The Original OctoDome

Choosing the right light for you

The basic rule of thumb for choosing a specific light for a photograph is to match the area you wish to cover with the size of the soft box. Simply put, if your image area is 3x3 feet, your soft box should be a least three feet in one of its dimensions.

The OctoDome comes in three sizes, a 3-foot, a 5-foot and a 7-foot, so there is a soft box size to fit any of your portrait needs from headshots to full length fashion. In use, the 3-foot gives perfect coverage for “head shots” or classic head and shoulder portraits, the 5-foot covers the 3/4-length portrait, and the 7-foot is a fantastic soft box for full-length shots.

Setting up an OctoDome

To assemble the OctoDome you will need an OctoConnector for your lighting system. Photoflex makes a connector for all the major manufacturers of flash gear, so finding the right one is generally not an issue. (Visit the Strobe Connector page on photoflex.com and click on "strobe connector chart" to find the connector for your strobe light.)

Once you have the connector for your system follow these simple steps to assemble the OctoDome (figures 1-15)

Note: For this section, we used the 3-foot OctoDome. For the 5 and 7 foot boxes use the same procedure.

Grip the connector with the light attachment facing back, then take one rod and insert into the connector (figure 1).

Insert the second rod into the connector opposite the first rod, to find the proper rod, from the first rod count out 4 rods the fourth one is the proper one (figure 2).

Next, go back the rod number 2 from figure 2 and insert it into the illustrated hole (figure 3).

Following the same pattern insert the fourth rod opposite the third one (figure 4).

Continue with this pattern until all the rods have been installed into the connector (figure 5).

With the OctoDome now assembled we can attach it to our strobe light.

Align the connector with the flash head (figure 6).

Insert the connector onto the head and lock it into place (figure 7).

Next, we attach the back cowling onto the OctoDome.

Align the Velcro® strips on the soft box with the strip on the cowling and work your way around the strobe head until it is sealed (figures 8 and 9).

Now we will install the inner baffle. On the interior of the OctoDome you will find 8 Velcro loops located on the rod seams. Attach the Velcro strip on the baffle to the Velcro loop on the OctoDome (figures 10 and 11).

To complete the assembly, install the front diffusion onto the soft box. The diffusion for this product attaches differently than the rest of the Photoflex line, this cover goes on like a shower cap. First, find a corner on the cover and line it up with a corner on the soft box (figure 12).

Slip the cover onto the soft box by working your way around the perimeter of the OctoDome (figures 13 and 14).

Figure 15 shows the 3-foot OctoDome assembled and ready to shoot.

The OctoDome in use: Scenario 1 - Indoor Portrait

The following demonstration shows a 5-foot OctoDome used to light an interior portrait. The goals here were to get a soft light from a medium sized soft box and to balance our exposure with the natural light in the windows.

Once we had the soft box and light attached to the light stand, we set it to camera right. We then took a meter reading of the ambient light coming through the windows in the background and set the up the power output on the flash unit to match (figure 16).

Next, we set the exposure on the camera to hold detail in the windows and get the proper light levels on the subject and shot a photo (figure 17).

To fill in the shadows on the subject, we added a 32-inch MultiDisc attached to a LiteDisc Holder with the soft gold cover aimed at the model (figures 18 and 19).

With our fill reflector in place we moved the camera in, framed our shot for the result, and shot an image (figure 20).

With just one light and a LiteDisc, we have created a lovely casual in-home portrait. This same set up and technique can be applied to many professional situations such as executive portraits for annual reports and the like.

The OctoDome in use: Scenario 2 - Outdoor Portrait

The picture on the right was shot using only existing natural light. The exposure for the background is fine, yet there is not nearly enough light on the subject (figure 21).

We set up our 5-foot OctoDome with a battery operated strobe to light our bride (figures 22 and 23).

The result shows a dramatic improvement over the previous shot. The bride's face and dress are beautifully exposed with soft light and she is lit evenly from head to toe (figure 24).

We added a reflector to the right of the subject (figure 25). This reflected the sunlight back onto the bride creating a nice rim light.

This picture shows the effect of the reflector on the right side of the bride (figure 26). The strobe on the OctoDome was not fired on this shot to better show the effect of the reflector.

This rim light adds definition and nice separation of the subject from the background.

The main strobe was turned back on for our final shot. The positioning of the strobe light and the reflector are shown below (figures 27 and 28).

We now have a nicely lit portrait with good detail in the highlights and shadows (figure 29). There is also good separation of the subject from the background.

The OctoDome in use: Scenario 3 - Clamshell Portraits

The OctoDome is a great soft box for shooting "clamshell" lighting style portraits. This is a very popular method of lighting used in glamour photography.

A 5-foot OctoDome is set overhead and angled slightly in front of our subject (figure 30). The light and soft box assembly is set in position on a Boom and BoomStand.

This main light produces beautifully soft, wrap-around light. The model is lit nicely with great detail in her hair (figure 31).

We can brighten up the shadows under her eyes by reflecting light back into her face from below. We used an Oval LiteDisc for the reflector.

Figure 32 shows how the main light and reflector fill are positioned on the set. Notice how the two appear almost hinged together, hence the "clamshell" style of lighting. The camera is pointed at the model from between the two pieces of lighting gear.

This simple lighting solution can provide wonderful results. Our final image is brightly lit with minimal shadows cast (figure 33).

With our clamshell lighting set up, we took a picture of another model. The first shot is made using only the main overhead light (figure 34).

Again, we have a great starting point for this portrait. The hair and face are nicely lit, yet we have some facial shadows to fix (figure 35).

The reflector fill Oval LiteDisc was placed back in position to reflect light from below (figure 36).

This image shows why this style of lighting is called "clamshell".

Again, the shadows on her face and neck are now lit beautifully (figure 37).

The OctoDome in use: Scenario 4 - A Full Length Portrait

Again, once we had the soft box and light assembly put together, we placed it on the set just to the right of the camera, lifted it to 7 feet, and tipped it down to about a 45-degree angle (figure 38).

We had our assistant place a mark on the ground where our model would be in the final shot. We then checked the ambient light level with our meter and set the OctoDome's power to match so that we would get the street lights in the background to glow.

With all the basic elements in place, we asked our model to the set and had her walk across the mark and we shot a photo (figure 39).

Our result shows we nailed the exposure. We have the glow of the lights in the background we wanted. However, the lighting is on the flat side, so we decided to add a LitePanel Kit to the set to add some dimension to the lighting solution. Once we had the LitePanel frame assembled and attached to a light stand, we installed the white/soft gold cover with the soft gold side facing the set (figures 40 and 41).

With the fill in place, we propped our model with a wine bottle and a glass and had her make some test passes through the set. Once we were happy with her look and moves, we started shooting the final images (figure 42).

As with most of the rules of photography, these are not set in stone, this only a guideline to start with. Once you become comfortable with the gear, let your creative side run wild and break some rules.

The important thing to consider is that a light smaller than the desired coverage area will produce an image with more contrast, and a light larger than the coverage area will give results that are softer and flatter.

So with this information in mind go out and bend some rules, and above all, have fun doing it!