What is a snoot?

What is a snoot and what kind of lighting effects is it used for? Do just add one on to an existing strobe, or do you have to buy a new strobe. Wait, lemme guess...you have to buy a totally new strobe, because everything uw photo is expensive.

Anybody out there have some examples of images that were made using a snoot?

It is anything you use (tipically cone shaped) to cut the light of your strobe and illuminate part frame and leave the rest tipically black or only illuminated with natural light. It is also useful to not light the backscatter in front or behind the subject. It is an add-on piece to any strobe and you can use anything (top of plastic bottles etc...) or buy them made; now there are new expensive ones that include lenses to concentrate the light, but are very specific etc...

You don't have to spend a lot of money to play with snoots. I made one out of an old wetsuit sleeve, a paint can top and a bunch of drinking straws. The only hard part was sitting at the bar long enough to collect all the straws.

Snoot-3 by Jaw's Dad, on Flickr

Snoot-2 by Jaw's Dad, on Flickr

Cheers,

Steve

Thanks for the replies. I'm off to the bar! I gotta get one of these for lembeh at the end of the month

So how do you aim it before taking the shot?

You can use the aiming light on your 125s or if they don't work anymore attach a small light to get an aimpoint. It might work nicely to use a snoot like this in combo with your other strobe acting as a little fill from the side on the sand at Lembeh.

You can also take out the grid (plastic straws) and use just the sleeve for a little wider light;

Snoot-1 by Jaw's Dad, on Flickr

Have fun with it in Lembeh but recommend you practise in the pool before you go so you can dial it in. The grid will cut the strobe power by about half.

Cheers,

Steve

Check out this thread from 2011. I used the info from this one to make my own snoot - just like they did - and it worked well. It does not take much money - mine cost about $20.00. And I was able to make 2 sizes of snoot for that cost.

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=44179&hl=%2Bhomemade+%2Bsnoot&do=findComment&comment=296738

Here is a close focus wide angle shot I took with my homemade snoot.

Have fun. Looking forward to seeing pics with your soon to be new toy - Pam

A snoot is a frustrating piece of equipment that makes strobe photography even more difficult and is often manufactured by obsessive divers with too much time on their hands...

... besides which: who needs a snoot?

There are no snoots in my bag!

Don't worry about Tim Matt, some of us are still working on getting our subjects to be right side up. But this statement is sadly absolutely factual and well said;

"A snoot is a frustrating piece of equipment that makes strobe photography even more difficult and is often manufactured by obsessive divers with too much time on their hands..."

May I quote you Tim?

Cheers,

Steve