Umbrellas

Umbrellas and Softboxes are two of the most commonly used light modifiers to soften and diffuse light by spreading the initial strong beam to create a larger light source. 

An umbrella is one of the most simple and straightforward flash modifiers. The umbrella expands the size of the light source, and the resulting light has a broader, softer quality compared to a bare flash. Umbrellas are typically the more portable than softboxes, since they can easily fold up compactly and less expensive. The larger the umbrella, the softer the quality of the light it will reflect, but at the expense of requiring a more powerful light to fill it.

There are two basic styles of umbrella:

1.Reflective Umbrellas ( silver or white)

Reflective umbrellas are designed to have the flash fire into them, reflect, and then bounce the light onto the subject. Reflective umbrellas have an opaque covering on the outside to prevent light from passing through and escaping. This ability to contain the light makes it a more efficient light source than a plain white, translucent umbrella through which light passes. Reflective umbrellas have choice of silver (  greater contrast effects) or white ( softer effects ) to suit the shooting style.

2.Translucent shoot-through umbrella

They work in the opposite way that reflective umbrellas do. Shoot-through umbrellas are constructed from translucent white fabric through which the flash passes to produce soft, seamless light.