Bang for the Buck: Lumiquest Big Bounce

Yes, you can DIY something very similar to the Lumiquest Big Bounce, but I’m glad I paid out the money to get mine. When you’re working in a studio, you’re often working with giant softboxes or umbrellas, double-diffused, and giving off soft, gorgeous light. When you’re running and gunning, there’s no way that’s going to happen. When I’m running around shooting, I love using the Nikon CLS system, with my camera in one hand, and a strobe with the Big Bounce in the other.

I originally purchased the Big Bounce for my trip to India. I was in India for 10 days, and all I had was one carry-on backpack. The Big Bounce folds flat, and slid right into my bag, meaning that I could rely on having that soft portrait light with me wherever I was on my trip. If I hadn’t had it, I would have left the strobe at home.

Since then, I’ve used it a lot. You can tell. Those style-improving spots and stylish electrical tape don’t come standard. If you’re an event shooter, or a David Hobby fan looking to experiment with a few light modifiers, I really recommend one of these.