The Gary Fong Lightsphere is either the bread and butter of a photographer or the bane of their existence depending on whom you talk to and how long the person has been in the industry. That’s why we’re expecting lots of mixed reactions about the latest additions to the system.

 

Snoot Collapsible

I’ve got to admit, the Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible was a genius idea. Though mine lives in a beauty dish at the moment, the company has unveiled their collapsible snoot. Like any other snoot, it takes the existing light from your flash and narrows it. Fong had a snoot before that was built like a baseball bat, but the fact that there is now a collapsible version might mean that you get some extra room in your camera bag.

Best of all, the snoot lid comes off, so maybe you could try my hack with it and aim the item at your subject for some interesting directional quality.

Use snoots a lot for creative portraits or for studio product photos? Get ready to throw down $49.95 for one.

Colored Domes/Gels

All Lightspheres need a dome; and the fact that the domes were interchangeable were a major strength for the system. But they were previously only available in opaque and amber. Now, you can carry almost a roll of lifesavers in your bag: to clarify, there are a bunch more colors. The new colors are red, green, gray (for you to achieve better white balance), and blue. These additions can be used pretty creatively in the same way that one would use gels.

The kit is available for $24.95.