A camera alone in a dark room is of no good use. After all, photography in itself means capturing light. Having the right lighting setup and knowing how to use them as per your need is extremely important. The right lighting helps set the look of the shot but one of the biggest challenges when it comes to lighting is knowing how to control them. 

Irrespective of whether you are a hobbyist or a professional, lighting can make or break your picture. There are a lot of choices with light control tools available in the market like diffusers, reflectors, snoots, softboxes, gels, and filters to name a few. 

Light Control Accessories

Lighting tools can be used in various ways to control the source of light. It might be confusing to figure out the use of each accessory. These are few ways you can control light:

What is a Snoot?

A speedlite, sometimes referred to as a flashgun, is a portable flash often used as an off-camera light source. Although speedlites are not as powerful as continuous video light or strobes they are definitely portable making it a hassle-free lighting tool to carry around. 

With the help of a simple speedlite holder mounted onto any compatible stand, you can achieve great results. An additional speedlite snoot can help you get a dramatic theatrical look by shooting a single beam of strong light onto your subject. 

What are camera and lens Filters?

There are different types of gels used for varied purposes. Lighting gels are used to adjust the color of the light source opening a whole new array of visually stunning photographs. In a lighting kit they usually come in four colors- green, blue, red, and yellow: 

Another type of filter is used to reduce exposure, spread the light evenly, and soften it in varying measurements. This is achieved using a diffuser lens filter. Used in diffusion filter photography, they lift contrast and create glowing effects in a scene. 

What is a Honeycomb Grid?

A softbox or an octabox is used in photography to soften the source of light. It reduces harsh shadows and increases the size of a smaller light source. Because of its versatility, it is considered a workhorse in photography.

A honeycomb grid often used as a softbox filter as well as a filter to the snoot. With a snoot, it reduces the spot effect on the subject. While using the grid with a softbox it blocks the spillage of light and guides it in the desired direction

Explain 4-way barndoor set

A barndoor comes in a variety of sizes to suit the wide range of light sources. A barndoor is nothing but four hinged doors set around the light. It does not affect the hardness or the softness of the light but shapes it.