This is the best smartphone light we’ve seen – and it fits in your pocket

Feature photo by Amy Lockheart

The Profoto C1 and C1 Plus are smartphone studio lights that fits in your pocket. This. Is. Everything. 

You know that great photos need vision and an artistic eye, but that the right light can make an image next-level good. So what happens when you’re in an elevator with your smartphone and creativity strikes? Do you a) use your phone camera’s flash, b) take your chances with the overhead lighting, or c) use the portable studio light in your pocket?

We’re gonna guess you chose option C. And, yep, it does exist. The Profoto C1 and C1 Plus are basically tiny continuous studio lights for smartphones that fit in the palm of your hand. We can’t think of anything more game-changing for mobile photography!

Oh, and p.s. they work with your DSLR or mirrorless camera, too. 

Creativity shouldn’t be limited.

Light is the key to great images, regardless of what camera you’re using, right? But, while smartphone camera technology has gotten pretty darn amazing lately, it’s still not always easy to create the look you want with on-camera flash. And relying on natural light can feel limiting. 

That’s why Profoto created smartphone studio lights so small you can take them anywhere. With the C1 and C1 Plus, there’s always a way to add the light you need to realize your vision.

Check out these photos by photographer Chanel French to see just what a huge difference a little added light can make.

It’s like sunshine in your pocket.

The Profoto C1 and C1 Plus let you create soft, natural looking light any time, anywhere. Play with shadows and light. Create directional light where there’s none. Add a soft glow just where you need it. Or, use light to add drama and enhance the mood of your images.

We love that you can control settings — like intensity and color temperature — to basically mimic any light source or time of day. By adjusting the manual controls in the Profoto Camera app, you can create a super warm evening glow, a cooler toned daylight vibe or even make it look like sunshine is streaming through a window just outside your frame.

Just imagine being able to create any light you need regardless of the space you’re in. That’s what the Profoto C1 and C1 Plus can help you do. 

It’s super easy to use.

While we completely love being in creative control, we’re equally thrilled that we can use these portable studio lights in auto mode when we want to. And, there’s no learning curve! When set to auto mode, the Profoto Camera app and C1 light will calculate exposure for you. This is such a great option for getting started, or for those quick moments you don’t want to miss. 

Also, you can release the shutter on your phone or directly on the light (it’s the little details!). Plus, battery life is really good.

Read Kimberly Murray’s review of the Profoto C1 Plus

Wanna see what the Profoto C1 Plus can do?

Check out this beach photo session from photographer Kelly Jones. Kelly handheld the Profoto C1 Plus directly over her camera and pointed it at her subject to create a soft glow. To get just the look she wanted, she combined this with the light of the setting sun and a Profoto A1, which she positioned on a light stand for fill light. Kelly remained three to five feet from her subject in each of the images and used a Profoto trigger with her Canon 5D EOS Mark III to operate both lights simultaneously.

As you can see, Kelly was able to create a variety of looks by adding light just where she needed it.

Read Kristin Dokoza’s review of the Profoto C1 Plus

Improve your creative photography even more with these C1 Plus accessories

1. Clic Gels: Replicate your favorite lighting or add a colorful tint to your images with Click Gels. Use just one snap on gel, or stack them to create a new color. Available in twelve colors, including rose pink, peacock blue, and scarlet. $49
2. Clic Grids: Reduce light speed, control stray light or add contrast to your photos with a Click Grid. Plus, you can stack them with other light shaping accessories, like Clic Gels, to create exactly the look you want. $49
3. Clic Dome: Diffuse the light for a soft look with a smooth fall-off, or stack the Click Dome with other light shapers to create a unique look. $49

Whether you want to take food photos, selfies, street photography or capture your everyday (in good light!), the Profoto C1 and C1 Plus smartphone studio lights might just be your new fave photography tools. It’s the perfect, easy-peasy, way to add light without setting up gear or drawing attention away from your vision. Plus, they’re the perfect size to carry in your purse or pocket when you’re out and about with your phone camera, or for keeping in your camera bag to use with your DSLR or mirrorless without taking up much space.

We can’t wait to see what you create! Tag us on Instagram @click.magazine, #profoto.

This is a sponsored post.

More lighting resources for your photography:

Make artificial light look like natural light: Photographing with the Profoto A1 (Video)

Light tamer: how to use harsh light to create dramatic photos

A beginner’s guide to newborn posing & studio lighting

6 Unexpected ways to use window light to add magic to indoor photos

Why you should be using flash outdoors: 5 Incredibly simple ways to create huge impact