I can describe a “Beauty Dish” as a special reflector originally used for portrait photography. Due to its construction, the light is not thrown directly at the model but indirectly. This allows me to ensure a perfect light curve.
A beauty dish is used together with a flashlight or a quartz lamp. The flash first hits the centrally arranged parabolic reflector. From there, the light is dissipated into the further, flat-formed reflector bowl. I find it particularly interesting that the Beauty Dish produces a harder core of light in the middle, which leads to a weakening light curve to the outside.
Advantageously, the hard and soft light combination results in an interesting and high-contrast light characteristic. The higher the quality of artistry, the better photo results I get. A beautiful dish has a diameter of at least 50 cm. The inner coating is silver or white. A silver inner coating gives a slightly harder light overall, a white coating, correspondingly, a softer light. These devices are equipped with an adapter for recording a flashlight device in the middle.
Where can it be used?
Most fashion and portrait photography photographers no longer want to be without a beauty dish. Especially in glamour and beauty photography, the best results are achieved. Nowadays, many people also use a beauty dish in their free time or at family celebrations. I would recommend this light shaper for wedding photographs.
Beauty dish or softbox?
A beauty dish closes the gap between a traditional softbox and a standard reflector. A softbox also represents a light shaper. These are often referred to as light tubs, as they present themselves in a rectangular or octagonal shape and can be several cubic meters in size. With a softbox, I can also achieve very uniform illumination and reduce shadows. However, in contrast to a beautiful dish, a softbox does not reach a core light but only casts a gentle transition into the shadows. The contrast between harder and softer light is missing in a softbox. A softbox is usually operated by a separate spotlight and not by a flash.
The benefits and drawbacks of a beauty dish
The Benefits of the Beauty Dish
- A softbox is much smaller than a softbox.
- There is a good contrast between the harder core and the soft outdoor light.
- Perfect results for glamour and beauty photography.
The Disadvantages of the Beauty Dish
- Sometimes there is no contrast in the light course.
- The shooting distance is slightly smaller than when using a softbox.
- Luminous efficacy is lower than with a softbox.
Result
When it comes to professional glamour and beauty photography, I can fully recommend Beauty Dish. These reflectors and light shapers are much more compact than conventional softboxes. They can be easily used with a flashlight or a quartz lamp. I liked the balanced contrast between the harder core light and the outwardly even, weakening light. Both the Beauty Dish and the Softbox are priced equally. Entry-level models are available for as little as 20 euros. Good professional equipment costs up to 150 euros. As already shown, softboxes only provide a soft overall light. A beautiful dish adds a little contrast.
