How to get soft light with flashes?

Intothedeepblue

I need to get the softest possible diffused light for product photography, preferably one that will help minimize reflections and shadows. I'll be using 2-3 Canon 580ex flashes off camera triggered wirelessly, seems the best way to go is to use modifiers like umbrellas etc. Products to be shot will vary in size from 5cm-50cm in varying materials some reflective, using black or white backgrounds.

I have to use the flashes I have to light the shots, so I need to find a solution that works with them, currently bouncing the flashes off the ceiling which works great but it can be quite directional and hard to control, there's only one option and that's up at the ceiling(granted a wall can also be used to bounce but often that's cluttered with pictures/furniture etc and not useable). Be interested to see how people face this challenge.

ian408

Foamcore, translucent paper, and white bed sheet (the cheapest you can find) are all inexpensive light modifiers. A shoot through umbrella would work as would soft boxes.

You can buy black or white Foamcore at an art supply store. If you want to warm the light, spray some gold paint on the white Foamcore. Cooling can be achieved by using silver paint. You can also build a five sided box from the Foamcore.

Lots of DIY solutions and Google is your friend.

pathfinder

What the OP wants is a light tent. One can build their own or buy them. A little 1/2 inch PCV pipe to build a frame and then cover it on four sides with white cotton or nylon sheeting to shoot your flashes through to light the subjects.

I would suggest making a 1 meter square frame with 1/2 or 3/4 inch PVC pipe, and then drape white cotton sheeting over top, sides and back and fire the flashes through the cotton sheeting. This will let you get the soft, shadowless look you are wanting. Some folks find a 1 meter square cardboard box and cut large windows out of the sides, leaving only the corners to create the frame, but PVC pipe is cheap and more durable for me.


The following images were shot in my home made light tent about 8 years ago. (I need to do some more shooting with it, I see, nice light.)

One trick is to use a continuous sheet of colored paper for the vertical background wall, curving 90 degrees to become the floor, thus avoiding a line where the two surfaces meet in the background. I have even seen studios built with walls like this to avoid the dreaded juncture of the wall and floor. With paper it is easy, and you can have any color of the rainbow.

http://ec2-54-208-172-31.compute-1.amazonaws.com/showpost.php?p=284053&postcount=4

http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=364956&postcount=7

http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/light_box_light_tent

Intothedeepblue

That DIY light tent is a great idea, the light it generates is also great but I need something more situational, I need to do photos of items in situation like on a counter or table etc.

ian408

Intothedeepblue wrote: »

That DIY light tent is a great idea, the light it generates is also great but I need something more situational, I need to do photos of items in situation like on a counter or table etc.

There are many setups you can use to do this.

At a minimum, a couple of lights. Softbox or umbrellas and some reflectors.

pathfinder

Situational?? A light tent will easily fit on a table.

But if this is a public venue, with lots of folks moving about, it is going to be a lot harder to control the quality of your lighting, since, by definition, you don't have control of your lighting.

Like Ian said, a portable softbox, and a reflector or scrim, maybe with a couple voice actuated light stands ( i.e. a couple assistants to manage your lighting )

Gary752

Definitely need to check out this thread! http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=247338

GaryB