Umbrella
A collapsible reflective or translucent modifier that spreads light quickly and cheaply over a wide area.
Measured in
cm
In depth
A shoot-through umbrella fires light through white fabric, giving very soft but widely spilling light; a reflective one bounces it back, which is more efficient and slightly more directional. Neither offers the containment of a softbox, so umbrellas are excellent for filling a room and poor for precise control.
Examples in practice
A shoot-through umbrella close to a group lights six people evenly, at the cost of bouncing light off every nearby wall.