While many folks call this honeycomb surface in front of the light a “grid,”
it’s not like metal grids for 7-inch metal reflectors, because the actual light
source is still at the back of the larger softbox. While these honeycomb grids
for softboxes do focus the light, they are starting with softer light behind them
and only add slight contrast, whereas metal grids from small metal reflectors
are harsh from the start.
Strip Lights.
A strip light resembles a long, narrow softbox. They are constructed of the
same material, sometimes using the same back plates and rods as the full-sized
softboxes. Strip lights also come in three standard sizes: small, medium, and
large. Fine-art nude photographers commonly use two medium strip lights,
one on each side of the model, with 40-degree grids that are manufactured by
Lighttools.
The smaller strip box is used a lot for edge lighting around a subject and
in many cases above the subject’s head for a hair light. The larger strips are
LIGHT MODIFIERS 95EXERCISING YOUR OPTIONS
To mimic the effect of using a softbox with some of the louver slats
closed, you can use a cutout panel. These will allow you to mask off the
top, sides, and bottom of the softbox, leaving only a round or square
2x2-foot opening, which will make the softbox act as a beauty light
(see page 101 for more on beauty lights).
Another way to achieve this same effect is to place some Rosco Black
Cinefoil or Photofoil around the front of the box until you have a sim-
ilar-sized opening. Rosco Cinefoil is inexpensive and can be purchased
from photo stores, theatrical supply houses, or online from many pho-
tographic retailers.
Whatever method you use, you’ll be making the light source smaller.
Yet the quality of the light will still be much softer than the light from
the typical, smaller light source, because the light rays emitted come
from various angles rather than straight out. This is really useful if your
box is a type that is more “hot” in the center. You could mask off the
areas around the center to one edge of the softbox and use the re-
maining edge of the box as your main light source. This is also known
as “feathering” the light.