CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

Yesterday, I helped a friend and neighbor Joe Farace test the new softbox from Foursquare. Some of you may know Joe as he write a regular monthly column for "Shutterbug" magazine.

The Foursquare stuff: lightwaredirect.com/foursquare/
Uses just speedlight to give studio-quality lighting in multiple size softboxes. I am not going to do a product review, but we started with four flashes and worked down to just one.

Now, using three or four Nikon/Canon speedlights to get the power of ONE studio strobe may seem silly, but if you have the speedlights, this is not a bad deal. And of course one could go buy the cheaper speedlights from one of the many Chinese brands and do this for less.

This image was just one SB-800 at 1/4 power. The model was about 12 inches from the rear lower corner of the 48" softbox. Box is NOT aimed at her, but aimed across her.

Due to the small room, we added a black card agains the wall on camera right to kill the bounce from the large softbox. Otherwise there was way too much fill on her left side.

What is interesting is that with just one speedlight at a relatively low power in a big modifier, I was still able to use a decent aperture (f/7.1). Of course it did require her to be really close tho the modifier.

CResQ Loc: Cobble Hill, BC

Engaging exercise Cliff, which proves the fact a large amount of space and equipment is not required to achieve good results

waltchilds Loc: Central Florida

Beautiful shot and work here, Cliff. Nicely done and thanks for sharing the details on how you managed this image with the setup you used. Very interesting and helpful.

nanaval Loc: Cornwall

Very good...

attylward

Beautiful shot.

trc Loc: Logan, OH

Cliff,

Quite a decent amount of OutPut for the SB-800. The shot is very nice, as usual, but I just have to say this since it bugs me a lot - sorry. :) I know you realize I'm really not being critical - just an observation. I find her hair across her camera left eye to be very distracting. Perhaps the point of this shoot was not to get the pose, etc., perfect, but that is the very first thing I saw when looking at the image. The lighting seems to be quite nice. Is this a special type of softbox or something 'revolutionized' from other softboxes?

Out of curiosity, since you were so close with the softbox, what shutter speed and ISO did you use? Was this in a dark room, any ambient light coming in, any other light source close by? Using a f/2.8 lens? Backlit or not (spill from softbox) since I see light on or over her camera left and right shoulder? Nice tones on her chest and face!

Best Regards,
Tom

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

As to the hair - this was a lighting test, not a portrait test so we did not care about that. However, I like it across her eye and if this was a client image I would leave it and let the client decide. Remove hair from across an eye is tedious.

This Foursquare softbox is designed to be used with speedlights and to maximize the output from those relatively small units.

In order to really push this setup and not give it any advantages, we shot at ISO 100. I always shoot a frame without lights to make sure it is a black frame. That way I know that ALL the light is from the unit and no ambient contamination. I would have to go look up the data to see what that was, but since it was a black frame it would not matter if it was 1/30 or 1/250. Remember, flash is ONLY sensitive to aperture and shutter is irrelevant. (as long as it is less than max sync speed). I would guess shutter was around 1/200 or so. Maybe 1/250, maybe 1/100.

There was no backlight, but the background did catch some light spill form the box as well as just some uncontrolled fill from all the white walls and ceiling in a small room. As it is, that turned out to be just bout the right amount of light to give it some presence without being over-lit.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Cliff, it took me a couple of times to register that it was a 48" light box, but what is the other dimension? ie, strip light, or 36"? or is it 48" square. I'm blown away that you got that quality of light from a single speedlight in a big box. I absolutely hate using speedlights, but every time I see one of your images where you are using them, I'm so impressed. The last thing I need is more softboxes, but if I could get that quality of light on location with speedlights, just avoiding the need for electrical outlets, extension cords, or expensive battery packs may change my mind.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Sorry, I got "un lazy" and looked up foursquare's website. I guess it makes sense with the name foursquare, that the boxes would be square.

I do still have a question though. All of the boxes that I've seen like that, won't point down very well. Do you still have that issue with these boxes? The photos on the website don't really show that part too well.

On the 2 that I own that use speedlights, I have to use a boom to get them at the angle I want, which kind of voids the "easy to set up location equipment," by the time I add sandbags etc.

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

Ah yes - to address that issue, we used an umbrella adapter to attach the Foursquare box to a light stand. That allows a tilt adjustment. Had to do a bit of on-location-engineering to figure that out.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Man, if someone ever figured out a lightbox that was easy to adjust and tilt down, I think people would line up for it. OK, not "people", photographers.... I don't think we are the same breed.

pete-m Loc: Casper, WY

"In order to really push this setup and not give it any advantages, we shot at ISO 100. I always shoot a frame without lights to make sure it is a black frame. That way I know that ALL the light is from the unit and no ambient contamination. I would have to go look up the data to see what that was, but since it was a black frame it would not matter if it was 1/30 or 1/250. Remember, flash is ONLY sensitive to aperture and shutter is irrelevant. (as long as it is less than max sync speed). I would guess shutter was around 1/200 or so. Maybe 1/250, maybe 1/100."

Many thanks CaptainC, for this nice tidbit of information.

jonsommer Loc: Usually, somewhere on the U.S. west coast.

Interesting and valuable information, Cliff, and the light is very nice, I never would have guessed it wasn't a studio shot, nor would I have guessed that one speed light was the light source.

. . . I've so much to learn and so little time, . . . so, thanks for the lesson-ette.