Why I HATE Umbrella Lighting...

[benjikan]

Why I HATE Umbrella Lighting...

If you want to get me to fall asleep, just show me some images shot with umbrella lighting. Now I am not talking Richard Avedon, because Richard Avedon did a lot more than capture images with a single umbrella, he captured a moment that is so his signature, that anyone else attempting to copy would be dwarfed by the sheer magnitude of what Avedon accomplished.

Umbrella lighting is the 'WalMart' or the 'Ford Pinto' of lighting for me. It is the horrible gig at the Holiday Inn, where some dried up ex alcoholic is attempting to make a come back singing 'I will Survive" to a bunch of totally miserable accountants congregating for their annual convention.

Umbrella light is that really bad hair do or dress that can only be seen in some totally kitsch boutique in Boise, Idaho. It is that Wedding photo that we have all grown to, ah, hmmm, Love?

It smacks of hey, I am now a photographer because I now own a couple of studio lights and have to have this because if I don't I won't be considered credible and it will impress anyone who doesn't know any better and the bigger the better types...

Ah, give me that umbrella to be very, very safe and to not upset the REAL serious photographers out there that believe that you have to have a reflector to kick in some light in to "THAT" shadow area, otherwise it is NOT a technically good image.

What is even worse is that those who MUST HAVE an umbrella, will almost certainly have a..."Da Da, a Soft-box!!!" Now THAT is really impressive. Every time I see a set up with a soft-box and the "UMBRELLA" I pop the proverbial CHUBBY and have to sit down, as to not expose by excitement.

Now, if somebody were to say to me, "Hey check out what I did with this umbrella!" that would totally blow me away, I would be so F'ing pleased. But at this point in time, I have seen nothing but flat, boring, pedestrian, predictable, unassuming, dull and flat out knock me out with a VALIUM the size of a HOCKEY PUCK images.

Hey, but who knows. Given that surprises do happen, I'm open to the possibilities.

Surprise me.

http://www.benjaminkanarekblog.com/?p=814

[benjikan]

All I want everyone to do is not rely on what people say is where one should begin when purchasing a lighting kit. I like many did not know any better when I started and purchased the standard kit and until that all changed my professional standing was static.

This post is NOT meant to be insulting, it is meant to shift your paradigm slightly, no more no less.

[TeddyTan]

The front of the model was lit by umbrella lighting.

[Africa]

TeedyTan – not my style at all, but I love it!
Surprised you could pull it off with an umbrella!

Before reading my reply to Ben, please be sure to read his diatribe and check out the first page of his pics at http://www.pbase.com/benjikan/publishedworks.

Here we go ☺…

If you want to get me to wake up, just show me some modeling images shot with a two-foot high white wig.

Fake beehive wigs are the 'K-Mart' or the 'Yugo' of props. It is the horrible gig at the Red Roof Inn, where some dried up ex-meth head is attempting to make a come back singing 'I will Survive" to a bunch of totally miserable photographers congregating for their annual naval peeping.

Lighting that really bad hair-do or dress that can only be seen in some totally kitsch pbase portfolio. It is that wetting-on-myself photo that we have all grown to, ah, hmmm, Love?

It smacks of polyester! I am now a photographer because I now own a shelf full of wigs made from real human hair. Without those and all the stiletto heals I purchased from the Imelda Marcos collection, I won't be considered credible and it won’t impress anyone who doesn't know any better...

Ah, give me that over exaggerated hair and shoe combo to be very, very safe and to not upset the REAL pretentious photographers out there that believe you have to have a photograph that you might want to frame and put up in your own home or carry a 2x3 in your wallet, and actually show it people, otherwise it is NOT a artistic image.

What is even worse is that those who MUST HAVE a wig will almost certainly have a..."Big Fake Piece of Candy!!!" Now THAT is really impressive. Every time I see a set up with a soft-box and the "Top-down Vignette" I pop the proverbial CHUBBY and have to sit down, as to not expose by excitement.

Now, if somebody were to say to me, "Hey check out what I did with this wig/shoe combo!" that would totally blow me away, I would be so F'ing pleased. But at this point in time, I have seen nothing but over exaggerated, boring, predictable, east coast, pretentious knock me out with a DIAZEPAM the size of your ego, images.

But hey, I'm open to the possibilities.

Yea right.

Africa

Since English was my minor in college I ask you to excuse the shifting tenses, run-on and or fragmented sentences and inappropriate punctuation, but I was just trying to keep in touch with Ben's style of writing with passion.

[Coax]

Africa, You The Man!!!!!!!

[Africa]

Thanks Coax, but I'm afraid my photography does suck. I use umbrellas!

BTW I can't find Good Taste at B&H Photo. Can you help?

Africa