----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Shell"
Subject: Re: Soft boxes, any recommendations
On Apr 14, 2006, at 7:56 PM, William Robb wrote:
The larger the light source, the softer the light. Take a 36 inch
reflector, be it a soft box or umbrella and put it 20 feet from the
subject, it is effectively a point source, but if you put it a foot from
the subject it should give a very soft light.
Right. Just to make it clearer: The larger the apparent size of the
light source from the subject's position, the softer the light.
Oddly enough, the best diagrams I've seen on all this are in an old book
called Nude Photography: The French Way published some 20 years ago by
Amphoto.
I'm still not sure why I find a small (32") umbrella to give a softer light
than a large softbox (60") from the same distance.
William Robb
