Hobolite
When I got back to the studio, the first thing I needed to figure out was what type of lighting I wanted to use. I started with the Westcott system, which works wonderfully. I was on YouTube and saw Joseph's review of the Hobolite. I was amazed by the build quality. Joe started talking about all the minor details Hobolite added to their creator kit, and I knew I needed to get my hands on their lights. I spoke to Joe online about it, and he said he would get me in contact with the team at Hobolite. That same week, I was at an event in NYC for Jason's photowalk at the new Leica Meatpacking location that had just opened up. The group decided to hang out afterward, and while we were hanging out, I was able to meet Kiran in person for the first time. I didn’t get to speak to her one-on-one, but I reached out via email, and later that week, I was able to get a Pro and Avant on loan to test out. I was so excited and opened everything that same day.
When it comes to new technology or products, I’m like a kid in a candy shop. The following week, I had a shoot at a speakeasy in Center City, Philadelphia. I thought it was the best time to test out the new lights because I needed powerful lights for a dark environment, and I needed lights that could last at least one hour. Both the Pro and Avant creator kits come with V-mount batteries. This was my first time using V-mount batteries, and they last for a very long time.
I used both the Avant and Pro for these photos.
Here are some photos from that night:
Here are some frames from the first time using the lights in the studio. I believe I used just the Pro. The first thing I noticed was that even the Pro 300w isn’t enough to light up a scene with a lot of daylight, which is fine when I’m in the studio because I can block out all the natural light coming in through the windows.
After using both the Avant and the Pro, I had a few questions. I had the opportunity to meet with the CEO of Hobolite, Helena. That alone made my year because it was the first time I ever had the chance to meet with a company’s CEO to discuss the things I liked and the things I was confused about. The conversation was about more than just light; it was about how the only thing that matters in this world is whether you can tell a story. She helped me redefine what it means to be a content creator. We also talked about the number one thing that matters after finding a great story: lighting. If you take enough photos, you realize light is the most important thing to a scene. While cameras are capable of going to high ISO, nothing will beat using the right lighting. I left the conversation inspired.
I then realized I should try to document life more, either in photo or video format. Here are some photos I took around the house with my fiancée hand modeling:
The next thing I realized is that my Lumix has been starting to collect dust. This was the next thing the Hobolite opened up for me during my studio shoots. I can now shoot video during my sessions. Here are some videos:
Here are some of my favorite photos taken with the Hobolite:
In conclusion, I’ve been enjoying using Hobolite. I now use the Avant for all my studio sessions. I don’t keep the Hobolites in the studio, so I travel with the Avant, which is the perfect size to carry around. I bought the Bowens mount adapter, and all the modifiers I have in the studio I can use easily. I do wish the Pro was a bit lighter, but I understand that with the type of build quality Hobolite is providing, the weight makes sense. I use the Pro whenever I have more than one subject in the frame. A few things I hope to see soon are more modifiers to help shape light, like an optical spot. I know because of the heat output they don’t sell any gels yet, but I hope to see some soon.
P.S. - I now own the new Iris and will have a review once I use it more. All Frames were taken with the Leica SL3.