So, hello. I’m Scott Hartwick, Phoenix based photographer and we’re here at Parkwood Studios here today to demonstrate the Westcott Zeppelin 47 inch parabolic modifier. And joining me today is Lindsey. Say hi, Lindsey.
And so, we’re gonna do several things today. This has four different ways you can set the modifier, but we’re gonna show you and shoot with Lindsey all four ways to give you an idea of just how versatile this modifier is. Okay, so here we see the Zeppelin with full diffusion panels in place. Next step from this is to pull one level off and just show you the internal one. This is, will be one stop rider to begin with and you’re starting to see how the lights are gonna give us a more punchy look.
The nice thing about this one is this inner diffusion panel has one stop here. This two stops here to even it out so you don’t get that hot spot in the center. And the final step for this, the most hard light and the punchiest light is to pull this off. And so, that’s how the modifier looks. With the diffusion you can see the light in there. You see all this nice, smooth, silver surface. It makes an incredible light source.
So, this is the back side of the modifier with the light installed. This is standard configuration and you’re seeing the modifier attached to this mounting yoke. The reason for the mounting yoke is this is a fairly heavy modifier and the 47 and the 59, it’s recommended. What you have is you have a light mounted to the modifier, the modifier mounted to the bracket. And so, that way you don’t have to have all the way to this modifier on this small device here. It would break whether it’s plastic or metal, it’s going to break.
We’re using today, we’re using an Einstein light, it’s mounted with a Balcar speed ring. There’s a couple different speed rings available for whichever light you desire to use.
What we’ve done is we’ve taken out the first level of diffusion off the modifier and we’ve lowered one stop to make sure that the exposure is still correct, that first level of diffusion takes away one stop of light.
The final step for this modifier is to actually take the light off of the back, place the mounting bracket. You put a silver diffuser that snaps into the hole and you have a light that shines in just like an umbrella.
So far, we’ve done three fairly conventional set ups. We’ve done a full diffusion, which is two layers of diffusion. We’ve shot with one layer of diffusion, the inner layer. And we’ve also shot with no diffusion as a standard modifier. Now we’ve switched the device over to a focusable light where the light is now the inside and it’s firing in like a conventional umbrella.
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We will focus the mounting arm. Just loosen this one nut right here. Slide the rod back and forth to change the effect of the light. When we shoot with this, we’ll take it over to a white wall, shoot against a white wall. You’ll see not only how the light affects her skin tone and how it looks on her, but the shadows that you’ll get against the wall.
The Westcott Zeppelin comes in three different sizes. There’s a 35 inch, the 47, which is this one, and also a larger 
59 inch. For me, this one’s the most versatile. It can be used as a really large light source or it could be used as a smaller light source depending on how close or far away you are.
The main reason to get a parabolic umbrella versus a regular soft box is the shape of the modifier itself and how it focuses and directs the light. Thanks everybody for watching. I’d like to thank Westcott for providing this modifier to us. I’d like to thank our model, Lindsey. Say goodbye, Lindsey.
See all you guys in the next video.
Westcott Corporate Website for the Zeppelin: https://www.fjwestcott.com/shop/light-modifiers/zeppelin
Scott Hartwick Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/fezonphotography
Lindsey Lockwood Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/littlelindsee
Jerry O’Connor video website: https://www.joconnor.co/video
Jerry’s Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/jerry_oconnor
Photography Adventure Club: https://captureschool.net
Photo Adventure Club Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/photoadventureclub/
Parkwood Studios: http://parkwoodstudio.com/
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