Chimera Frame Kits
A Chimera frame with different fabrics is one of the most indispensable, yet affordable, pieces of kit a photographer can own.
These are lightweight aluminium collapsable frames which can be set up and taken down in seconds. They fold down to a small size and require no tools, meaning that frame kits are just as useful on location as in the studio. A frame with different fabrics is the multi-tool of your lighting kit with different fabrics being used in different situations.
A white/black fabric is used in much the same way as a poly board. The silver / gold fabrics are super charged reflectors, bouncing as much light as possible.
Frames are probably most often used with a diffusion fabric, or scrim, fitted to create a similar effect to a softbox. Outdoors, an assistant or a stand will hold the frame with a diffusion fabric fitted between the Sun and the subject so that the hard light of the Sun becomes even and diffused. In the studio a frame with fabric will be positioned between the flash head and the subject.
While many of us love softboxes, they do have one distinct limitation. That is that the distance between the flash and the front diffusion panel is fixed. Light is controlled by the height, width and distance of the source of illumination, so being able to change the distance between the light source and diffusion fabric is a distinct advantage over softboxes where the only variable factor is the distance between the front diffuser and the subject, ie. moving the softbox further away.
This sort of versatility is really fantastic for the creative photographer working with a limited budget.
The image below shows a very simple still-life lighting setup where the use of a diffusion frame really makes the image.
Chimera collapsable frames are available in a variety of sizes including 4x4ft, 4x6ft and 6x6ft. Prices for frames start from around $200 and fabrics from around $75 each.
Contact sales@kingsize.co.nz if you would like more information about Chimera products.