Found way to make cheap soft box

I'm new to photography and on a budget (who is not) so I had to find a
way to make a soft box until I can buy a real one. I used a box, one
that fits reams of paper for copy machines, cut a hole in the back,
lined the inside with tin foil (glued it down, hot glue may work
better) and taped a cheap, frosted, plastic shower curtain to the top
so it hangs and covers the front. I just lift the shower curtain and
put the light through the hole, fasten the collar from the inside, and
pull the shower curtain back over the front. The pictures came really
good for spending all of $5. Hope someone else can use this idea. I
read that you can use a foam ice chest for this also.

Photo Girl

I'm new to photography and on a budget (who is not) so I had to find a
way to make a soft box until I can buy a real one. I used a box, one
that fits reams of paper for copy machines, cut a hole in the back,
lined the inside with tin foil (glued it down, hot glue may work
better) and taped a cheap, frosted, plastic shower curtain to the top
so it hangs and covers the front. I just lift the shower curtain and
put the light through the hole, fasten the collar from the inside, and
pull the shower curtain back over the front. The pictures came really
good for spending all of $5. Hope someone else can use this idea. I
read that you can use a foam ice chest for this also.


The point of a diffusion scrim is to spread the light, so you take the
original 2 inch or so light source, the flash tube, and make it much larger.
The point of putting a reflective backing is to redirect the flash towards
the subject. That was to fix a problem they used to have about having
enough flash power.

What is the point of modifying light? Is it make boxes or to put light on
subjects? BTW, back when photogs used parabolic reflectors to focus
tungsten lights they were used about 36 inches from the subject. When
umbrellas were introduced with the first flashes, they were about twice as
large but used about six feet away. soft boxes allowed the photog to bring
the light closer so a 3 foot softbox used at 3 feet was twice as large as
the brollie. but photogs are shooting much fewer head and shoulder close
ups and far more half and full lengths.

If we want to light subjects we should decide what kind of light works best.
General rule of thumb that commercial photogs use is to make the light twice
as large as the subject, of course while they are lighting small to large
objects. Remember, what's the nicest of natural light, large picture
windows, porches, overhangs, open shade, twilight, all super large light
sources, light that comes from a large arc.

Are we limited by low power flashes? probably not. You have a shower
curtain, hang from the ceiling with thumb tacks, aim the light through it,
now you have a large light source.

you can use styrofoam coolers, you can use sheets of styrofoam insulation
panels, put three in a wide triangle, hang your curtain from the front with
the flash inside.

this reply is echoed to the z-prophoto mailing list at yahoogroups.com

"zeitgeist" wrote in message news:WYKPb.122378$na.124788@attbi_s04...
I'm new to photography and on a budget (who is not) so I had to find a
way to make a soft box until I can buy a real one. I used a box, one
that fits reams of paper for copy machines, cut a hole in the back,
lined the inside with tin foil (glued it down, hot glue may work
better) and taped a cheap, frosted, plastic shower curtain to the top
so it hangs and covers the front. I just lift the shower curtain and
put the light through the hole, fasten the collar from the inside, and
pull the shower curtain back over the front. The pictures came really
good for spending all of $5. Hope someone else can use this idea. I
read that you can use a foam ice chest for this also.


The point of a diffusion scrim is to spread the light, so you take the
original 2 inch or so light source, the flash tube, and make it much larger.
The point of putting a reflective backing is to redirect the flash towards
the subject. That was to fix a problem they used to have about having
enough flash power.


What is the point of modifying light? Is it make boxes or to put light on
subjects? BTW, back when photogs used parabolic reflectors to focus
tungsten lights they were used about 36 inches from the subject. When
umbrellas were introduced with the first flashes, they were about twice as
large but used about six feet away. soft boxes allowed the photog to bring
the light closer so a 3 foot softbox used at 3 feet was twice as large as
the brollie. but photogs are shooting much fewer head and shoulder close
ups and far more half and full lengths.

If we want to light subjects we should decide what kind of light works best.
General rule of thumb that commercial photogs use is to make the light twice
as large as the subject, of course while they are lighting small to large
objects. Remember, what's the nicest of natural light, large picture
windows, porches, overhangs, open shade, twilight, all super large light
sources, light that comes from a large arc.

Are we limited by low power flashes? probably not. You have a shower
curtain, hang from the ceiling with thumb tacks, aim the light through it,
now you have a large light source.

you can use styrofoam coolers, you can use sheets of styrofoam insulation
panels, put three in a wide triangle, hang your curtain from the front with
the flash inside.

this reply is echoed to the z-prophoto mailing list at yahoogroups.com

Those are some good ideas I will definately put to use! I love picking
the brains of the experts. So much to learn, so little time, sigh.

Photo Girl

Just made a quickie softbox out of a large styrofoam cooler. I just cut a
hole for a flash, lined it with foil, and put a sheet of grid cloth across
the front for a defuser. I prefer natural light, but had a subject who
couldn't keep his eyes open, even in indirect light that bounced off of the
pavement.


"Photogirl" wrote in message
m...
"zeitgeist" wrote in message
news:WYKPb.122378$na.124788@attbi_s04...
I'm new to photography and on a budget (who is not) so I had to find a
way to make a soft box until I can buy a real one. I used a box, one
that fits reams of paper for copy machines, cut a hole in the back,
lined the inside with tin foil (glued it down, hot glue may work
better) and taped a cheap, frosted, plastic shower curtain to the top
so it hangs and covers the front. I just lift the shower curtain and
put the light through the hole, fasten the collar from the inside, and
pull the shower curtain back over the front. The pictures came really
good for spending all of $5. Hope someone else can use this idea. I
read that you can use a foam ice chest for this also.


The point of a diffusion scrim is to spread the light, so you take the
original 2 inch or so light source, the flash tube, and make it much
larger.
The point of putting a reflective backing is to redirect the flash
towards
the subject. That was to fix a problem they used to have about having
enough flash power.


What is the point of modifying light? Is it make boxes or to put light
on
subjects? BTW, back when photogs used parabolic reflectors to focus
tungsten lights they were used about 36 inches from the subject. When
umbrellas were introduced with the first flashes, they were about twice
as
large but used about six feet away. soft boxes allowed the photog to
bring
the light closer so a 3 foot softbox used at 3 feet was twice as large
as
the brollie. but photogs are shooting much fewer head and shoulder
close
ups and far more half and full lengths.

If we want to light subjects we should decide what kind of light works
best.
General rule of thumb that commercial photogs use is to make the light
twice
as large as the subject, of course while they are lighting small to
large
objects. Remember, what's the nicest of natural light, large picture
windows, porches, overhangs, open shade, twilight, all super large light
sources, light that comes from a large arc.

Are we limited by low power flashes? probably not. You have a shower
curtain, hang from the ceiling with thumb tacks, aim the light through
it,
now you have a large light source.

you can use styrofoam coolers, you can use sheets of styrofoam
insulation
panels, put three in a wide triangle, hang your curtain from the front
with
the flash inside.

this reply is echoed to the z-prophoto mailing list at yahoogroups.com

Those are some good ideas I will definately put to use! I love picking
the brains of the experts. So much to learn, so little time, sigh.

Photo Girl