Pixtus - Photography Forum, Photographers, Photo Tips

DoublyDan · **Beauty Dish -** 10-20-2010, 06:26 PM

So, I have been doing a little research on buy/building Beauty dishes and was wondering about everyone's experiences.

These questions have to do with your preferences, which requires thought on your end not the usual, "Well, it depends on what you are shooting." or "What are you going to be shooting?"

Specifically, I was wondering if bigger is better (um, in most cases that's a given)?
What are you shooting with it/them?
Name brand, cheapy or homemade?
What sized beauty dishes are you using?
Diffusion sock or bare dish?
Also if you have more than one size, which applications do you find more fitting for each?
And other observations that you may have encountered....during your experiences.

Thanks to all who participate! I really do appreciate your input.

Daniel

hue-e · 10-20-2010, 06:39 PM

I actually built the one linked in this thread.
http://www.texasphotoforum.com/forum...auty-dish.html

it came out just like the designers.

I still need to post some photos of it, and what I've shot with it (been stupid busy with my other life). I'll try to get around to it soon. I'm also considering adding to those instructions with some hole templates people can print out.

brad · 10-20-2010, 06:55 PM

I posted my DIY one on another thread...

but to comment on "Bigger is Better" -- that's not necessarily true. A bigger light source of any kind (including a beauty dish) will give you softer shadows.. smaller will give you harder shadows (at the same distance from subject). Which is better? Depends on what you are shooting.

The Loft Studios · 07:11 PM

What are you shooting with it/them?
Beauty & Head Shots as well as some three quarter and full length

Name brand, cheapy or homemade?
Photogenic

What sized beauty dishes are you using
24"

Diffusion sock or bare dish?
98% of the time with Sock on

Also if you have more than one size, which applications do you find more fitting for each?
I only have the 24", but I have one Silver and one White and 99.99% of the time I'll go with the White

And other observations that you may have encountered....during your experiences.
Easy to use, visually you can see how your Highlights & Shadows (when using Modeling Lights) fall onto your Subject. I feel that everyone's FIRST Light Modifier should be a Beauty Dish. It teaches you how to VISUALLY see the 5 Photographic Lighting Positioning Techniques.....

texxter · 09:12 PM

What are you shooting with it/them?

I shoot mostly headshots and standard 3/4 length portraits.

Name brand, cheapy or homemade?

I use a Paul C. Buff 22" white beauty dish, often with a 40 degree grid.

What sized beauty dishes are you using?

22" dish

Diffusion sock or bare dish?

Normally with a grid

Also if you have more than one size, which applications do you find more fitting for each?
n.a.
And other observations that you may have encountered....during your experiences.

Love it, but it takes a while to learn how to use it properly.

P.S. Added an image taken with my beauty dish.

Tom · 10-20-2010, 09:07 PM

What are you shooting with it/them?
Beauty & Head Shots

Name brand, cheapy or homemade?
Elinchrom (silver model for more contrast)

What sized beauty dishes are you using
27"

Diffusion sock or bare dish?
Generally bare, with the model holding a reflector for a kick of fill

Also if you have more than one size, which applications do you find more fitting for each?
Just the silver, but if I want to soften it, I can use a trigrip or two.

And other observations that you may have encountered....during your experiences.
Love that light.

DoublyDan · 10-20-2010, 10:36 PM

Patrick and Brad, thanks for the info. I ran across the blog and that ishootshows.com tutorial while researching yesterday.

Great info the rest of you have shared here...

Paco, I like the shadow you are getting with that grid. More defined for a contrasty look..

Thomas, the soft shadow is more my style (I think). So silver over white, eh? hmm.. and no sock? So you are feathering the light quite a bit? what are you using for the kicker/rim light on the guy?

All these portraits are wonderful. Thanks for sharing...

I ran into this pair of videos on youtube as well...Part 1 Part 2

I am considering making one for my hot shoe flashes (on cold shoes of course)...I was thinking a white one, but then again.. it is reflective already...

Anyway, I have most of the parts needed and all the tools except a rivet gun, so I was thinking about giving this a go.. The bowl I have is about 12 inches across and since its for my flash, I believe it will be a good intro to beauty dishes...I think it will be a good experience to take on too. Maybe if it works out I can build a two flash bracket for a 24-30 inch bowl...if I can find one. I will be making the bracket as well, don't want that weight on the flash heads.

Anyone else have thoughts?

texxter · 10-20-2010, 10:57 PM

Dan, I also built a plastic bowl dish for my SB800 and I am happy with it, although I don't use it often - it's white, as I prefer white reflecting surfaces (more diffused light) to silver surfaces. The portrait above and the portrait of my son below are done with the beauty dish very close to the subject and no fill for dramatic light falloff.

http://www.texasphotoforum.com/forum...modifiers.html

David Whatley · 10-21-2010, 09:43 AM

What are you shooting with it/them?
Portraits
Name brand, cheapy or homemade?
Chetah (Silver) and P. Buff (White)
What sized beauty dishes are you using?
22"
Diffusion sock or bare dish?
Sock on High Key and Grid on Low Key
Also if you have more than one size, which applications do you find more fitting for each?
Shoot mostly with the silver, simply because its on the light
And other observations that you may have encountered....during your experiences.
The gentleman is with grid, and the young lady is with the sock

DoublyDan · 10-21-2010, 11:44 AM

Thanks David...harsh/more directional for the guys and soft for the ladies...

Where did you find that Parasol? I have been looking for a red one...found a few but have not yet made a purchase due to uncertainties/indecision..

mkothare · 10-21-2010, 02:09 PM

What are you shooting with it/them? Mainly Headshots

Name brand, cheapy or homemade? - from ePhoto available on Amazon/Ebay

What sized beauty dishes are you using? - 22"

Diffusion sock or bare dish? - Love bare dish with the 580EXII attached outdoors for headshots. Attach sock to cover larger area.

A Senior pro photographer friend advised me to reverse the central reflector so that it is concave (curves in the same direction as the inside of the beauty dish). Gives me softer light and better dispersion when I use it with my speedlite.

Take this with a grain of salt. This may be wrong and totally subjective but I read somewhere that to get the "typical" feathering and soft light associated with a beauty dish it has to be at a distance at not more than twice its diameter. So a 22" dish can be say 40"-44" away from the area to be lighted. Sure there will be variables like the light source, whether it is a circular tube like in a monolite or a beam as from a speedlite and many other things I cant think about - but this is a good starting point. Also true is the type of effect desired (sharper shadows versus soft feathering) as mentioned in earlier post.

Here is an on-location Beauty Dish/Speedlite picture I took recently:

DoublyDan · 10-21-2010, 03:16 PM

Milind, thanks for sharing. Your on location image is really stellar. Her eyes just pop out and that is one thing I look for when I see an image, its also what I like to produce when capturing portraits.

The concave mirror is something that I have heard at least two times prior, If I build I will probably try a bigger mirror like in the tutorials I posted in this thread.

The rule that you shared with us is (like you said) a great starting point and I will keep it in mind when I get my hands on my first beauty dish.

Question to anyone: the diffuser sock, I have the ripstop nylon already and was wondering if yours is similar to a shower cap (for simplicity's sake)...My mother and wife do a little bit of sewing and I was wondering if measured properly, if all i need to do was to sew in some elastic along the edges?

Thanks again everyone.

srwatters · 10-21-2010, 04:22 PM

I have a Hensel 22" beauty dish that I use for headshots and portraits.

What I really want is a nice big Mola dish like this:

MOLA Softlights

I have a sock but rarely use it.

Push it close and feather it to get some really nice light...

David Whatley · 10-22-2010, 08:41 AM

The sock I have is a cotton material, but ripstock nylon should work fine. Anyone should be able to sew one in about 5 minutes. Word of advice, either use really good elastic, or hav eher sew it so that you cna replace the elastic wehn it wears out.

DoublyDan · 10-22-2010, 12:24 PM

Thanks everyone. I am thinking about buying the ephoto one from amazon. The only thing is the loss of light with the size of the whole in the rear of the dish.

Milind, is your dish white or reflective/mirror on the inside? And in your image did you use a fill card/light? I didn't think I saw one....