The Beauty Dish offers a bridge between a softbox and an umbrella that yields soft but crisp light with snappy contrast and a textural quality that flatters makeup on models and accentuates character in portrait subjects. The secret is a included deflector that bounces the flash's direct output backwards, filling the shallow dish and casting a wide beam of soft light forward. This reflector renders natural-looking round catchlights in the subject's eyes rather than square or rectangular ones.
For a bit more control affix the provided grid to the Beauty Dish for increased directionality and spill light management. The grid gathers the light output into a large soft spot that allows you to create intricately lit background details and painterly effects.
Yet another kind of light is available by removing the grid and slipping on the Diffusion Sock. This gives the dish a wider angle of coverage and softer detail while it masks the deflector which might be seen in the catchlights in extreme closeups.
Note: The Beauty Dish requires separate purchase of an adapter for use.