Few light shapers are as versatile as the P70 standard reflector. Used bare, it throws crisp, punchy light that sculpts form and draws clean, hard-edged shadows. Add a grid, barn doors or a colour filter, and the same reflector becomes a spotlight, a band of light or a colour wash.

Below we look at how the reflector and its accessories control light. Then broncolor ambassador Tomas Brazzi shows how he put the system to work on five creative shoots at Brazzi Studios in Vilnius.

What makes the P70 a studio workhorse

• Efficiency. Its parabolic profile directs the light forward instead of losing it to the sides. A joule is not just a joule – the right reflector puts more of your flash power on the subject.
• Even coverage. The finely textured interior spreads the light evenly across the full 70° beam. With a focusable lamp such as Pulso G, you can add a controlled centre emphasis.
• A modular front. Grids, barn doors, opal diffusers and colour filters attach directly, turning one reflector into a complete lighting toolkit.

The character of hard light. Next to a softbox, the P70 is a small source. That means crisp shadow edges, strong contrast and visible texture – ideal for graphic fashion images and for shadows that become part of the composition.

How grids shape the light

A grid narrows the beam. It lets through only the light that travels nearly straight ahead and blocks the rays that would spread to the sides. The result is a smaller, defined pool of light with darker surroundings.

Two rules help you choose a grid:

• Finer grid, smaller light spot. The narrower the cells, the smaller the lit area and the faster the light falls off at the edge.
• More grid, more contrast. Less light reaches walls and ceiling, so less light bounces back as fill. Shadows get deeper and the image more dramatic.

Grids are also useful when you don't want the light to touch everything. You can light a face without lighting the background, or keep light out of the lens to avoid flare.

Standard honeycomb grids make a round, centre-weighted spot. The Strip Grid 5:1 is different: it creates a rectangular area of light, five times longer than it is wide.

The P70 accessories at a glance

Each accessory changes one thing: the spread, the shape or the colour of the light.

• Honeycomb grids for P70 (33.207.00, set of 3: coarse, medium, fine) – reduce the coverage angle in three steps. Use them to choose exactly how wide a portrait light or accent spreads.
• Honeycomb grid extremely narrow for P70 (33.202.00) – a further, decisive reduction of the angle. Use it for spot-like light on a face, a product or a small detail.
• Strip Grid 5:1 for P70 (33.195.00) – rectangular light in a 5:1 ratio, heat-resistant. Use it for light bands on backgrounds, full-length figures and long products.
• Barn doors for P70 (33.227.00, 2 wings) – cut the light on two sides; 4 clips hold diffusers, filters and masks. Use them to keep light off the background or to hold colour filters.
• Barn door with 4 wings for P70 (33.247.00) – cuts the light on all four sides. Use it for precise flagging in tight setups.
• Colour filters for P70 (33.307.00, set of 12) – colour the light. Use them for coloured backgrounds, accents and moods.
• Opal diffusers for P70 (33.327.00, set of 12) – soften and even the light slightly. Use them to take the edge off the hard light.

Tip: Start with the coarse grid and work towards finer grids until the light covers only what you want.

Five creative shoots with the P70 system

Over six months, Tomas used the P70 system on different projects at Brazzi Studios. Every shoot ran on Siros 800 S flashes. Only the accessories changed, depending on whether he wanted light across the whole scene, only on the face, or on a small part of the background.

Shoot 1 – Robertas: two lights, two shadows

For actor Robertas Lenartavicius, Tomas wanted two separate shadows on a white wall. He placed Robertas close to the wall and lit him with two P70 reflectors from opposite sides. Each light threw its own shadow.

The shadows added depth to a plain white background. When Robertas turned or moved, the shadows changed with him. New images came from his position alone, without moving the lights.

Takeaway: Hard light makes shadows a design element. The closer the subject is to the wall, the sharper and darker the shadow.

Actor: @robertas_lenartavicius

Shoot 2 – Greta: simple, direct fashion light

With stylist Greta Zvinklyte, Tomas used a single bare P70 for bright, hard light with a classic fashion look. It brought out the texture of the clothes and drew a clear shadow on the wooden wall. The team started with still poses and then added movement.

Takeaway: One bare P70 is often all you need. Because the light is simple and predictable, the same setup works for still poses and for movement.

Greta: @gretazvinklyte · Fashion designer: @suellaq · Makeup: @faces_by_ieva · Hair: @militadilyte

Shoot 3 – Lidija: keeping the light where it belongs

For model Lidija, the barn doors kept the main light on her and off the cyclorama, so the background stayed darker. A second P70 with the Strip Grid 5:1 painted a long, narrow band of light across the background. It added depth without adding anything to the set.

“With hard light, the position of the face is very important. Even a small turn can change the shadows around the eyes, nose, and mouth.” Tomas watched these areas closely and guided her movements.

Takeaway: Use barn doors to separate subject and background, and a Strip Grid to add a graphic light shape behind the subject.

Model: @lidijasimo · Agency: @modilinos · Dress: @fotoutfit_partydress

Shoot 4 – Pijus: changing the mood with colour

For dancer Pijus Gulbinas, Tomas created four colour versions with only two lights. The strip softbox stood to the side and slightly in front, lighting one side of his face and body while the other stayed in shadow. Its grid kept the light from spreading across the scene.

The P70 held colour filters in its barn door clips and pointed at the ceiling. The coloured light bounced back and filled the scene and background. A filter change gave a new background colour without changing the background itself.

Takeaway: Bouncing a filtered P70 off the ceiling turns it into a soft, coloured fill for the whole room.

Dancer: @pijusgulbinas

Shoot 5 – Simona: lighting small details

For creator Simona Jasineviciene, Tomas built the setup one light at a time. The extremely narrow grid kept the main light mainly on her face. A second P70 with barn doors and a blue filter added colour. One snoot lit a small area of the background for depth, the other brought out details on her dress, arm and tattoos.

Takeaway: Build a complex setup light by light. Check each light alone before adding the next.

Creator: @simona_jasineviciene · Makeup: @violeta.mak

Small accessories, many results

“These are small accessories, but they give me many ways to change an image. I can work with the same flashes and create very different results by changing the direction, spread, or colour of the light. That is what I enjoy about the P70 system: simple tools with plenty of room to experiment.”

Learn more with Brazzi Academy

Tomas Brazzi is a portrait and fashion photographer with more than 20 years of experience. He is the founder of Brazzi Studios and Brazzi Academy in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Through Brazzi Academy, Tomas teaches photographers how to turn their passion into a professional career. His programmes, workshops and online content cover creative studio lighting, developing a personal visual voice and building a sustainable photography business. If you want to go deeper than this article, visit www.brazzi.academy for in-depth courses for professional photographers, and follow @brazziacademy on Instagram.

Credits
Photography: @tomas_brazzi · Studio: @brazzistudios