Softboxes
Asoftbox is essentially a reflective cloth material stretched over a frame that can be square, octagonal, rectangular, or long-strip rectangular. Each produces slightly different light, and some professional photographers will only work with octagonal softboxes due to the more natural catchlight they produce in the eyes of a subject.
Softboxes may cost more than umbrellas and take a little bit longer to set up, but the quality of light they produce is just about as soft as it gets. By carefully choosing the type, shape, size, and any accessories to direct the output, you can very effectively control the spread of light, too.
However, the downside is that you often have to be more conscientious in managing the contrast. You haven’t got ...
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