Bare Bulb flash head

[Guillaume Zuili]

Hi,
Could someone explain me the effect and advantage (or issue) of a bare bulb flash. Thanks. G.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I use Normans (LH-2 heads, 200C pack usually), and I like the ability to use different reflectors and diffusers, just like I do with my studio strobes, and they put out a lot of light. A plain 5" reflector gives a kind of Weegee look. A small softbox or octabox with the flash on a tall bracket gives a kind of butterfly effect, and the 5" white reflector with the opal glass diffuser is just a bit harder and more manageable outdoors if there is any wind.

Or are you asking about using bare bulb flash, as in just a bulb with no reflector or diffuser? I've tried that, and I don't see the attraction. It's pretty harsh, but it could be an interesting effect, for say, certain kinds of fashion photography.

 

[Lee L]

David is correct, but you also really need to take into account the environment when using bare bulb flash. If you're in a smaller room with white walls and an 8 foot white ceiling, the lack of a reflector sends the light out in all directions and you get a more even light with something of a fill effect from the room, even if the shadows cast are very sharp edged. If the flash is further away from the subject, the environment tends to fill in the shadows and lessen harshness. The darker the walls are, the less of this fill effect you'll see.

If you're using a studio flash head where the tube may be partially blocked by the body of the unit, pointing it at a low white ceiling, or into a corner at the intersection of two walls and the ceiling can really even out the light. Just be careful not to let the edge of the shadow cast by the body of the flash head fall across the picture area. (Unless, of course, you want that effect.)

It doesn't take much effort or expense to try variations of bare bulb placement in the environment you're working in. Testing will show you exactly what you'll get, and perhaps get you thinking about ways to make it work better for you.

Lee

 

[jd callow]

With a bounce card and no reflector or diffuser on the bulb/tube it is possible to get very stark and wonderful direct and back lighting.

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

Thanks. I always tried to avoid using flash. But I'm thinking of a new series outdoor at night with strong (or sharp) light. I'm interested by that all direction light but being outdoor might render it useless... Need to test for sure and get it first..! I can add a reflector if it doesn't work.

 

[Lee L]

Outdoors, with nothing to bounce off, bare bulb flash will mostly be a very small source, used very inefficiently. The further it is from the subject, the more of a point source it becomes because its angular size shrinks. Stars are pretty large in absolute terms, but are mostly far enough away to appear as point sources.

Putting the flash tube in a small reflector (a standard 5-7 inch parabolic is common for studio systems) the source becomes a bit larger than bare bulb, so shadow edges are a bit softer than bare bulb, but not a lot, and efficiency goes way up. Again, it's pretty easy and inexpensive to try it and see what you like.

Lee

 

[Trask]

In the late 1960's, I had a Braun "Hobby" flash unit, the kind with a shoulder-carrier wet-cell battery pack, and a separate head that mounted on a bracket on the camera. The neat thing about the head was that the reflector rotated on the stick-like handle and bulb, so you could vary the focal point of the flash vis a vis the reflector parabola. AND you could just pull the reflector off and use the flash bare bulb. I always liked the results of the bare bulb flash for the reason cited above: the light went everywhere and created a shadowless kind of look. About 15 years ago Sunpack had the 120J flash unit that could also be used bare bulb -- that one I never got to try, but I'd like to find a used one to experiment with.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

If you want a hard look at night, this a Norman head with a plain 5" reflector--

I think with barebulb outdoors, you're just going to lose a lot of the light without a reflector.

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

I need a reflector...
Thanks !

 

[jd callow]

and maybe to experiment.

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

Experimentation... added to the list.