Fig. 4.3
This illustration shows the internal workings of the
softbox. In the first image we can see the flash head;
then a deflector is placed in front of the light, and a
layer of translucent material to soften the light
further.Thesoftboxworksbyinitiallycontainingthelightinabox
or chamber, quite often with a dappled silver textured
surface inside; this bounces the light around until it is
diffusedthroughthefrontofthesoftboxviaatranslucent
diffusionmaterial.Thealreadysoftenedlightthenscatters
toproduceanevenandsoftlighttoilluminatethesubject.
Withlargersoftboxesyoumayevenfindtheyhaveanextra
layerofmaterialinbetweentheflashandthefrontdiffuser;
this will of course soften the light even further.
Softboxes are available in a variety of shapes, most
commonlysquare,rectangularoroctagonal;theyalsovary
greatly in size from smaller square ones to enormous
octagons.Allwilllendthemselvestocertainuses,smaller
ones being more suited to head shots for example and
largeronesformorefull-lengthimages.Howeverthereare
nohardandfastrules;itisjustamatterofusingthebest
toolfortherequiredoutcome.To obtainthesoftest light