What is the best type of hair light

[shoful]

I am looking to add a new hair light.

Can anyone give me suggestions as to what they are using. My studio ceiling is only 7ft.

I have ben using a strobe with and without grid. Would a strip light be good?

Thank's

 

[Keith Z Leonard]

I've been a photovision subscriber for a number of years and the most common light used for hair lights that I've seen in every single studio tour is a strip softbox with a grid mounted to the ceiling. Hope that helps.

 

[Carsten Pauer 2]

My studio ceiling is only 7ft.

Test a simple LED Stripe Light.

 

[DuaneV]

I use everything from softboxes to umbrellas, striplights to beauty dishes. It all depends on the look I want to achieve. As far as your 7' ceiling height, youre REALLY limiting yourself & it'll be a tight fit with anything AAANNND you wont be able to do any shots standing.

 

[Super16mman]

I am looking to add a new hair light.

Can anyone give me suggestions as to what they are using. My studio ceiling is only 7ft.

I have ben using a strobe with and without grid. Would a strip light be good?

Thank's

Mini LED panels work pretty well.

 

[lightcatcher2014]

I use DYI snood from cardboard and aluminum foil inside. Then DYI grid from black drinking straws to get very localized light.

Place this above and behind your subject. 1/16 or 1/32 flash power usually gives you good hair light

and separation from the backdrop.

HTH

 

[Keith Z Leonard]

Nice, can we get a picture of the setup??

 

[Sailor Blue]

I am looking to add a new hair light.

Can anyone give me suggestions as to what they are using. My studio ceiling is only 7ft.

I have ben using a strobe with and without grid. Would a strip light be good?

Thank's

As you can see different people have different solutions.

My solution is to pick the light that fits the subject and what I want to achieve. Like DuaneV said, that might be anything. It could be a naked hot-shoe flash, a gridded/barn doored hot-shoe flash, a gridded/barn doored strobe, a strip softbox, or a beauty dish.

You want the color temperature of the hair light to match the other lights so it is a good idea to buy the same type and brand of light. I would avoid mixing types of lights because their color temperatures may not match. LED and fluorescent lights don't give accurate color renditions like flash and strobes. Even hot-shoe flash units tend to be 600K-900K higher in color temperature than studio strobes but that is easy to fix with a 1/8 CTO gel.

If you only have two lights now then it is a good idea to buy another light that is identical to those you already have so it can act as a backup in case one that you already have fails.