Beauty dish for portraits - what color/spread do you use?

[peter_cohen]

<p>I'm looking to get a beauty dish to use on our high school senior portrait shoots. Specifically, I'm considering the Buff 22" dishes, either white or silver. I understand the differences between the colors, but the Buff product descriptions state that the silver dish has a spread of 45 degrees while the white has a spread of 130.</p>

<p>I'm wondering what will be more useful to portrait work -- both in-studio and on-location -- the narrow or wider spread. If you have experience with a beauty dish, which would you recommend?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance.</p>

[john tonai]

<p>A beauty dish will have a somewhat hard light. Do you want to emphasize bad skin on some teenagers?</p>

[peter_cohen]

<p>Good one, <strong>John</strong>. :-) Truth told, we photograph a lot of kids who have great skin that requires no retouching at all. Those are the ones who tend to prefer a fashion look to their portraits.</p>

[john tonai]

<p>OK, if that is ok, then the silver is brighter and has a harder, edgier look. The spread of the white might make background light control more difficult, but the look is less severe. You can control the spread of a beauty dish with a grid on the front to control the spread-it does harden the light a little.</p>

[peter_cohen]

<p>Thanks, <strong>John</strong>. Sounds like the white with a grid might be the most versatile.</p>

[nathan_stiles]

<p>I'm not a fan of the Buff BD at all. There's a lot of sceince that goes into the BD, and I personally feel that Buff didn't understand any of it and just created something that looks like the DIY versions I see.<br>

http://www.photo.net/photography-lighting-equipment-techniques-forum/00ShA4</p>

<p>The BD will have a mix of hard and soft light and at close range is pretty unique. It's great for head shots. I own a white BD, and for the type of shoot you are talking about, I'd not bother with a grid. The grid creates a masculine light, and I'd not want to change it around between students coming and going. A naked white BD will suit you well. Since this is something you are investing in to make a living off of, I'd get a Speedotron BD and adapter for your light if it's at all possible.</p>

[michael_s10]

<p>Peter </p>

<p>I have a Speedotron white beauty dish with a Balcar (Buff) adapter - I really like it a lot. In general, I like the beauty dish because I can either shoot it gridded, bare, or, in the case of someone with rough skin, slip a sock on it in 5 seconds without any disruption to the session.</p>

<p>Mike</p>