Portraits Using the Bowens Octo 90
This was a slightly unusual headshot session, Malu visited our Exeter photography studio at the weekend for a headshot portrait but we agreed that I would use the session to test my new Bowens Octo 90 lighting modifier.
Bowens Octo 90
To the uninitiated the Octo probably looks like a brolly but the strobe head is mounted internally making the unit very efficient. The front diffuser if added makes for round catchlights although I don’t get overly hung up about catchlight shape. Although not pushed as such by Bowens the Octo appears close to parabolic in form which allows for a great blend of soft light without becoming bland, there’s also a good a degree of directional control that is useful.
Although the smaller of the two Octos this is still a large modifier but manageable in a confined space.
The images of Malu show the Octo being used with and without the front diffusion, I’ll leave you to work out which is which; the latter of course makes for more specular highlights.
Malu was really interesting to chat with, her São Paulo home-town (town?) being so different to Exeter (city?) there was much to discuss and I’m really pleased with these shots although as ever though I now how more questions to ask of the modifier.
I have to add that I’m also really impressed with the Bowens RC3 controller which works like a dream and looks to transform my studio experience, I managed to pick one up on Ebay recently and it works like a dream.
