UNDERSTANDING THE SOFT BOX

The use and importance of lighting to photograph and in photography is a key factor in creating amazing images. In a previous article, we have discussed lighting and its function, but in this article, I will be discussing unique lighting equipment used by all photographers especially when taking images in a studio or indoor shoot which is the softbox.

Softbox is a piece of lighting equipment that diffuses light on the subject into a pleasing soft light and gives a more appealing and tender touch on the image. It is used mostly by product, portrait, and commercial photographers. The closer the softbox is to the subject, the softer the lights appear on the subject. A softbox is comprised of a translucent white cloth attached to a light source (speed light) the light coming from the speed light or whichever light source is used is bounced and scattered in different directions around the box which bounces on the subject to give the soft and tender touch needed. The softbox comes in different sizes and shapes but it is advisable to get a portable one that can be handy and mobile in case there are situations that warrant you shooting outside the studio.

Types of Softbox

Softboxes come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Shape-wise, they range from square, rectangular, octagon, etc. So also is their size ;it ranges from the smallest which is about 35 x 60cm to the largest which is about 120 x 180 cm. This variety gives photographers an edge to choose which is suitable for their needs and achieve their desired results.

 

One major advantage of the softbox is that they are versatile meaning after you use them for a particular shoot they can be reused for other shoots. They are also used in commercial and product photography aside from portrait photography. Another point worthy of note is that they are fairly lightweight and compact meaning they can be easily packed and as such, not a heavy burden to move from place to place.