A photoflood is a bright tungsten studio bulb with a colour temperature of approximately 3400K, traditionally used in portrait and commercial photography. These continuous light sources provide consistent illumination, allowing photographers to see the effects of lighting on their subjects in real time.
While photofloods offer smooth, controllable lighting, many modern studio photographers prefer the convenience, power, and portability of electronic flash units. Nevertheless, photofloods remain useful in situations where continuous light is needed, such as video production, long exposures, or for achieving specific warm-toned lighting effects.