Softbox DIY with Continuous Light for Video (2017 Instructions) / Large Diffused Foam Board

Instructions on how to make a DIY Softbox with continuous light for videos or photography. This large softbox build uses foamcore and white fabric for diffusion to make a professional looking softbox on the cheap using inexpensive items from the dollar store.
👍 Thanks for watching! Please like, comment, & subscribe.
Here's a link to an affordable light stand socket: amzn.to/2mFvKJY
& Here's the light bulbs I use, but I think they're cheaper at Home Depot: amzn.to/2mhcAiB
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A Little Wiki:
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A soft box is a type of photographic lighting device, one of a number of photographic soft light devices. All the various soft light types create even and diffused light by directing light through some diffusing material, or by "bouncing" light off a second surface to diffuse the light. The best known form of bouncing source is the umbrella light where the light from the bulb is bounced off the inside of a metalized umbrella to create a soft indirect light.
A soft box is an enclosure around a bulb comprising reflective side and back walls and a diffusing material at the front of the light.
The sides and back of the box are lined with a bright surface - an aluminized fabric surface or an aluminum foil, to act as an efficient reflector. In some commercially available models the diffuser is removable to allow the light to be used alone as a floodlight or with an umbrella reflector.
A soft box can be used with either flash or continuous light sources such as fluorescent lamps or "hot lights" such as quartz halogen bulbs or tungsten bulbs. If soft box lights are used with "hot" light sources, the user must be sure the soft box is heat rated for the wattage of the light to which it is attached in order to avoid fire hazard.
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[@geraldundone]

Thanks for watching. I hope you found this video helpful. This video is a spiritual successor to another video I made when I first started KZbin: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYSah5yLgtF9jrM I think I've come a long way since then. It's fun to see the contrast.

[@rickyrichreacts9667]

Amazing 👌👌

[@aaliyahscravings7938]

Thanks for this. Very helpful!

[@jacquelinejackson5191]

looks great - but you need to take a picture so that we can see the effect........................nice job

[@mohamedelnemr8603]

it was very useful for me. thanks.

[@Thirtyeen]

This was really helpful to watch. A friend and I were just chatting today about how to improve the lighting in our videos so it's great that I spotted your video in newtubers. The style of tutorial was really clear as well, I'm certain I could follow this once I've got the materials to hand.

[@geraldundone]

Awesome! Thanks. I'm glad you found it helpful. I think the post in NewTubers got taken down because you can't share your own links, but I'm glad you saw it before that happened. Let me know if you need any help when you get to making your own. :)

[@CivicHB]

Hey man, just wanted to let you know that out of all the DIY softbox options I have found, yours is my favorite and seems to be the easiest (at least to me) to make. I think one thing that makes me love your idea a lot more than any other is the stand you use for the light. I just so happen to have that EXACT mic stand sitting right next to me with my blue snowball on it that I never use anymore. I never even knew I could use it for this! Just wanted to say thank you so much for this video as I am trying to become an online reseller and taking great photos of products is a must. My main struggle (besides the crappy camera I am limited to at the moment) is lighting. If I can get a decent lighting setup then that bad camera can still be used until I make enough money to get a good camera. Now I can stop using my household lamps with random white material hanging over them to light stuff xD Oh and I also happen to have those exact two light bulbs, as well as four pieces of foam board just sitting here... It's like I was meant to find your video hahah. Thanks again man! If you are interested, I can come back and comment how the build went for my softbox and even link some pictures. Cya!

[@geraldundone]

Thanks so much for this comment. I really appreciate how you went out of your way with the details and your kind words. I'm really glad my video was helpful. Please do let me know how the process went for you! :)

[@CivicHB]

Ooook so! Softbox complete! I couldn't find one of the light fixtures that you use on yours and that makes me sad, but I found something I could use. It's basically a light that you would stick in the ground in your yard like on either side of your sidewalk or something like that. It works great and it's very sturdy so it has no problem holding up the weight of the box itself. The bad part is it also has no way to screw onto the mic stand, so, for now at least, I'm using one of my most used items when trying to make something do what I want t to do, zip ties. :P But you know, it works, and it was meant to be cheap and save some money, which it has. My only other real problem is I can't fit the little 1 into 2 (splitter?) light bulb thing into the fixture because the housing where the bulb goes is pretty deep and its just not wide enough to fit the adapter splitter thing into. SO! In the mean time I'm looking up the brightest types of bulbs that will fit in the normal type light socket. That being said, I have the softbox setup with two of my previous lamps I was using (the ghetto ones) and it's working great! The light is already much less harsh and I have much less shadow creeping into the corners of my pictures which is awesome. The goal is to be able to take a picture and take it straight to the listing with no editing (other than using the crop feature that the website I post on offers). It's definitely working for that as it is right now as long as I keep the exposure settings on my camera high enough. After I get home from work today I will take a picture of it and I guess I'll post it in a separate comment, although youtube will absolutely mark it as spam so you may have to go to your dashboard to see it. Anyway, again, ty so much for the video! You've saved me a lot of money for the time being. Since I already had the mic stand, I only had to buy black tape (~$3.20), black foam board ($3, used 3 of them), aluminum foil (~$3.20, got the off brand but it was the extra wide sheets) and the light fixture (~$8.50 at Lowes). So about $18 for an AWESOME softbox that I can upgrade over time??? Hell yeah I'll take that deal! I'll be using this thing for a LONG time! Once I make my first few sales I use some of that to order the ACTUAL light stand socket that you listed in your description and this thing will really start poppin! Again dude, thanks for the great video guide. The steps for making this were perfect and very easy to follow! I'll be back later this afternoon/evening with a link to some pictures of the softbox in use. Cya!

[@geraldundone]

Awesome! I'm glad to hear you were able to get it working after a few creative modifications. I'll keep my eye on the spam folder. :)

[@benjamincarr6358]

thanks!

[@bothawpg]

Cool video. Just one tip - it is much easier to cut foamboard using utility knife and straightedge. You will get much finer edges.

[@geraldundone]

Thanks! I know, you're right. I should really get a new one. I used up my last blades on my old one a few months ago and I just haven't replaced it. However, I do like crunch sound the scissors make. :)

[@yasirniazi4801]

Great vedio... but u didnt light up after set diffuser cloth.

[@Krunnky]

Great vid!! I really wanted to see it lit up at the end though :) The OCD is real, lol

[@geraldundone]

Thanks! Ha, I never even thought of that. That's funny.

[@Punkichu]

i was curious about how the lighting and foam board would go hand in hand (heat etc) but LED would make it better. i like those light bulbs we have a few already in the garage, my studio holds about 4 ceiling can lights (for tattooing) plus the fan light if needed.. that alone gets pretty warm in a small space. this is a great tutorial idea and is there a recommended size or could i pull this off with a little smaller box size? as i dont have a lot of space to work with. mine would need to be mounted to the wall tho i am looking around my studio as the gears turn haha. my biggest fault is i either dont have enough light or theres TOO MUCH light and i have tried a LOT of lightnings other than what i have installed already. (ps4 cam literally ziptied to the pole itself of the one good light that bounces back at me facing the wall. one of those tall bendy lamps but it is NOT enough, i don't like a lot of light blasting me lol tho i dont think im going to have a choice in the matter as long as theres a nice Diffuser and even glows i had to re-paint my studio to accommodate for light bounce backs and tones.. cant go wrong with gorilla tape.. very strong stuff i use it for a lot of things haha. i will consider trying one out and seeing how it works. i might be able to get away with one box just fine in my small space. i do like this idea a lot & the prices even on amazon are pretty cheap. in the US (i believe you mentioned your on Canada prices) it would cost more in the store here.. maybe, but i will look around, however i just happened to have some gift money in my amazon acct . :) xmas and all.. the boom stand is a great idea and that actually might work to my advantage vs mounting to a wall. good video.. threw ya a sub and a like :D sorry for book.. cant help it ;)

[@geraldundone]

Thanks for taking the time to comment and share all this. I appreciate the support. As to your problem, I have a couple ideas. Yes you could build a small softbox, I made something out of junk in an earlier video on a much smaller scale. Here's the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3vYo5yYrJl1g7Mm16s Also, you could try looking into those Chinese Lantern Balls like this thing: amzn.to/2zARTzW Hope that helps! :)

[@Punkichu]

thank you ! yes it helps.. clever with the mini boxes! and the Chinese lantern balls would be cool just to have.. i might try one of those, if it doesn't work out.. then i have it just to have haha.. thank you for the reply and links. much appreciated !

[@biffo1960]

Wow how did you get them lines perfect on your background looks 😎

[@alosgm1]

Nice video! Can yoiu use halogen lamps withm it, or it will get too hot for the surrounding material? Thanks!

[@geraldundone]

I feel like it'd be safer to stick with LEDs since there are paper products involved.

[@AlexCail]

Gerald I love the videos just found your channel. Do you know what it would be like to look at this light for 12hrs? would it kill my eyes? thanks in advance if you reply :) also It's a shame you don't have more subs!

[@geraldundone]

Thanks! I really appreciate that. As far as the light, yeah, it's pretty bright, but don't look directly at it. Put it off to the side a bit, and look at your camera. Or if you're the subject, move your gaze just slightly off of it and it won't bother you near as much. Putting diffusion material on it though does greatly reduce the discomfort vs staring at a naked bulb.

[@AlexCail]

My big Issue is I stream and i need a soft directional light that won't kill me after 8-12hrs of streaming any suggestions?

[@geraldundone]

This should serve you well. But definitely go with LED bulbs or it will get very hot.

[@savageshutter7211]

velcro for diffusion backdrop

[@geraldundone]

Yeah, velcro would be a nice upgrade. Good idea.

[@SalimLamouri]

softbox tf

[@geraldundone]

Salim Lamouri What?

[@geraldundone]

Here's a link to an affordable light stand socket: amzn.to/2mFvKJY & Here's the light bulbs I use, but I think they're cheaper at Home Depot: amzn.to/2mhcAiB

[@saffmichael4369]

JESUS H CHRIST, you forgot to include a fire extinguisher in your budget. I guess if you trying to burn down your studio to collect on the insurance this is a good DIY.