A softbox is a great device. Soft, wraparound, wonderful light that flatters your subject and yet imparts directionality. Like this recent picture of model Tara:
That was using a large softbox on a studio strobe, powered by a lead acid battery.
But there are also small softboxes, and as a travelling photographer I love those. I am talking about the Honl Photo Traveler 8 softbox:
That mounts onto the flash, which is fitted with a speedstrap:
Leading, Velcro style, to this:
Which gives you nice soft light, and gives you another big benefit: a round catch light. Like in this self portrait:
Nice, no? Not me, the light. Well OK, me too.
Tip: use the wide adapter on your flash (no, that is not a softener: it is merely a wide angle adapter), so that the light bounces off the inside.
And take the flash off camera with a flash cord:
That works well for macro pics, too, like this recent snap:
Nice, soft shadows again.
One more example: this time the main light on the subject was a bare flash, and the fill light was a Honl Photo Traveller 8 softbox:
My advice: get yourself a softbox or two.
Learning Opportunities:
- I am doing another two workshops in July, with David Honl – yes, the very man who designed these excellent flash modifiers. On 12 and 13 July in Las Vegas, Nevada in Studio Petographique. See http://www.cameratraining.ca/Vegas.html for details.
- And for Canadians here: there are spaces left on the full-day Creative Lighting workshop Joseph Marranca and I are doing in Mono, Ontario: details here.
And believe me, it is worth taking this type of course: we’ll teach you in hours what you would otherwise spend weeks learning.
I love these images. I’m realizing more and more the importance of being able to manage light.
What do you mean in the tip section about using the “wide adapter” on the flash?
Can I take my flash (430EXII) off camera? I’ve never seen a flash cord before?
How much do the Honl softbox retail for?
The wide adapter is the little piece of transparent-like plastic that you can pull out and move ion front of the flash. It is not amodifier – just an adapter that makes the light go wider.
Flash cords from Canon or from FlashZebra.com – yes you can!
The Honl softbox – not sure, around $80 I believe. Definitely worth having in your bag!
I see Flash Zebra sells a Canon compatible flash cord (3 ft) for $35. Vistek/Henry’s sells the Canon standard (the OC-E3) for a little over $120.
What am I missing? Seems too good to be true.
I have not tried the Flashzebra flash cord, but I have been happy with their service and with their other products. I know some readers here have bought the Flashzebra cord and have been happy with it, as far as I know.
Michael, after looking further into soft boxes, I have noticed that most usage of the soft box are off camera.
Do you think having the Honl Softbox mounted on the flash and shooting a small room venue be okay? Or should I just bounce the light?
might be a silly question, but very curious. how do you do your self-portrait? u seem to have the flash pointed correctly and your composition perfect. subject (in this case…you) is also focussed? how are all these determined prior to taking the shot?
Practice. And doing it repeatedly. And staring into the centre to focus on the eye. And a bit of luck!