A photographer paid hundreds in baggage fees just to pack lights, so he created a water-bottle-sized light that unfurls into a 21-inch light, no softbox required

A photographer and YouTuber, Michael Andrew, known as Michael the Maven, paid over $500 in airline baggage fees to transport his lights for a shoot. This expense spurred him to sketch a solution, which eventually led to the creation of the Maven Talon portable LED video light series. The Talon lights can unfold from a compact size to create a larger, soft light source, similar to a 21-inch softbox, eliminating the need for one.

The Talon series includes three different LED lights, the Mini, Pro, and Max, each offering varying lux outputs and battery capacities. The Mini light can be folded down to 15 cm long and weighs 178g, while the Pro and Max pack down to a size similar to a 70-200mm lens. Despite their small size, the lights can produce significant light output, ranging from 490 lux to 4,340 lux, depending on their distance from the subject.

The design features independently articulating arms that allow for individual adjustment to shape the light, and all lights are color-adjustable. These lights can also run on continuous USB power, as larger batteries are not feasible due to the compact size. Maven Filters, the company behind the Talon lights, is known for its magnetic lens filters and has been developing the Talon series for seven years.

The lights are currently being launched on Kickstarter, with early pledges starting at $129 for the Mini light and $159 for the Max and Pro lights. Shipping is expected to begin in April 2027 if the crowdfunding campaign is successful.