The Flash Photography Field Guide

Using a Parabolic Umbrella

There’s a theory that if you want to evenly light a person for a full-length shot, then you need to use a full-length light source. It is true that a very large light source will give more even illumination than a smaller one when they are relatively close to the subject.

Of course, any light source will give pretty even illumination if it’s moved far away from the subject, thanks to the inverse square law, but the distance will affect its quality, and make the light harder. So for an even light source that’s not really hard, you want a big light source, but the larger the light modifier—like a big softbox or umbrella—the more powerful the light you’ll need to fill it. You need to make sure the flash “fills” the modifier, ...