Soft box question

[marlin_penton]

<p>I am a wedding photog looking to improve my dated lighting style. I've been working with a 16" parabolic in the studio with a umbrella fill directly over the camera, and want to see a gradual shadow fall off maybe like a large soft box for doing my studio head shots. <br /> I'm at the beginning journey to update my style. In the past I would study books and videos and that has got me to where I am now. I want to experiment in my studio (photogenic power pack with 4 heads) White lightning 1800s with larger light sources. I have a 36x36 Westcott Apollo softbox, and that looks good on 3/4 shots, but I want to light a family group or a boudoir session on a bed. <br /> I have 10 foot ceilings and should be able to handle a 40x56 inch box. Right track?</p><div></div>

[fotografz]

<p>With a 10' ceiling you can go bigger than a 40 X 56 inch softbox. The bigger and closer the key light the softer and more wrap around the light quality becomes. Think picture window light quality. </p>

<p>I have slightly lower ceilings than you, and use a 6' tall X 5' wide Plume Wafer as my key portrait light. This is set either camera left or right, and a second light, or bounce wall, is set closer to camera position for fill. To finish it off, I either use a light lower behind the subject aimed at the background for subject separation, or a light with a smaller box on a boom arm set above and toward the back of the subject for a hair light.</p>

<p>For smaller, groups shooting head to toe including some backdrop, you swivel the 6 X 5 box to horizontal orientation raise it up a bit toward the ceiling for wider coverage and spread.</p>

<p>The other option is a big Octa box for the key which produces more rounded eye reflections.</p>

<p>For a fashion look like some Boudoir approaches, especially on location, there are the Westcott 7' parabolic umbrellas that come in silver (more sharp and specular), soft white, and translucent for shoot through. These are only $99. each, and are easy to transport to locations ... but can be a bit big in a cramped bedroom.</p>

<p>The trouble with light modifiers is you can never have enough of them to solve every circumstance ... and some just sit there until they suddendly become the prefect solution ... LOL!</p>

<p>-Marc</p>

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[twmeyer]

<p>try a big strip light... t</p>