How can you create even and diffuse light with a light tent or softbox?

Hi, in last 32 years, I am working as a lecturar, artist, designer. May favorite material is glass. Free blown glass shapes with sandblasted texture are so difficult to photograf! Glass has a "reflection mirrors" and texture patterns have lines, shadov and light effects... Making a professional photo of a glass object is extremely difficult! Proffesional photographers use diffused light lamps in thaire studios. We, glass artists we have good experience with a light tend becouse of good photo quality, becouse it is a portable equipment, eazy and practical!

Such a versatile tool that's ideal for shooting a wide variety of subjects. Great for shooting portraits and product photos in particular. I often use light tends when shooting interviews, and talking head-type videos as well. The flattering, even light you can get from light tents, umbrellas, and diffusers will make shots look a lot cleaner and a whole lot more professional and aesthetically pleasing.

A light tent is super helpful when shooting small objects specially if you’re an entry level product photographer. It will help you distribute the light well using the minimum lighting equipment possible, just make sure to use the suitable size tent and the suitable lighting equipment for it so you can get the best results.

The beauty of a light tent lies not just in its performance but also in its practicality. Setting it up is a breeze, and when your photography escapade concludes, it folds neatly into a compact form for storage. Whether you're working in a studio or chasing natural light, light tents come in various sizes and shapes to cater to your every need.

Light tent or a diffuser soft box often acts as a medium to 'spread' the light. Just as the atmosphere causes diffraction, the light tent or a soft box 'diffuses' the light by simply - spreading it over a larger surface area - reducing the intensity by creating a medium to pass through

You can use soft light bounced from the background which must be evenly lit, and to properly form the edges of the subject it is enough to put the glass inside the tunnel.

In the world of photography, using a light tent is akin to painting with light. It's a delicate dance of positioning, adjusting, and framing, all in pursuit of that perfect shot. With the tent as your stage, you become the maestro, orchestrating every element to craft visual symphonies that captivate the eye and stir the soul.

For beginner photographers I recommend you try making your own DYI softbox, there are a lot of videos on youtube about how to make one. Some may say why the hassle while there are a lot of options that are not expensive, well I recommend it because it will help you understand more about the technology itself and how you can get the beauty results out of it, you will understand light more and know how to make it work better for your photography.

Softboxes come in different models, shapes and sizes. Definitely is good to have a few, or many if you have money and space ;) at your disposal. Although, the softbox is just one of many light modifiers that photographers can use. There are other modifiers like all types of reflectors (from unfolded ones to simple pieces of cloth or styrofoam), through diffusers (from pro ones to cloth or rice papers), flags, mirrors or gobos.

To maximize the softness of the light coming from your softbox, move the softbox as close to the subject without being in the shot. In some cases you can even edit out the softbox if it is in frame but doesn't cover any part of your subject

softbox is more than a photographic accessory; it's a conduit for emotion, a translator of beauty, and a vessel for storytelling. With it, I paint with light, sculpt with shadows, and capture moments that resonate with the human soul. It's an instrument of subtlety and grandeur, a silent collaborator in my quest to capture the world's fleeting moments of magic.

My go-to softbox for video is the Aputure Light Dome II (150cm). To control light outdoors, use negative fill like black fabric and sturdy reflectors. 5in1 pop-up reflectors have diffusion, are useful, but are a bit flimsy. Pro tip: Use the silver and black sides of a 5in1 to fine-tune your light. For larger diffusion, consider sizes like 4x4, 6x6, 8x8, or 12x12. Don’t forget the lights: For indoor medium / CU shots, even a 60W light performs well. Use a 200-300W key light for indoor portraits; for outdoor, go for 600-1200W with a fresnel.

A quick tip on using a softbox - Light closer to your subject = soft shadows, less contrast, more "beautiful" characteristics. Light further away from your subject = harder shadows, more contrast, more "edgy" looking. There are not many wrong answers, only different routes to the look you're trying to achieve, so get one light to start off, and try things!

At the top of Jethro's tips, you don't always have to set your softboxes centrally to your subject. Swing them to the side so that the light just passes by your subject; that way, you can get a very soft and gentle light. Need a little bit more spark? Take off the outer or inner diffusion. When need quicker light falloff, get your softbox closer to the subject or use a smaller light source (in the case of softboxes, the other diffusion layer). So either cover part of the face of the softbox or use a smaller one.

Place your light source, such as a flash or strobe, inside the softbox. The reflective interior will become your maestro, orchestrating the light. Adjust the intensity as needed, using the softbox's inner workings or your light source's controls. In the realm of photography, the softbox is your artistic brush, and light is your paint. Together, they enable you to craft images that resonate with the heart and soul. Embrace its gentle embrace, and let your creativity shine.

Here's another handy tip for softbox use in product photography. Place the softbox slightly above facing your product. This reduces harsh shadows and gives your product a nice, even glow. It's an easy way to make your products look their best in photos. ????

Get a good one that can snap into place. Also, get a grid for it to focus light more onto your subject. The most common placement is as a key light about 45 degrees to the above angled down and placed on the side of a subject. 9/10 you’ll be happy with this result. For females, lighting from the front angled down can give a soft feminine vibe. Having a single quality, and pure light source is critical for creating light motivation in a scene. A false color monitor is also helpful in getting a good exposure and I’ve found to be best cause you can stay focused on composition and what’s on screen rather than just looking at meters.

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of light tents, I believe they are fairly limited and don't provide enough flexibility to properly light the object. They can be good when in a rush and where high quality is not a key. A combination of softboxes with other modifiers gives you far more superior flexibility and quality. The drawback is that takes more time to set it up and costs a bit more. Okay, a lot more :)

Budget-Friendly: For those watching their purse strings, a light tent often offers a more cost-effective solution, especially if you already own compatible light sources. Space Hog: However, it's essential to have a bit of room to spare, as light tents require space for your subject to reside comfortably. Universal Diffusion: Light tents diffuse light uniformly from all sides, which can simplify setup but limit directional control. Consistent Results: They tend to deliver consistent results, making them ideal for product photography where uniformity is key.

Light tents are good for shooting a ton of products on a solid background (usually white). Best use case would be for shooting a catalogue of items, usually small, to put on a website for sale. Soft boxes are good for people and products and like the post says - allow for much more creativity yet can be arranged in a setup that would still execute the use case above. You can use softboxes and large diffusion to create the same effect as a light box if you want. I can count on one hand how many times we’ve had to use a light box on anything. You’ll buy it and it’ll sit around for ages.

I view the different types of boxes, umbrellas, or domes as tools. I mainly photograph people. For advertising and entertainment usage. Before I create a lighting build, I think about what is the end image going to be used for. Next the skin tone of the subject, the setting and mood of the images. Lighting is adding and subtracting lighting values. I prefer domes as my main source and fill with boxes and cards. Take your time use a hand held meter. And check for anything that can affect your production. Windows, floors, reflections from items in the room. Most importantly no one stands between you and the subject.

i ran out of words below, but the moral of this is get the best team you can, trust them to do their part & give them the space to do it. the most important work i can do is pull my references, my lighting diagrams,and my focal lengths. i’ve succumbed to certain aspects where me stepping off is the best move. it’s a beautiful thing to work with the best and in the process realize whom your peers are with your team v without. personally i’m all the way there with my team, so my challange is working with these smaller budgets and maintaining the ability to still hire my people. who cares what you call the light shaping tool trust those who know them better than you and work with them and pay their full rate!

To create even and diffuse light with a light tent, ensure your light sources are outside the tent, use diffusion panels, position lights slightly above and to the sides, and avoid hot spots. With a softbox, mount it on a stand, use both inner and outer diffusion layers, control light intensity, and experiment with angles for the desired softness. In both cases, consider your subject's size and the quality of light you want to achieve, adjusting settings and position to achieve the desired even and diffuse lighting effect for your photography.

i find that my best work comes from a team which sets the bar so high i have no choice but to rise to their level. i’ll make less money to make sure my team is making at what they would for any of the top pros they work with. even me saying, or assuming they’re working “with” sums up how i approach it. i know my strengths and weaknesses snd trust my team to fully work with them, and part of this is whose telling me what. my tech knows when im shooting i can’t break the connection with the subject, so he and my first will make executive decisions based on what they know i like best. they know what i like before i do, i’m always pulling a lens out of a hat to do a trick shot, they rock with me no matter what. they’re the sb

Best way to remove unwanted harsh shadows is to place objects on acrylic raisers, this way you can blow out background and not have it affect the product. Placing black cutters also helps eliminating backlight and adds sharp edges to the product.