, but it seems very reasonable to remember this. Umbrellas and speedlights are very light-weight.
The above kit links except the Smith Victor have air cushioned stands. Three are light weight stands, and one is heavier. One stand is not black. A shiny stand is said to be a concern about causing reflections in the picture. Possibly is true for pictures of shiny objects up close (glass, etc), which do reflect everything in the room (so we need a light tent then anyway), but shoot-through use will hide the stand behind the umbrella, and reflected use is at farther distance.
Light stands are available as thin and lightweight, or thick and heavy for loads. The load is not so much the vertical weight. Instead it is the offcenter weight, like an umbrella or softbox (and especially a boom arm), with most of the weight out on a lever arm. This offcenter load tries to lean the stand pole sideways, and can easily tip it over. The footprint (the diameter where the legs touch the floor) also becomes important to prevent tipping, larger diameter is more stable. Pay attention to place one foot directly under the offcenter load (the umbrella or softbox), to resist this tip. However, umbrellas and speedlights are very lightweight, with no particular concerns, while large softboxes and studio lights are much heavier and a quite different ballgame. Boom arms are in an entirely different class, and even a speedlight on a short arm is formidable for a lightweight stand. Three of the kits above have lightweight stands, which are very suitable for umbrellas, but dangerous for large softboxes.
A good buy in a heavier stand is
this one with 45 inch footprint. I use it for a large softbox, and use two for background supports (with this 3/8" adapter and this telescoping crossbar). A telescoping crossbar is a feature, a longer minimum length that does not transport well, but it works when you only have 8 feet of room, but your sectional crossbar must be either 6 or 9 or 12 feet.
Removable black cover
On "convertible" umbrellas, the black cover comes off quite easily for shoot-through use. The black cover has no effect on the reflected properties, it simply prevents stray spill light out the back of the umbrella. Or you can remove it to diffuse the light going through the white fabric for shoot-through use. The black cover has a little metal cap at the end of each rib to hold it on, which simply slides off of each rib (use fingers to bow the rib end outward slightly, and end cap just lifts off). Also a screw cap on the top of the center shaft, and then the black cover just falls off. Goes back on just as easily, a few seconds. Shoot-through means that the flash shines through the white fabric onto the subject, to be a large and well-diffused light source.
This 60 inch Photogenic Eclipse version (about 48 inches straight across) is a little different. Description says extra white panel, but there is only one white fabric cover (is more of a satin finish - shown in the Stroboframe background) which is sewn hanging from the underside of the ribs, instead of laying on the top side like conventional umbrellas (picture above shows Eclipse top view with black cover folded back). The interior is more a flat panel than rounded. The umbrella fabric itself covers and hides the ribs in the catchlights in the eyes. However this only helps for reflected use. The metal ribs still block the shoot-through light and are visible, so there is no difference then. All umbrellas have the same double rib design like this, and this Eclipse fabric is simply sewn underneath instead of on top. So it has sort of a false bottom to be more flat (a plus to me), but this causes the double rib framework to be unusally visible in shoot though mode (the same ribs are present either way). The fabric is usually on top of these ribs, but this Eclipse case, it is below the ribs.
To use as reflected, the light stand pole is in the center, with the subject on one side, and umbrella and shaft on the other side. The light points into the umbrella, reflecting back to the subject. The bottom of the umbrella shaft points to the subject. So the stand is in between, so the umbrella fabric is necessarily more distant, and must be at least the shaft length distance from the subject. The black cover does not affect the reflected light, but it does minimize spill out the back side which could bounce around the room.
For shoot-through operation, the black cover is removed, and the umbrella is in the center, with subject on one side, and the umbrella shaft and light stand pole on the other side. The top of the umbrella shaft points to the subject (feathered away a bit, it points near the subject). The light points into the umbrella, and continues through it to the subject, diffused. This arrangement allows the shoot-through umbrella to normally be quite close to the subject (a foot or two). The main difference is this fabric-to-subject distance - both are diffused, but the shoot-through can be closer and appears larger. But it puts about 2/3 of its light reflected out the back to scatter around the room - consider shoot-through only for very close subject distances - use reflected where you can.
My opinion is that a speedlight and a bare bulb studio light are just not the same thing inside a softbox. One is like a concentrated (focused) flashlight beam on the center of the front panel, and one is an ultra wide light source (greater than 180 degrees) illuminating all of the reflective walls of the softbox (using it the way it was designed to work). The frosted bulb here is a 150 watt halogen modeling light (Philips and GE), and the flash tube is the clear circle surrounding it.
But an umbrella works great on the speedlight, and does essentially the same thing. The 24mm zoom setting (provides about 78x60 degrees beam field coverage) should fill any size umbrella. Larger umbrellas have longer shafts to make this be true, so the included angle remains about the same, so the same light angle fills either size. A larger umbrella in the same location is larger and casts a softer and wider beam angle. Or moving it back also casts a wider beam, but is smaller and less soft. Either way does require more power to distribute the light over a larger area and still have the same intensity. The 45 inch size is very convenient to use, and covers most situations. A 60 inch is good for larger work, full body shots and groups, but will be difficult to work around in a smaller room.
One close reflected umbrella was used to take this picture (sort of between camera and subject, pointing down). The lack of deep dense shadows down in those deep channels beside the speedlight ought to make the point. Umbrellas are pretty close to magic.
