How to make your own studio softbox - includes related article on softbox accessories

PSA Journal, June, 1992 by Michael Dale

Have you ever had the desire to make beautiful product photos, or window soft portraits with that fresh spontaneous look, but you said, "I can't afford it"? The cost of professional studio lighting equipment can be prohibitive. A 36-x 48-inch softbox costs upwards of $275 depending on accessories, filters, barn doors, 1ouvers, and a variety of other light control devices.

With my design, you can fabricate your own professional, studio quality softbox for less than $50 (not including strobe light), and when you're finished, you can put your name on it and be proud to use it. This softbox is portable, allowing you to take it anywhere you have an assignment. You can take it to your local restaurant to shoot beautiful color food shots, or a corporation to take great company brochure shots or you can use it in your living room to shoot life-like quality portraits. Wherever you decide to take your new softbox you'll find it does the job as well as any factory-made unit on the market.

Storage is easy for this softbox. It can be disassembled and stored in a small area, or if you have the room, leave it assembled for your next photo session. However, the softbox should be wrapped for storage to keep its fabric looking clean and fresh. A large lawn-size plastic bag should do the trick.

To make this project cost effective, you can save even more money in buying materials if you visit a local surplus store. You'll find plenty of lower cost materials, fabrics, etc. So let's get started. Features of Your New Softbox

1. Can be built to standard sizes, 16x22, 24x32, 36x48, and/or 54x72 inches.

2. As portable as you want to make it.

3. U.V. Filters for reduction of Ultra Violet Rays.

4. Fome-Cor Board Barn Doors.

5. Wood Louvers.

6. Will accept any size strobe flash unit.

7. Removable light baffle to eliminate hot spots.

8. No sewing machine required.

9. Gold, Silver or white replaceable side panels to modify contrast.

10. Will accept any size strobe light for variable power.

Construction

Construction described here is for a 36- x 48-inch, plus two 18- x 18inch mini-softboxes. Once you have the large one complete, you can modify the dimensions to create other units of any size you may need. The basic framework is made of white PVC plastic pipe. It's lightweight, strong, white in color (important for inside the softbox), and inexpensive, making it the ideal material to work with.

Basic lighting setups require three to four strobe lights, or more, to effectively control shadows, highlights, background lighting, etc. With this design you can econmically choose the size and quantity of units to create any effect you want for black and white, color or a combination of both. To make the units even more portable, consider surplus canvas tote bags to store and carry your dis-assembled units for convenience.

List of Basic Frame Materials
 1 Small can of PVC cement
 8 1/2-inch, slip, slip, thread
  (3-way)
 8 1/2-inch, 45 degree elbows
 4 15-inch long nipples
 8 1/2-inch PVC couplings
 1 Length 1-x 1-inch alum angle
 1 3/4-x 3-x-3 right angle bracket
 1 Can flat black spray enamel
 1 1/2-inch (.045 wall) PVC plastic pipe
 8 Slip to thread adapters
 8 1/2-x 2-1/2-inch plastic pipe nipples
 4 1/2-x 3-inch PVC nipples
 4 21-inch long nipples
 8 6-32 UNC-x 3/8-inch long screws
 1 1/4-20 UNC-x 1/2-inch long bolt
 12 4-40 UNC-x 1-1/4-inch long screws

If you shop around you'll discover a large difference in prices of materials. Local hardware stores are usually 25 percent higher than discount outlet stores that handle all types of construction items. I bought stainles steel screws at a local surplus electronics store. You can get dozens of them for a dollar. There's even a surplus metals store to buy angle aluminum at reduced prices.

Start by installing the threaded adapters into the 3-way connector and hand tighten. Next cut the 2-1/2-inch PVC nipples to size. Be sure to make the ends square and smooth. I like to cut them on a table saw using a plywood radial saw blade. This makes a square clean cut that won't require additional work. However, if you don't have a table saw then a hack saw will do the job. Cement the short PVC nipples into the end of the threaded adapters. Next push the 45-degree elbows onto the short nipples but DO NOT cement them in place. They should remain loose so you can align them later.

Cement the 8-inch PVC nipples into the ends of the 3-way connectors to form a square configuration. This may be a little difficult and you'll have to work quickly before the fast-drying cement sets up. Once the cement has dried it is impossible to remove the parts. So if you make a mistake you'll be forced to start over with new parts.

You should now have a square configuration with PVC threaded adapters, short nipples and 45degree elbows placed on the short nipples. This is the strobe end of the softbox. You can lab these to fit any size strobe light by varying the dimensions of the PVC nipple to provide a larger inside area for any size light unit.