Outdoor portraits with the Rotalux Go

The Rotalux Go is a great range of Softboxes. It’s quick to set up, convenient, and fun to use. In combination with an Elinchrom ONE, Anthony experimented a simple outdoor setup for outstanding results.

As a photographer, I’m curious and always aware of the newest products, most times the ones I can’t afford, but as a reasonable person, I often look for the best quality-price report.

The Rotalux Go Softboxes fit right into this.

What is the Rotalux Go range?

The Rotalux Go is the perfect match between a quick setup like folding an umbrella and the quality of the renowned Rotalux range.

When you work with lights, you know that shape and size matter, but when working on location and being reactive in any situation, you must have the easiest and most reliable equipment.

The Elinchrom Rotalux Go is the best option for my daily on-location work.
Lightweight, foldable, and fully equipped with a diffusion layer and grid. I’m ready to shoot in a blink of an eye, and I can adjust my set very quickly without assistance. It’s easy to carry, quick to set, and efficient!

Thanks to this light shaper, I’m ready to shoot quality photos in no time.

The challenge:
Outdoor with 1x ONE + 1x Octa

I challenged myself with the type of photography I love and usually master: outdoor portraits with artificial light. But this time, no large Umbrellas, like I’m used to, and no extra power. Just two Elinchrom ONEs and the Rotalux Go Octa 60 cm.

And to keep it challenging, the photoshoot took place on a mainly sunny and hot day.

​3 spots, 3 moods

I want to experiment and explore, so I opted for 3 different styles to avoid something linear, and I wanted to give my model something she could use for her portfolio. 

Spot 1: The City

In the center of my hometown, between city hall and library, at 2 pm, the worst time ever for portraits. But hey, aren’t we here to challenge ourselves?
I started to deploy the gear, an Elinchrom ONE, slightly on the side of the model, with the Rotalux Go Octa attached. 

Opening up the softbox couldn’t be easier. You just have to put it on the ground and push the center part to unfold the Octa like an Umbrella. It comes with a diffusion layer and a grid. Everything you would need to work with is already there.

To get set, you just have to lock the OCF Adapter (or the Profoto Adapter)
to the Rotalux Go Octa, put it on the ONE, light it up, and that’s it!

A couple of minutes to adjust the exposure and go. In 15 minutes, I had what I needed to start working, and after battling with the sun, which played hide and seeks for one hour, I delivered a bunch of unique portraits.

Spot 2: The Countryside

Let’s go to the countryside with the sun at the back and still powerful. Here the challenge will be to overpower enough and have a visible sky, all with a ONE and the Rotalux Go Octa! 

There are several ways to achieve this, but it’s twice challenging: 

1. 1. Having enough power to balance the exposure between the model and the sky. 
   2. Keep the aperture for a clear and readable sky.
      

Yes, I had to push the Elinchrom ONE to its limits and keep the Rotalux Go Octa close enough to the model to light her properly.

The ONE was set up on a stand, with the Rotalux Go Octa attached to the unit.
I removed the outer diffusion layer to gain the most power and started shooting. The challenge was accepted, and within a few minutes, I had two dozen images properly exposed and ready for the selection process.

Spot 3: The Skatepark

It’s time to enjoy the twilight on metal and wood structures and play with two Elinchrom ONEs inside a skatepark. One with the Rotalux Go Octa for the model and a second bare-bulb unit on its own to create a rim and flare on the side.

The first unit faces the model, slightly above her, with the Octa, this time with a diffusion layer for smooth and gentle light. Putting the diffusion layer on is very easy. You have Velcro inside the box and just have to put it all around. It’s a 30-second process. Once the diffusion layer is set, a couple of test shots to adjust the exposure, and the model can move and express while you trigger as long as you want to get the images you need.

Moving around with a ONE and the Rotalux Go was straightforward and natural. Everything is lightweight and easy to adjust. The only difficulty was to secure the unit with the wind on the tripod, but besides that, you can be ready in 4 minutes!

I was happily surprised by the quality of the light. Despite the size of the Octa, I could light the face and the upper body properly without any light loss. I was as happy as the model when she saw the images!