can I use portable flashes with softboxes?

I have canon 550ex and a 420ez (I think. Can I use these lights

with softboxes or umbrella??

and where can I buy the flash shoes? and how can I use two portable

lights together?

thanks

Chimera Lighting makes a range of softboxes , mounts and brackets that allow you to

do all of that and more: http://www.chimeralighting.com. i regularly use two Nikon

SB-28dX units togehter in a Chimera Pro XS (approx. 16"x20") softbox withthe rig

mounted on a stand or a boom.

Another solution is the mini-softbox from Lumiquest. They snap onto the front of most portable flashes with velcro. The box is tiny, so the light is not as soft as the Chimera solution... but the solution is much cheaper.

Consider the Westcott Apollo that is a softbox on an umbrella frame. Use an optical slave on one flash, and a radio slave on the other. That way it's just a box on a stand, no cords. Be sure to weight the stand if you use it around kids or outdoors. Calumet and B&H have all this stuff... t

I'll give a second nod to the Chimera equipment. I just (last night in fact) got a

speedring and the maxi softbox for my 550ex. I spent the night chasing the dog and

cats around the house with the setup.

man, does that sound familiar... t

You can put a couple of flashes on a stand, set them up in a master-slave relationship, maybe with an optical trigger, use armature wire available from a hobby store to make a frame, and put a white plastic bag over the frame. Looks funky, but gives you an instant softbox. You'll need a flash meter for your camera settings.