15 December 2008
Homemade Softbox
Posted by Chester under: Do It Yourself; Gear .
This weekend I decided it was time to build the homemade softbox featured in my article of Do It Yourself Light Modifiers. With shopping list in hand, Natalie and I went to Michael’s to get everything we needed (and a craft for her to do at the same time).
Once we were at Michael’s, I had to make some substitutions. They want $35 for a piece of mat board, so I opted instead for a 3 pack of white poster board pieces. Also, the staff there had never heard of mylar drafting film. Wasn’t totally sure what to do, but as I was walking down the drafting/ needlepoint supply aisle, I spotted something called “plastic canvas”. I grabbed a couple sheets of varying sizes and hole densities and figured that would work.
Than I got into the construction phase. Cutting the foam was pretty straightforward (the authors tip about using a thin sheet of plywood for a cutting board was perfect). Then I started cutting the posterboard. In the authors revised directions, he indicates you should leave extra around the edges (on the trapezoidal pieces). I did this, but I am not sure what function that serves. As I was finalizing construction, These oversized pieces were difficult to work with and I still don’t see the point. Somehow I managed to get it all together though.
Cactus remote trigger, I had to fiddle with the flash settings a few times. The photo at left is still overexposed, but a quick treatment in Lightroom makes it suitable, as you can see in the photo at right.
In the time since I made my original post, I think the author of the instructions for this softbox has made some revisions. I’d love to see more detail on why the trapezoids should be oversized, since it caused me problems. But overall, I am happy with the output from this box. I am actually going to be playing with it later today when I do “class photos” for my daughter’s small preschool class here in Lakewood. I’ll post up another time about how that shoot goes.
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6 Comments so far...
SCHOOL PICTURES | CHESTER BULLOCK PHOTOGRAPHY | LAKEWOOD, COLORADO, USA Says:
16 December 2008 at 8:24 am.
[...] cool for me to go over there and take some “class pictures” of them. So I took my new Homemade Softbox and went over. I think the pictures came out pretty well. But let me say this about groups of young [...]
SCHOOL PICTURES Says:
18 December 2008 at 7:12 am.
[...] cool for me to go over there and take some “class pictures” of them. So I took my new Homemade Softbox and went over. I think the pictures came out pretty well. But let me say this about groups of young [...]
DO IT YOURSELF LIGHT MODIFIERS | CHESTER BULLOCK PHOTOGRAPHY | LAKEWOOD, COLORADO, USA Says:
29 December 2008 at 10:14 pm.
[...] Photo by Karl ZemlinEver since I got an external flash for my Canon Powershot G5, I have been researching and building home made light modifiers. Some are more elaborate than others, some look better than others, but they have all had the desired effect. Here is a rundown of the ones I have tried, with links to instructions (some might go to videos). The DIY softbox above is one I have not made yet, but you can get the plans here. [edit - on 12/14/08 I made it and then did a review] [...]
ZEMLIN Says:
9 January 2009 at 11:20 am.
Don’t know if you had my updated instructions for your build.
http://www.sonicartistry.net/zemlinphotos/MiniSoftbox/Softbox%202/instructions/softbox_instructions.htm
Leaving extra material around the edges just has to do with how I worked with the mat board - rather than trying to trim the pieces accuratly from a large piece of mat I simply rough-cut the pieces oversized and then do a final cut to size - before gluing. You misunderstood my intent. Sorry ’bout that.
Also, I’d be concerned that posterboard is not rigid enough to give the soft box shape. Did it work OK for you? Thin corregated from a smallish express mail box or something like that would be good too, if faced with white paper for reflectivity.
CHESTER Says:
10 January 2009 at 10:50 pm.
Thanks for the feedback. That whole DIY post where I featured yours
as the headline image has been the most popular post I have made so
far.
The posterboard actually works pretty well. The finished product
isn’t as professional looking as I would like, but it is in the
workmanship, not the design. I’ll probably try to make another one in
the next couple of weeks, and also try a different craft supply place.
THE STROBIST DIY LIGHT TENT | CHESTER BULLOCK PHOTOGRAPHY Says:
11 January 2009 at 10:32 am.
[...] mylar (I think this might be really similar to the mylar drafting film I couldn’t find for my softbox project). It cuts really easily, and seems to be more durable than tissue paper would be. And it diffuses [...]
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