Post Focus brought the ability to adjust the focus after the press of the shutter — but what if that same capability could be applied to studio lighting? Isolite is a lighting modifier that gives each lighting source a unique wavelength so that in post-production, photographers can actually adjust each source separately, changing the intensity or even turning one completely off. The result is the ability to create multiple lighting effects from a single RAW file.
Isolite, designed by Phototechnica, is compatible with most major studio lights as well as most speed lights. The lighting modifier adjusts the light so that each light source has a different wavelength. By turning each light into a different “coded” light, the Isolite software can then adjust each light without affecting the other. Where Lightroom has a single exposure slider, Isolite software has a slider for controlling each light.
With the ability to control the light in post-production, photographers can create a number of different lighting setups all in post-production. For example, with a two light setup, both lights can be on, each light can be on separately or the intensity of both lights can be adjusted for any number of different combinations. The tool allows photographers to get both hard light and soft light in one image.
Along with adjusting the light’s intensity, the software also allows photographers to choose where the light falls by using a paintbrush to erase or add back that wavelength. Similar to selective masking in Lightroom, Isolite allows that selective brush to only affect the one coded wavelength. On a front-lit photo, users could then paint light back in to make the shot appear to have a square of light coming in from a window, for example.
Isolite only works with black and white photography. The image has to be edited with the Isolite software first but after adjusting the light, users can save the file (or files, for multiple lighting effects) as a DNG and then proceed to edit as usual inside any RAW-compatible photo editor.
Isolite works by “tagging” each light and by giving the photographer the tools to adjust only that wavelength. Putting a different colored gel on each light then adjusting each color channel in post-production on a black and white shot is a similar concept that would allow some control of the light after the shot. The company behind Isolite says that the system uses high-performance optical filters, however, which allows more light through than colored gels so photographers are not limited to high ISOs and wide apertures.
Phototechnica is hoping to bring the Isolite to market through a Kickstarter campaign. Isolite is currently a working, production-ready prototype, but the crowdfunding would finance manufacturing and the final design and software. A single Isolite is available for pledges starting at $95 dollars, while additional options allow for multi-light setups and studio kits. Isolite is aiming to raise about $58,000 by December 15.
