Tutorial: Softbox

Light can be difficult to master. Specially if you don't want to set up a particular scene, but just one mode. For this, a Softbox is frequently used. Those familar with photography will know a Softbox. For those who don't, it's one of the most popular tools for light shaping. They can cost quite a lot, but luckily we can simply make one for our models. Like the one below for example. As you can see, the Spheres have a small, white square within them. This is the Softbox we'll be making. I used a different light in this scene for the shadows however, as the Softbox was positioned directly above the table to make it visible in the spheres.

1) We'll start with creating 3 Rectangles.

2) We'll place them on the XZ Plane and name them Small, Big and Medium with the sizes 50cm, 1200cm and 1500cm respectively. They'll have an Angle radius of 5, 10 and 15, which you can find below the Intermediate Points setting.

3) Next, place the Rectangles above each other and spawn a Loft object. The Loft can be found on the top row, under the Subdivision tools. Now put them together, which can simply be done by dragging each Rectangle under the Loft. Nothing needs to be changed on the Loft.

4) You can now play with the distance the Rectangles are apart. This'll influence the physical appearance of the Softbox, not the effect it'll have. So it's purely optional. I set mine with the Loft centered this; Small 400, Medium 180 and Big -270. These are all Y axis values so you'll have to fill it in in that section of the Coordinates.

5)For the next step you'll need a Plane, Area Light and a Null-Object. The Plane and Null Object can be found under the same icon for Objects. The light obviously will be under Light.

6) The Plane and Light both go on the same Y axis. Which will be 5 under the Big Rectangle, 1495 on the Y axis for me. The Plane is the same size as the Big Rectangle as well. Our Area Light has Area shadow and 80% Strength. The Light details are 750 for outer radius, 1500cm in both X and Z sizes. Check Inverse Square on and set the Physically Falloff to a 1000cm radius. I've put all of these changes in the picture as well.

7) The Softbox is already almost done actually! We just need to put a texture on it now. Which is very easy. Open one Texture Material and check off the Colour and Specular. We'll just need a Luminance. This Luminance will have a Gradient Texture, so select that one. The Gradient will be a 2D - Circular type with the following colours in order of position on the scale: 100% White, 80% Gray and 38% Gray. You can play around with these of course, however you want. It'll affect the colour of the light only slightly. Just make sure there is a good falloff in the colour, like this one. Put the texture on the Plane and you're done.

8) Now just put the Light, Plane and the Loft under the Null and I'll add a Composition Tag to get rid of any shadows the Softbox might cast on the objects. Sometimes it happens, other times it doesn't. Best to be save.

And with that, the Softbox is done already! But, just in case, why don't we test it out? There is a very easy way to test a Softbox in Cinema. Any light can be tested easily with this. If you don't care to test the Softbox, or are sure it works already, my work is done. For those who stop here, I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and enjoyed it! If there are any questions, feel free to comment anyway. For those who do want to test it, keep reading!

9) Lift the box up higher through the Null. I usually have the height set quite far above the ground so the sphere of the light doesn't touch any objects. I find this to be a good balance point for the light to be, as it will have a good effect on the objects yet not overlight them. Next we'll import the White Background, for which I made a tutorial earlier. It can be found >>Here<< (page opens in the same window). Finally, we'll add a simple Sphere to this scene. Give it a new Texture, where all we do is add a Reflection. Nothing else needs to be done. the scene will look like this.

And as an end result, you should get something like this. As you can see, the Sphere is half-white due to the white background and half-black because I have no sky. However you can see one white square in the Sphere, which is our softbox!

And with that, my work is done. Completely this time. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! If there are any questions, feel free to comment.