Timmers Loc: San Antonio Texas.

This will come as a shock to many who pride themselves on the subject of the lighting tool referred to as a soft box. There is another term that our English speaking friends 'on the other side of the pond' (England/Great Britan) that I have found quite helpful in explaining that what most refer to as a soft box, are in fact a brolly or brolly box. These devices, when referred to as a soft box have a certain revealing quality of light and have a particular accessory that are used and are included in the brolly box/brolly soft box, that is a baffle or additional intermediate diffuser panel inside the device to help the brolly to achieve a diffused soft light. I have a slightly different notion for a brolly as any thing that takes a light source and place between the subject and the light generating source to achieve a diffused soft light effect. This would include the sun when fog is in the environment that scatters and softens the light to produce the soft type of light that photographers look for in diffused light. This of course is not limited to fog but can indeed includes the similar effect of clouds.

I understand that this may appear a little lame, as all we are speaking about is diffused light. Many reserve the term brolly for a type of equipment intended to produce a diffused light and I would absolutely agree with this idea. BUT, there is a rather interesting device that all to many photographers like to slap onto the notion of a brolly that it is a soft box. It simply is not the case and this is extremely important.

The technical requirements for the true soft box are as follows. First, the true soft box is always square in it's form. Next, there is absolutely no need nor use for an internal diffusor or if you like a baffle (this in fact would destroy the usefulness and purpose of the soft box). There is no need for items such as accessories like milk crate modifiers or barn doors as these have no applications with the soft box The true soft box can focus light and there really is no 'true' spill light from the soft box). The true soft box produces perfectly diffused light to the subject, and it is smooth and even. Lastly for accessories, should one desire a strip box, the true soft box need only have opaque covers added to the sides of the box's front, keeping in mind that the center is never ever obscured, unless of course you want to convert the basic soft box into a brolly.

Where then is the true soft box provided for purchase? It is the Larson Soft Box (and no, the many shaped boxes that the current maker offers are gimmicks that the maker creates to sell more useless junk, but they are in business to make money).

So the obvious question is, Why do I need to use a true or Larson soft box? Simply, creative applications that no other lighting equipment can offer. The true soft box is perfectly capable in the hands of a knowledgeable photographer to produce soft light and yet focus the soft light to varying degrees to add contrast to the subject. I know, seems imposable but it is not only possible but it is easily produced and vary controllable. So much so that in a give scene one could include transparent or translucent objects just in or out of the scene that can produce a hard edge as though they were illuminated by an optically focus additional light source.

That is why I have called this post the elephant in the room effect. The explanation lies in what the true soft box is, or rather its origin. It is the design called the 60 degree or scared pyramid design. It has at its base geometry. Did Mr. Larson create this, no, it is the bases of the great Pyramid of Egypt.

It works like this, the pyramid design generates an energy vortex that channels the light source at the square open, at the rear opening, where the light source is placed. As you view the pyramid (soft box) from the side, the distance from the light to the front of the box is one half unit for the vortex.

At that distance times 2 (2X), the energy of the light emitting from the box is at the most that the diffused light is focused. Then the vortex repeats this point of focus at its next point. If the light from the box is say 5 inches, then twice that distance would be 10 inches. The next point of most focus would be 20 inches, then 30 inches and so on.

Spoiler alert! This is why you would need several size soft boxes, you would then select the proper size box for the distance that you want the soft box from your subject. The light coming from the true soft box will ALWAYS be diffused, the difference is that the correct soft box at the correct distance will create variable amounts of contrast to the subject. It all depends on the size of the box and the distance that box is from the subject (you are focusing the vortex of energy/light to create contrast in/on your subject).

To understand the Larson design soft box better I would direct you to the book by Peter Tompkins The Great Pyramid, it is loaded wit all manner of wonderous information on the subject.

For the hobbyist and lighting tinkering experimenter this is like heaven! Hours of endless distraction in your studio.

One last item, for those who wish to construct the true soft box I will be happy to give detailed instructions on just how to build these soft boxes. It's really not as hard as it seems.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

I remember umbrellas and soift boxes inuse, in commercial photography and professional portraiture long before Larson popularized and made portable and collapsable there weel know poplar lone of these modifiers. The fit "boxes" I saw in use were made of plywood and Plexiglas. These units were fairly large and far from portable but they were services in my studios where products, food and beverage layouts, as well as fashion work, were being produced.

I have seen pictures of umbrella-like lighting devices in studios that were established ar at being of the 20th century.

In the late 1950s and early 60s, I became very interested in various controlled bounce-lighting techniques. diffused and indirect ligh techniques. I met a gentleman named Jerry Johnson who had a company in New York City called Photo- Lectronic-Research (PLR). They custom manufactures high-powered electronic flah systems and had a full line of umbrellas of many sizes and reflective surfaces. He did an installation for Richard Avedon.

By the time Larson introduced its Reflasoll line of umbrellas, umbrella-like flats, gobos, softboxes, and vignetters, I was a big fan. Believe it or not, I still have some of that original equipment and a rack full of Reflectol clamps.

In the beginning, the softbox, as I applied it, was to simulate a diffused NORTH window light or skylight, thus, the square or rectangular configuration. The scrim at the front of the box provided additional diffusion. The interior of the original boxes was "silver" or what they called "super silver" which spread the light and reflected it forward toward the front panel.

That was pretty simple and effective. Different size boxes accommodate various-sized subjects. Since the degreeof softness or hardness is not only dependent on indirect light and diffusion but also on the SIZE of the light source relative to the SIZE of this subject. A small softbox is sufficient to effectually light a piece of jewelry- a Volkswagon- not so much! If you were the same degree of softness that you get with a 24" softbox on a headshot, you may need a 40 -60 inch unit for a full lengh shot. Size and distance provide the variations.

Yes. many of the newfangled soft-box-like configurations are not the classic softboxes. There are tons on the market- Starfish, Eclips, Octobox, etc-. Some are like enclosed shoot-through umbrellas. I have one that's inflatable and look like a giant cylinder!

Getting back to the traditional softbox. I found that I can have a variety of effects for the same box. Lots depen on the poison of the primary light source in the box. The distance of the flash tube from the inner surface is one variation. More ligt is emited for the sides of a helical fals tube that form the front of the same tube. Also, the old angle of incident rule applies within the box. The light can go straight out toward the scrim or bounce off the inner surface and then go forward- different effects.

Umbrellas? I can write a book. An umbrella can spread light all over the place OR the same umbrella can be used for extremely controlled lighting. Umbrellas are the "poster child" for angle incidence control and can yield a wide variety of effects if you condensed where the primary light source strikes the reflective surface and where it comes out and strikes the subject.

As for lighting the ELEPHANT in the room- the biggest "soft box" I ever use was to shoot cars on a cyclorama. 10 lights aimed at a white ceiling and several bolts of white sailcloth served as the scrim. Worked like a perfect overcast sky! One continuous simple highlight that conforms to the lines of the cars.

Timmers Loc: San Antonio Texas.

On this post, E.L.. Shapiro is showing his extensive knowledge of the use of studio lighting history, it gear and its evolution. This is vary excellent and I in no way dispute what he has written here. Many on the Hog are well advised to study and discover both the history and application of the many varied opportunities for studio lighting equipment and its application, and across the history of studio lighting. There is much to unpack and learn from this gentleman's mastery of studio lighting and application.

All of the above stated, and I am acknowledging this information. But that is NOT what my post was with regards to.

Years ago I was asked by Ilford Corp to test their newly introduced XP film. In testing the sheet film version I ran into a glitch while processing the film in the C-41 process. That glitch created in effect a test that was not usable through no fault of my own. What happened next was a unique and ground breaking event for the use of B&W variable contrast paper printing. In the end one of the most clear and original new techniques for B&W print making with any variable contrast paper product. The short of it is that the use of single filter use in printing with VC paper products is to NOT use a single VC filter, rather two make two separate exposures to the paper, in the proper order. Tis technique that later became only limited in popularity as the Two Filter Printing Technique completely altered the crafting of B&W printing.

The point in this digression is that in the hands of creative and original thinking for photography can make profound and innovative new approaches to the craft of photography. The use of a true soft box can produce a totally different outcome in the studio when that tool a "Larson" styled true sift box can and should offer to the studio photographer a completely novel and original approach to the wounders of the True Soft Box.

As I studied the 60 degree soft box I marveled at it's lack of need for a second diffuser inside the box. Another thing was that direct readings taken at the vary front of the diffuser front were amazingly even! The fact that just to the side of the front edge of the box front there was little if any 'spill' at the edge of the font of the box.

Facts about the 60 degree box we call the soft box has some quite bizarre information associated with this 60 degree pyramidal form. During Sky Lab II a science experiment was preposed and accepted for testing from a school student (always a fascinating proposal). A 60 degree pyramidal structure was placed outside the space station with a particle counter to see what particles would be detected. When the particle detector failed to record ANY particles, the astronaut was tasked to remove the obvious defective sensor. Suprise! As soon as it had been removed from inside the pyramid it began recording particles! What dumb founded the engineers and scientists was that the pyramid was some how shielding the detector from gamma particles (so you will understand, gamma rays/particles can and do penetrate the entire mass of a planet with out deflection or absorption on a regular bases).

The 60 degree pyramid shape has some vary real and unexpected outcomes to all manner of things and environments. In studio lighting gear a 60 degree pyramidal formed lighting device I would like applied exclusive to a term Soft Box and all other diffusion devices be placed under the collective name of brolly so as to designate the essential difference in the use of the soft box tool for lighting. To be able to allow contrast and control that effect while keeping the desirable effect of a soft form of light is inherently a powerful tool in the hands of a knowledgeable craftsman.

A further example of knowing and understanding the use of light in the hands of a studio lighting craftsman is found in a completely obscure form of studio lighting. Those who do macro (but not limited to macro) photography. The general subject or technique is called AXIS Lighting. Individual such as Edward Weston used this form of lighting in his series of his wife Carris making the nudes in among the dunes at White Sands New Mexico. Another perfect example of this form of lighting is the Basic Light proposed by William Mortenson. The main light is placed as close to the camera lens so as to create an even illumination of the subject or object. This creates a strong shadow for the subject that is created to the opposite side of the lights placement. This is plain and simple AXIS Lighting. One of its qualities is the choreatic strong defying shadow and the rounding effect it has on the subject and this also produces a strong defining contrast (some even not with a reduction of saturation especially for color.

AXIS light has an opposite, it is refed to in technical literature as (macro and micro photography) as AXIAL light. When I say it is an opposite, I mean exactly that in all its ramifications. The effect is absolutely flat light, increased color saturation and detail. This is not well known outside the world of scientific photography. AXIAL light is created by placing a focused light to one side of the lens. The light is then directed to strike a flat sheet of glass that is held at as precisely possible of a 45 degree angle to the view of the lens to the subject.. This directs the light straight down at the subject and illuminates the subject evenly and perfectly. Adjustment of the focused light is made by rotating and adjusting the illuminating light that reaches the subject by adjusting the position of the flat glass surface that delivers that light from the focused light directly as reflected by the glass placed in front of the camera lens. If alignment is not perfect then shadows will result, but if the light and lens and subject are aligned perfectly then the subject will take on a flat even illumination that shows the perfection of the axil light. I can not state clearly enough that there are few photographers who are aware of this type of lighting. Interestingly, E. Leitz manufactured a macro device that handled from 35mm to 4X5 cameras. Later, Nikon copied the basic tool and sold it to the industry, and of course this was expensive and mostly employed by research facilities. Oddly enough this tool from Nikon fell out of favor until the seme conductor industry found it to be of great use and so now the tool is made once again. To general presents like ourselves, the large and small tiny black boxes that make this technique so easy and useful can be ordered from Nikon and is designed to mount on the two universal standard sizes, the microscope objective and the universal E. Leitz size front mount, the 39mm screw in lens mount (got to love that Leica!).

What is the point of all this Axis and Axial lighting? Your is the studio lighting area, that is what!

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Pyramidal structures have always interested me. I recall reading an article in the Scientific American Magazin- something about placing knives or dull razor blades in a pyramidal tent and finding them sharpened overnight. I vaguely recall a similar piece about aging or drying food in such a structure whereby tests would age properly but not rot, perish, or spoil. So, we built one in the studio- experimented and it did not work- perhaps we had the wrong measurement or proportions.

My fellow studio denizens joked and said that my connection with pyramids was special becse my people (the ancient Hebrews) help build them- unfortunately, they were "drafted" for the project! As for "lighting" perhaps that aspect o the science is too far above my paygrade!

I do, however, agree, that the basic simple softbox is most effective for many applications in photographic lighting. Much of the newfangled configurations are perhaps the result of savvy marketing, but many serve no unique or particular purpose and some are antithetical to the concept of a soft, even defused light source. In some designs, a secondary scrim just introduces neutral density and cuts light volume without any more significant diffusion. That, however, depends on the position of e secondary scrim and the density of the material it is made of.

I used grids on metal parabolic standard reflectors to keep light off the background, to somewhat concentrate the beam almost to the look of a diffused Fresnel spotlight. Putting such grids on a softbox negates its basic concept. Someof the oddly shaped accessories and configurations, create distracting kinds of catchlights in the eyes of portrait subjects.

I do find that a softbox will have a distinct edge but I oftimes apply feathering techniques with a softbox-equipped main light.

I have not used the term "axial lighting" very much but the camera/subject axis is the "landmark' or reference point of all lighting schemes. All angles and placements are based on that imaginary line. For many years, my standard fill light in my studio, especially for portraits, is a "Skylighter" which is basically a giant softbox. It is right on the camera/subject axis and has no distinct shadow pattern of its own. It can be shifted slightly off 0 degrees if required.

copladocus

Fascinating discussion of one of our most used tools. This is what Mole Richardson calls a softbox. It had four halogen (or similar) very hot lights in the lower section that cast light into the hard body clamshell area. The old fat fellow is about 5'6" to the peak of the hat. We actually sold this same light in two separate auctions, the original buyer subsequently sold his business, hence the second sale). I used the light to shoot all the product shots in the original auction for two reasons. 1. It gives out massive amounts of light and we only used one of the lamps. 2. It kicks out a massive amount of heat which we enjoyed in the unheated cavernous studio (a 2 wall 16' high cyclorama) during a very cold time of the year. Yes, it is as heavy as it looks.