We ended last semester using self-contained studio strobe units. This semester we will use pack & head systems.

A wide variety of studio lighting equipment is available to photographers. Light sources fall into one of two categories, continuous or strobe. Both have benefits and drawbacks.

Continuous light sources are beginner friendly as the photographer can see what they are getting without surprises. In the studio, continuous artificial light sources are exposed and controlled like natural light sources, allowing photographers to transition easily between still and motion capture.

But continuous light sources are deceptively low in output. Before LED lighting systems, artificial continuous light sources were too dim to photograph people. Ironically, more powerful modern LED light systems have outputs capable of use with portrait photography, but their intensity is uncomfortable for most people. For these reasons, photographers typically use studio strobes for portrait and fashion shoots.

Electronic studio strobes produce artificial lighting by releasing an electronic discharge in a xenon-filled tube. A single tube can produce a large number of flashes. Strobes produce a short, bright burst of light. When synced with the camera, the strobe flash fires simultaneously with the shutter and makes the exposure.