$5 DIY Softbox - Maybe cheaper? Cool!

[cenelson]

Ah, so I've been enjoying my lighting experiments, but not very happy with the hot highlights. Came home from work today and slapped together a softbox in about 5 minutes.

Ingredients:[LIST=1]

• Leftover storage box from the move. Dims, something like 12x12x18
• One XXL white cotton t-shirt
• Some glue
• Something to cut with

Directions:[LIST=1]

• Tape one end of box closed
• Glue the inside flaps on the end you taped, so they're not able to move inside the box.
• On the outside of the box, on the end you taped, trace your flash head's outline to prepare for cutting an opening. I made mine so that when box is fitted to head, the box is in portrait orientation. These are so easy to make, you can do one portrait, one landscape, etc.
• Cut your hole.
• Stretch a t-shirt over box. The front of the t-shirt is your diffuser, rear will get a hole cut in it to receive the flash-head. Once one the box, the hole for the head (yours, that is) should be positioned on top. Out of harm's way.
• Cut a slit in the t-shirt right at the point where you carved the opening in the box.
• The rest is up to you. You should put your flash-head straight ahead, and insert it into the box. I managed to mount mine on the stand successfully, but you could just as easily put the box on a table, the bring flash and stand behind the box and run the flash into it.
• Enjoy!

Some images made with the softbox follow. Note: I'm also using a 2" clamp to stand a piece of foamcore on the other side of the subjects to provide fill. At the time of writing, I have ambient light spilling into my room and coming into play. Will try more after nightfall.

Highlights are broader now, and easier to adjust. First shot shows worst-case for hot spots. Even then, I love the increased detail in the groove of that wood vs what I was getting last night.

Cheers!
Craig


http://nelsonfoto.com/mein/2007/01/02/DIYSoftbox/01.jpg


http://nelsonfoto.com/mein/2007/01/02/DIYSoftbox/02.jpg


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http://nelsonfoto.com/mein/2007/01/02/DIYSoftbox/09.jpg

[Dean Williams]

Ah, so I've been enjoying my lighting experiments, but not very happy with the hot highlights. Came home from work today and slapped together a softbox in about 5 minutes.

Man!  There have been a bunch of good learning posts for lighting recently.

Thanks you guys!

[TravisM]

Yeah good stuff. You could even put some alum foil on the inside to help reflect any and all light out the front of the box.

Was that a clean T shirt ?

[cenelson]

Was that a clean T shirt ?

:uglyhammer_2:

[rentavet]

so perhaps a clean tshirt and add some aluminum foil.... doesn't even have to be 100% coverage,  just where the flash is hitting the most............
those underarms do cut down on reflectivity.... so they could be used to fine tune

still have the foil covered bubble wrap I want to do something with

[Dean Williams]

I think the black background worked out pretty well to, though mainly with objects that are not mostly black to start with, (ie, black cameras).  The books especially, have a nice "float" to them.  The Kiev has a kind of elegant look.

[sandeha]

Silver foil lining is a good idea, but that T-shirt is the spark of genius.

Hell, what size is it?

[cenelson]

XXXL - I'm a wideload. Good thing, 'cuz that's a beeeeg old box.

[cenelson]

BTW - the next thing will be to rig a diffuser which will allow me to use the end flaps to trim the light. That's right - cardboard barndoors.

!

[TravisM]

OH NOOOOOOOOO NOT UR UNDERSHORTS TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek:

[Dean Williams]

I'm waiting for the Mississippi Ridgerunner flash diffuser installment.  Gives a new meaning to 'barndoors'.

[Andre Reinders]

Craig, you inspired me.

Setup:
12 inch box: cut most of one side off, and a flash head hole in the other.
3 pieces of bristol board (2 black and one white), 2 were taped to cardboard for structure - white for reflector, black for background
1 t shirt draped over the box opening

BOX:


Right side of setup:


Left side:


Images I chose after much experimentation and realizing my canon was set to ISO 3200

My daughter's Olympus Trip:


Test product shot for my wife's website:

[cenelson]

Rock on! Those are nice! Show us more.

[Alan Gage]

The Olympus trip looks like a live saver of a camera. Everytime I run across Pac-Man I can never get the settings right in the camera and before I know it he's gone. I can see where a dedicated Pac-Man mode would be nice.

Oh yeah, the shots look good too.

Alan

[Ronkerr]

Andre,

Have you laid your claim to part of the house for your photography yet?? I noticed your outfit was the quick assembly type