{"id":2035,"date":"2021-05-25T18:14:00","date_gmt":"2021-05-25T22:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dev.wordpress\/?p=2035"},"modified":"2024-07-11T10:13:01","modified_gmt":"2024-07-11T14:13:01","slug":"softbox-vs-umbrella-which-one-should-you-use","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/softbox-vs-umbrella-which-one-should-you-use\/","title":{"rendered":"Softbox vs Umbrella: Which One Should You Use for Photography?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What kind of light modifier should you use? Umbrellas are great to start with for photographers who are new to using artificial lighting, but softboxes give you more directionality and control. The difference between a softbox vs umbrella<\/strong> all depends on your ultimate creative goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Portrait lighting<\/a> has four major characteristics: color, direction, quantity, and quality. When working with light sources\u2014from strobes and speedlights to monolights<\/a> and LED lights\u2014the best way to improve the light\u2019s quality is with a modification device such as an umbrella or a softbox as a diffuser. Each light modifier has its own unique advantages and disadvantages. But no matter which one you choose, both devices are governed by the same important rule: the proximity of the light source to the subject determines how hard or soft the light will be. The closer a light source is to the subject, the softer the light will be; the further away the light source is, the harder it becomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is softbox lighting?<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Photo by Alexander Dummer on Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What is umbrella lighting?<\/h3>\n\n\n
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The photography umbrella<\/a> is probably the most popular light modifier as it is highly portable, incredibly cheap, and best of all, easy to use. If you\u2019ve ever used a simple rain umbrella, then you\u2019re halfway to knowing how to use one for creating artificial lighting<\/a> in your photography.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Umbrellas provide photographers with a broad and soft light source that closely emulates outdoor lighting. Unlike softboxes, which give you directional control, umbrellas produce a more unrestricted type of lighting that will pretty much go everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types of Photography Umbrella lighting<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

There are two types of umbrellas: shoot-through<\/strong> and reflective<\/strong>. While innately similar, there are a few differences between the two in terms of what they look like and how they are used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reflective umbrellas are opaque on the outside and made of a metallic, reflective material on the inside. To diffuse light with this type of umbrella, you simply need to set it up so that the inner reflective part faces the subject, then you shoot the flash into the reflective material so that the \u201chard\u201d light bounces and reflects a softer, broader, and more even light onto the subject.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shoot-through umbrellas are made with a plain, white, and semi-translucent material. To diffuse light with these white umbrellas, you need to point the outside part of the umbrella at your subject. Then, shoot the flash into the opening so that the light passes through the translucent material, making it much softer. Unlike the reflective umbrella, the light produced with the shoot-through is slightly easier to control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When used in the traditional position, umbrellas produce indirect, bounced light. It may require more flash output from the light source you\u2019re using. Because umbrellas produce a broader type of diffused lighting, they are easier for beginners to use. Point an umbrella at a subject and voil\u00e0, you\u2019ve got soft lighting! Use two of them together and you\u2019ll think you\u2019re a lighting genius.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the key differences between a softbox and an umbrella?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The key differences between softboxes and umbrellas are important to know, especially if you’re looking to buy only one. Now that we’ve discussed both individually, let’s compare them side by side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Dane Kelly (via Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Feature<\/strong><\/td>Umbrella<\/strong><\/td>Softbox<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Design and setup<\/strong><\/td>Simpler, resembling a regular rain umbrella. It can be either reflective or shoot-through It\u2019s quicker to set up and more portable due to its collapsible design.<\/td>Enclosed lighting modifier with reflective interior surfaces and a front diffusion panel. Setting up a softbox can take a bit more time due to it being more complex.<\/td><\/tr>
Control and Precision<\/strong><\/td>Offers less control over light direction and spread. Reflective umbrellas can bounce light broadly, while shoot-through umbrellas diffuse light over a wide area.<\/td>Provides excellent control over the light\u2019s direction and spread. The enclosed design ensures that light is directed where you need it.<\/td><\/tr>
Portability<\/strong><\/td>Extremely portable and easy to carry. Its lightweight and collapsible design make it ideal for on-location shoots.<\/td>Generally bulkier and less portable compared to umbrellas. It requires more time to assemble and disassemble, making it better suited for studio work or planned shoots.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Read this comparison table between softbox vs. umbrella lighting.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Softbox vs. Umbrella in action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To show you the visible differences between an umbrella and a softbox, I shot a comparison test using two large light sources. In this corner was a white parabolic umbrella<\/a>. In the opposite corner was a 36×48-inch softbox<\/a>. For my test shots, I didn\u2019t use any fill light or reflector. I wanted you to see the total effect of the light modifier that was used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Softbox lighting setup example<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Photo \u00a92012 Joe Farace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

This is the lighting set-up that I used for my test in my 11×15-foot in-home studio. A Flashpoint monolight<\/a> was placed at camera’s right, just outside the frame. My first shot was with the 36×48-inch Softbox\u00a0and then later I used an umbrella while the monolight was in the same location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Umbrella lighting setup example<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Photo \u00a92012 Joe Farace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

To give me an f\/8 aperture and achieve the kind of depth-of-field I like when making a three-quarter length portrait, I set the power on the monolight between one-eight and one-half power using the monolight\u2019s continuously variable output knob. No reflector was used, only the light from the 36×48-inch softbox, and the exposure was 1\/125 sec at f\/8 and ISO 100.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Photo \u00a92012 Joe Farace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

To make sure nothing moved when I switched to an umbrella, I placed gaffer\u2019s tape on the floor to position the monolight, now with the parabolic umbrella mounted. Two things happened: One that\u2019s obvious and one that\u2019s not. The obvious thing is that the lighting is much broader and softer with less modeling on the subject\u2019s face. There\u2019s also more light spilling onto on background. Because the light bounces, the quantity is less. Therefore, my exposure setting changed to 1\/125 sec at f\/6.3 and ISO 160.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike photography umbrellas that are forgiving, lightbanks require some basic knowledge of balancing the main versus fill light (that fill could even be an umbrella or just a reflector) so it won\u2019t produce overly contrasty lighting (unless, of course, that\u2019s what you want). Softboxes are also slightly more complicated to set up. However, the Glow series of Softboxes<\/a> are the easiest to assemble. But choices are what this whole discussion is about. You select the light modifier that matches the kind of portrait you\u2019re trying to make. Sometimes that will require an umbrella, and sometimes it\u2019ll be a lightbank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is no \u201cone size fits all\u201d solution to lighting. Just as you will select the right lens and ISO for natural light photography, when it comes to working with artificial light you need to select the right tool for the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should I use softbox vs. umbrella lighting?<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Softbox vs Umbrella: OnSet ep. 204<\/div><\/div>
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