experimenting with softboxes

[ToTom]

Hi, this is my first post beside intoducing myself.
This weekend I've been experimenting with softboxes I built with tin foil and cardboard boxes.
I'm lucky I have a very disciplined and nice model in my 8 months old son (Marco).
I used a Nikon D70, 2 Nikon Sb800, lens Nikkor 80-200 AF-S and my "proprietary" cardboard softboxes.
I think softboxes have taken me to a new level: so cheap and so incredibly effective in softening the light from the flashes.

[shawngrimes]

I'd love to see your home made softboxes in the DIY thread in the gear section.

[clockdoc]

Nice work with the softboxes. Looks like the one on the left is placed a tad bit low creating an 'underlighting' effect. Can you elaborate on where you placed your softboxes and how large the diffusion area is on each? What power were the flashes set at and how far were the boxes from Marco? Did you fire the SB800's using the D70 remotely or with cords? Thanks for sharing this with us.

[ToTom]

Hi Lee,
you got a point about the undelighting effect and that's because it's impossible to control the exact position e direction without tripods. The DIY softboxes are just cardboard boxes and so it's hard to attach safely the flash unit in first place and also very hard to place them where you want them.
This very picture has actually been done with just one softbox and with a small bouncing card on the right hand side of Marco.
The flash was TTL with some boost from the in camera settings and wirelessly controlled (it's very easy setup, I don't know these flashes very well so I stick to the basics).
The softbox diffusion area is around 30x20"
If you clic on the picture and then to "view album" in picasawebalbum you can see the other pictures from the same session, some of them with two lightboxes.
Any critique is appreciated.
thanks
Alessandro

[clockdoc]

Hi Alessandro,
You have done well with your cardboard box soft boxes. Did you get your 'inspiration' to build them from the Strobist ( www.strobist.com ) If not, I can highly recommend the site. With the versatility of the swivel heads on the SB800, I encourage you to try bouncing the light off the ceiling or even the side walls. An excellent place to aim is in the corner where two walls and the ceiling meet. It forms a nice 'umbrella' in which to bounce the light. I look forward to seeing your next posting of Marco.

[ToTom]

Hi Lee,
yes, I was inspired by strobist
I've tried the bouncing thing in the past but could not really get nice results. My first succesful attempt in studio work is with softboxes so I guess I'm going to buy this
http://www.lowbudgetshooting.de/flash2softbox.html
sorry it's in german but I think you won't need much explaination
What to you think?

[clockdoc]

Danke! Das ist eine tolle Idee, dass eine Reihe von Geräten, die Umwandlung der SB800 zu einem Studio Licht. Wo sind Sie den Kauf dieses System aus?

[rdaw]

I've been reading about photography too much lately - I read "Marco" as "Macro" and really didn't think that was too odd...
nice work, BTW!

[ToTom]

Here's where I'm gonna buy the flash enabled softboxes:
sambesigroup.ax-media.de

ciao!