Eliminate harsh flash without breaking the bank! Our DIY Photography Hacks series starts up again with a simple tutorial showing you how to make your own softbox to create soft, direct light.
Hotshoe flash is a great way to add light to a portrait. But even if your flash comes with its own softbox, its small size and proximity to the flash often limit its effectiveness when it comes to reducing glare.
Creating your own flash softbox is a cinch. You can make one using a few household items: white card, silver foil, tape, a rubber band and a piece of white fabric to create the diffusion panel.
With a craft knife at the ready, here is how you can create your own DIY photography softbox…
How to make a DIY softbox: steps 1-3
01 Prepare the plans
First, measure the width and length of the flash head: this is for the part of the box that will slot on. Mark four pieces of 10-inch square card – one for each side of the box.
02 Create the structure
With a ruler, draw from the top of the box shape to the top edges to form a trapezoid shape. Draw tabs on two cards so there's something to join the sections together. Click here for more step-by-step on creating the structure
03 Add foil and assemble
To maximise light, stick silver foil to the inside of the triangular sections. Using tape, assemble the sections as a funnel to slot over the flash head. Check the fit.
PAGE 1: How to make a DIY softbox – steps 1-3
PAGE 2: How to make a DIY softbox – steps 4-6
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