Grids vs Barn Doors for Hair Light

[warren_x]

Does anyone (Ellis? Brooks?) have any comments on the use of grids vs

barn doors for hair lights? A lot of people seem to use and recommend

grids, and Phil G. himself says in one of the static pages that "This

is Hollywood technology from the 1920's. If you really want to

control the angle of the light cone thrown by your head, you should

probably get a zoom head or a bunch of grids."

 

But when using grids, you have to replace the grid or reposition the

light to make sure that the light falls on the hair and ONLY the

hair, not the shoulders, the nose, ears, etc. It seems like it would

be much easier to just reposition the louvers (doors).

[bill c.]

Warren-- In many cases, I like the effect that grid spots give me for hair lights. It's softer and the highlights don't blow out as much. But yeah, they're a pain to position, no doubt. But then barndoors aren't much better, as you're constantly repositioning them as well.

 

A good compromise is a thin, wide softbox with a grid on the front of it. However, this can create some unwanted spill on the sides of the subject.

As the owner of one of the studios I managed once said, "There is no substitute for proper technique." That's why top-notch studios have remote-controlled light heads on beams in the ceiling. To match the results, it takes either a lot of money or a lot of extra work. -Bill C.

[timberwolf1]

More spill can happen with barn doors. Grids sort of keep all those light beams in

discipline order, plus you get a nice light fall-off.

[brooks short]

Warren,

 

For a portrait of a single person, I prefer a small 2'x3' softbox for a hairlight. I use a Chimera Pro Small with a recessed screen which helps direct the light to some degree.

 

There are a couple of reasons I use a soft box. One of which is that unlike a small hard source with a grid or barndoors, a softbox lays a longer diffused specular highlight on hair. It's a softer look and it lights the hair more evenly with less of a hot spot.

 

The other reason is that I usually like a little edge lighting on the shoulders as it helps seperate the subject from the background.

[ellis_vener_photography]

I use either grids or , like Brooks a small softbox. I don't think I even own a set of

barndoors. When I need something like barndoors to control light spill I will make

them out of Rosco Cinefoil.

[steve_levine]

You cant beat small boxes like Wescott's mini appolo.These on a boom arm can be feathered nicely.