Westcott Apollo 28" Softbox

Yesterday I picked up a Westcott Apollo 28" Softbox.   It's really a neat modifier.  I'll be testing it out over the next few days and posting images as they come.  Here is the first photo I did with it.  (It seems I've been shooting right at dusk lately and getting these super dark images.


This photograph is of my father outside in front of my car. I was looking for somewhere interesting to test out the new softbox


Right now my lighting modifiers are a couple of 40" Umbrellas and a Photek Softlighter II 40". The Softlighter is a great tool, but it can be a pain to set up (have to get the cover's rings over each umbrella rib nub and take it halfway off each time you want to make a power adjustment. The Apollo is pretty easy in that regard with Velcro and fast zippers.

The Apollo also came with this metal stick / pole that has an umbrella shaft sized hole at the end. It turns out that it is a mounting unit to allow better movement of the box. 





It also makes the flash point up with the controls sticking out of the bottom. I'm thinking of turning the flash so I can easily change power settings and point the flash head up into the box.  


All in all, it's a pretty cool modifier and I'll be using it for awhile over the next few months to really get to know it. I may also pick up a 60" umbrella to replace one of my aging 40" ones.