Forums > Photography Talk > How often do you use honeycomb grids?

Photographer

digital Artform

Posts: 49326

Los Angeles, California, US

How often do you use honeycomb grids on your reflectors? Which angle do you use most?

Jun 18 07 10:08 pm Link

Photographer

fStopstudios

Posts: 3321

Lowell, Massachusetts, US

digital Artform wrote:
How often do you use honeycomb grids on your reflectors? Which angle do you use most?

almost always on back and backdrop lighting-- prob 20 my most common.

Jun 18 07 10:11 pm Link

Photographer

digital Artform

Posts: 49326

Los Angeles, California, US

That's what I was thinking - the 20's seem pretty cool.

They give the work a slicker, more polished look, I think.

Jun 18 07 10:19 pm Link

Photographer

SolraK Studios

Posts: 1213

Atlanta, Georgia, US

digital Artform wrote:
How often do you use honeycomb grids on your reflectors? Which angle do you use most?

I always have a set of grids handy.

I used them all 10 - 40 degree grids just depends on what I'm shooting.
The least use is the 10 degree.

Jun 18 07 10:23 pm Link

Photographer

digital Artform

Posts: 49326

Los Angeles, California, US

KARLOS MATTHEWS wrote:
The least use is the 10 degree.

https://www.digitalartform.com/archives/images/colorGels.jpg

I was playing today with a 10:

filter blue 20 degree on face and torso
filter orange 10 on face alone

the blue and orange combine to make relatively neutral light on the face with a cold falloff.

sort of works, I guess.

I'll have to play with it some more.

Jun 18 07 10:27 pm Link

Photographer

digital Artform

Posts: 49326

Los Angeles, California, US

https://www.digitalartform.com/archives/images/featheredLight.jpg

I was experimenting with a 20 today as well - feathering the light.

Light high with 20 degree grid aimed down on chest -

the face gets dim edge light but is closer, so it lights bright. The chest gets bright light because the aim is toward the chest. Result - fairly even brightness from head down the body.

Jun 18 07 10:30 pm Link

Photographer

Thyronne

Posts: 1361

Huntington Beach, California, US

I use them a lot, usually 20 or 30.  I have the set of 4 7inch speedo grids and I'm thinking of getting a second set.  I'm also looking into the 22in mola beauty dish or converting a norman beauty dish to an elinchrom mount just so I can use a 22 inch grid spot.  I love them.

Jun 18 07 10:35 pm Link

Photographer

Giacomo Cirrincioni

Posts: 22232

Stamford, Connecticut, US

almost every time I shoot.   I use them all, two sets, 10 - 40

Jun 18 07 10:36 pm Link

Photographer

Bob Helm Photography

Posts: 18896

Cherry Hill, New Jersey, US

Use them a lot, especially on hairlights use a fine and course

Jun 18 07 11:06 pm Link

Photographer

digital Artform

Posts: 49326

Los Angeles, California, US

They're awesome. I should have gotten some a long time ago.

Jun 18 07 11:11 pm Link

Photographer

David Gabel Photography

Posts: 454

Skippack, Pennsylvania, US

They are a must for architectural interior photography, as well, which I also do.

Jun 18 07 11:24 pm Link

Photographer

San Francisco Nudes

Posts: 2910

Novato, California, US

I use 30s and 40s mostly.  Use 'em every shoot, sometimes they're pretty much the only modifier I use.  Just depends on what I'm doing.

Jun 18 07 11:24 pm Link

Photographer

StephenEastwood

Posts: 19585

Great Neck, New York, US

most all the time, on reflectors, Beautidishes, Softboxes, Octobanks, Strips, light bars, basically on everything.  I use from 5 to 50 degree grids depending on size and spread relative to distance which I determine based on the amount and speed of falloff desired.

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.PhotographersPortfolio.com

Jun 18 07 11:37 pm Link

Photographer

digital Artform

Posts: 49326

Los Angeles, California, US

StephenEastwood wrote:
I use from 5 to 50 degree grids depending on size and spread relative to distance which I determine based on the amount and speed of falloff desired.

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.PhotographersPortfolio.com

50 degrees for close lights and 5 degrees for distant ones?

Jun 18 07 11:41 pm Link

Photographer

StephenEastwood

Posts: 19585

Great Neck, New York, US

I never base it on that, its how much spread versus how much falloff, so 50 degree may be very close it they are rims, while they may also be used further if they are backlights and I want to control flair and spill.  I usually prefer grids to flags, less stands and less work.

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.PhotographersPortfolio.com

Jun 18 07 11:48 pm Link

Photographer

Mark Susan

Posts: 95

Phoenix, Arizona, US

digital Artform wrote:
https://www.digitalartform.com/archives/images/featheredLight.jpg

I was experimenting with a 20 today as well - feathering the light.

Light high with 20 degree grid aimed down on chest -

the face gets dim edge light but is closer, so it lights bright. The chest gets bright light because the aim is toward the chest. Result - fairly even brightness from head down the body.

great photo to describe the effect!

so... did you mean to write 10 on the photos or maybe 20?  i'm confused... but still, the photo is helpful!

-mark

Oct 21 07 12:26 am Link

Photographer

ward

Posts: 6142

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

I shoot 20's and 30's.

Oct 21 07 12:28 am Link

Photographer

Mason Hladun

Posts: 240

Saint Paul, Minnesota, US

Great thread, I shoot too much flat glam lighting.

Oct 21 07 12:31 am Link

Photographer

RAW-R IMAGE

Posts: 3379

Los Angeles, California, US

I DIDN'T use grids yesterday in a backlight situation and it FLARED the hell out of the image. LOVED it!!

Oct 21 07 12:34 am Link

Photographer

steve prue

Posts: 785

Brooklyn, New York, US

i got 10*-30*, use 20 and 30's the most.  love them...need to pick up another 20*

Oct 21 07 12:36 am Link

Photographer

Brooks Ayola

Posts: 9754

Chatsworth, California, US

I have two sets of the 7" Speedotron grids along with an extra 30° and a 3°. I also use the 20° on the 11" reflector. I use them all the time and like Steven said, there's way too many possibilities to name what I use and for what. As a main light, the only thing I have on a model that's easy to get to online is this one with the 20° on the 11" reflector.

https://farm1.static.flickr.com/20/71858643_584d6363d0.jpg

Oct 21 07 12:41 am Link

Photographer

Brooks Ayola

Posts: 9754

Chatsworth, California, US

Am I the only one that knows how to type the degree symbol around here? :-)

Oct 21 07 12:42 am Link

Photographer

rickOPIOLA

Posts: 415

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

grids are wicked... use them most of the time... during any given shoot i'll probably find a use for all of them (well at least the 10° - 20° - 30° - 40° ones i have)...

Oct 21 07 12:53 am Link

Photographer

Antonio Marcus

Posts: 1849

San Francisco, California, US

digital Artform wrote:
How often do you use honeycomb grids on your reflectors? Which angle do you use most?

I use them quite a bit. I have 10,20,30,40. Prolly use 20 and 30 the most.

Oct 21 07 12:54 am Link

Photographer

Brooks Ayola

Posts: 9754

Chatsworth, California, US

I just realized that I have this pic online... Not a model shoot, but a JBL speaker ad shoot. What a mess!

https://ayola.com/aweb/grids.jpg

Oct 21 07 12:57 am Link

Photographer

steve prue

Posts: 785

Brooklyn, New York, US

Brooks Ayola wrote:
Am I the only one that knows how to type the degree symbol around here? :-)

yes.

Oct 21 07 12:58 am Link

Photographer

Antonio Marcus

Posts: 1849

San Francisco, California, US

digital Artform wrote:
https://www.digitalartform.com/archives/images/featheredLight.jpg

I was experimenting with a 20 today as well - feathering the light.

Light high with 20 degree grid aimed down on chest -

the face gets dim edge light but is closer, so it lights bright. The chest gets bright light because the aim is toward the chest. Result - fairly even brightness from head down the body.

hey where do you get a model like that?

Oct 21 07 12:59 am Link

Photographer

Brooks Ayola

Posts: 9754

Chatsworth, California, US

steve prue wrote:

yes.

Rick typed them too, right after I said that. :-)

Oct 21 07 01:00 am Link