Why I'm Loving the Godox P90L Parabolic Softbox
For a long time, I steered clear of using artificial light as an accessory to my imagery. If I’m being honest, most of it probably had a lot to do with my fear of something more challenging but also had a lot to do with my genuine love for natural light, the way we see things in real life and the ability to inflate reality.
There have been a few different times at which I attempted to play with light but the result was so farfetched from my expectations that I abandoned it up on multiple occasions. One of my favorite moments was back at Raza’s studio with Valencia. I had used light with Daniel Nathan, while shooting with Zola as well. What I couldn’t grasp in those times, both out of misunderstanding how to properly create with light and a mixture of lack of inspiration, was how to replicate as natural of a light source as possible while still allowing myself to get creative with angles. This second time around, I’m really dedicating myself to a serious process of throwing away all structure and re-finding a technique that I believe will suit what I aim to create.
Through watching Instagram these past 8 months and in all of the studying that I have done over the past 2 years, my eyes have opened to a new way to use light to paint scenes. One of the biggest things that draw me to lifestyle photography is the concept of a full scene instead of just a small portrait in a portion of said scene, that’s why a lot of my work plays on the dynamics of depth & scale. Artists like Hana Zebzabi (@hanazebzabi) or Lou Escobar (@lou__escobar) use light to play up the exaggeration and distortion of reality. Having the chance to create an abstracted portrayal of how some of us, as photographers, see the world. I’m becoming more and more interested in creating full scenes that tell stories and further pull on the heart strings of an audience, whether dramatic or freeing.
I’ve only owned 2 sets of light sources in my time as a photographer, one being a cheap Amazon light setup that ended up breaking in the breakdown process during one of my early shoots. The other, is the Godox P90L Parabolic Softbox that I am currently using for my BARE Collection.
As far as longevity goes, the Godox brand is still relatively young being only 26 years into the business of light but in that time, they seem to have carved out a niche that works well for their intended demographic, professional photographers on a budget. The P90L cost me about $80 USD which for the many uses that I am able to utilize it and at the level of quality I get from it, is a steal. It works well outdoors and indoors, as I use a Type-S Speed Ring paired with a Type-S Speedlite adapter so that it remains as portable as possible, opening up a wide range of possibilities.
I have seen videos of photographers using the P90L on the beach, in busy cities and a plethora of other outdoor locations where the Softbox shines like no other. Practically, the usage is what makes the $80 price range such a value buy. When it comes to setup and breakdown, like any Softbox, the P90L is as easy as can be; insert a few rods in a few places and you’ve got yourself a light setup that will last until you’re ready to breakdown. Again, you couldn’t ask for a simpler way to accomplish your lighting goals.
