Studio Strobe/Flash Lights

Take better photos with studio flash (strobe) lights

The studio flash (strobe) lights work same as camera flashes, but they are usually more powerfull, more robust with with a stronger light. Studio flash (strobe) lights are availiable in various designs, powered either by mains or battery source. The studio flash (strobe) lights can be used alone or in groups with diffused or colored light. There are a number of accessories available that make it easy to work with, so different moods, colours and patterns can be created.

What are studio flash lights?

Studio flashes produce bright daylight in the same way as a camera's built-in flash or an external system flash.
Studio flash lights work in the same way as on-camera flash or external flash. In contrast, the studio flash (strobe) lights are more powerful, generate extremely short flashes of light and despite their greater power, charge faster. Flashes are available in outputs from 150 to 1,000 watts. The power of the light is decisive for the distance from which you can use the lights with possible light loss at the desired light formation. Most flash studio light models have adjustable flash output, which you can use when you need to reduce light intensity. Studio flash (strobe) lights usually have their own permanent light, the so-called modelling light, so that it is visible under the lights and so that it is possible to predict the direction of the lights and the blending of shadows for approximate setting of flashes and modifiers. Studio flashes are fired by a cable or by using a remote trigger, by a built-in flash of the camera. It is more convenient to use a wireless radio trigger.
Studio flashes (strobes) are usually set fully manually, but TTL-controlled models are also available.

What are the differences between strobe lights and permanent lighting?

While the flash lights produce short but powerful flash illumination, the continuous or permanent lights remain on throughout the shooting. These two types of studio lighting complement each other, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Studio flashes (strobe lights):

• They are more powerful
• Freezes motion
• They have a more continuous color spectrum, more faithfully reproducing colors in the entire range of the color spectrum
• They reproduce skin colors more faithfully
• Allows you to use larger aperture numbers for greater depth of field
• Create sharp photos
• The shutter speed is limited by the sync speed of your camera
• The exposure should be measured separately with an exposure meter, or usually experimentally with a camera

Permanent lights:

• They are less powerful
• Lower power requires the need to work with lighter lenses with a more open aperture
• Photos are usually softer
• Exposure can be measured directly with the camera

Use of light modifiers to change the nature of lighting

By using light modifiers, it is possible to change the quality of the light emitted by studio flashes. With spotlights, you can direct sharp light at the main object, Snoot with honeycomb filter (grid) sharply mark the cone of light and “spot” the object on the scene. On the contrary, there are different types of softboxes that diffuse light and create softer and finer images.
The light can also be adjusted in color, the color temperature of the light can be changed using color filters and / or gels.

Accessories for studio flashes (strobe lights)

There are countless light tripods, arms and studio light mounts for maximum effect indoors or outdoors. Wireless triggers increase the comfort of operation as well as safety when working with flashes by eliminating unnecessary cables under the feet of the photographer and models.
Although TTL studio flashes work in the same way as camera-mounted TTL flashes (system flashes), we usually get better results by accurately measuring lighting with available light meters.
When using a flash-lit scene, place the light meter next to the subject and facing the camera to measure the light seen by the camera (measuring the impact of light).

Flash lighting opens up many possibilities for portrait or perfect product photography indoors and outdoors. At OEHLING, you will find everything you need for lighting with studio lights, from advice to the last piece of hardware.