Modifier Project

As an amateur who enjoys collecting equipment, I have multiple light modifiers but not a good sense of how they actually shape the light that I use. So this project is to use all of them in all of their configurations on the same subjects with the same setup. This will allow me to see clearly what each modifier does and compare it to other modifiers at the same time.

The same two subjects — a martini glass with blue liquid, and three apples — were shot with every light modifier I own. The camera, light position, and subject are locked. The front face of each modifier is placed at the same distance. Exposure is matched on the subject. Only the modifier changes.

The goal is simple: to know what each of my modifiers produces so I can effectively use them in my shots.

Browse by class below, or jump straight to the comparison view.

Modifiers

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  Bare flash

  My raw bare bulb flash in its speedlight mostly unmodified. I shoot both its speedlight head and with the flash bulb head. I also shoot the speedlight with MagMod grid in single and double (2 stacked grids). The bulb created some nice shadows. I suspect this was due to reflection from the wall and ceiling given that I do not have the entire room blacked out. The grids do what is expected and deepen the shadows and focus the light. Note: When I added the modifiers I did not move the light back as this would affect the light I was comparing to.