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 The SoftBox - Setup Instructions

One of the most beneficial lighting accessories ever invented is the softbox. The soft, mellow, virtually shadowless light gently beautifies your subject - be it person or product! On people, the soft light of the softbox subtly hides the lines and wrinkles on the faces of portrait clients, making them look younger and more vital than they really are (that's why folks pay photographers, y'know:).

Sometimes we want harsh, direct lighting and the hard shadows it casts. But for many of our subjects, we need something else. The soft, diffuse light provided by the softbox. It's fabulous for people, and for objects and products, the magnificent softness of the light greatly improves them as well, bringing out delicate, beautiful, details, and it reduces any reflections or "hot spots" on shiny or reflective surfaces. Truly fabulous lighting for jewelry, clothing, cameras, and virtually any other item you can think of.

However, setting up a new Softbox - while a quick and easy task for the pro, beginners often find their very first attempt at assembling their new softbox can be a real challenge. So we've posted these setup instructions to help new photographers get their new equipment up and running.
First, unpack and lay out the contents of the Softbox Carrying Case, and follow the instructions below.

 Step #1:

Unpack your new Softbox and find the ring that serves as both the part that attaches the Softbox to your light, and as the holder of the four metal rods that serve as the form to stretch the Softbox fabric over. So set the ring on the ground as illustrated above, and place one metal rod into each of the four sockets on the ring as illustrated above. Be sure to insert the rods with the plastic rod covers pointing up.

 

 

Then, move down to step #2

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Step #2:

Place the Softbox fabric over the ring as illustrated above, and put one metal rod into each of the four "pockets" sewn into each corner of the Softbox fabric. The illustration above shows only two rods properly inserted into the fabric, but put one into each of the four corner pockets.

 

Then, move down to step #3

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Step #3:

 

Now here's the part that most folks have trouble with; once the rods have been inserted into all four corners of the fabric, you must them push each of the four sockets on the attachment ring down until it is parallel with the ground. As you push the rod sockets down towards the ground, you'll hear and feel a "click" that signals that the socket is locked into place. This will stretch your Softbox fabric tightly over the rods, and once all four sockets are locked into place, as illustrated above, your new Softbox is assembled and ready to go! When disassembling the Softbox, pull each socket on the ring outwards, which will unlock them, and allow for quick and easy disassembly.

Once the Softbox has been assembled, attach one or both of the white fabric screens, and attach the Softbox to your light. See the section below for a view of the inner workings of the Softbox.

And finally, here's two views of the Softbox, showing how to use the two fabric screens. You can use the Softbox with only the outer screen attached, or, as shown below on the right, with both the outer screen and the optional inner screen. Depending upon your needs, you can use no screens, you can use only one screen, or both screens.

Now go make some wonderful images or videos with your new Softbox!

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One Light Kits Two Light Kits Three Light Kits Strobes & Misc.
QL1000 Quartz Halogen 1000W Softbox Kit $169.95 QL1000 Quartz Halogen Double Softbox Kit $349.95 900W Three Light Kit $319.95 Pro-500 Studio Flash 120WS $199.95
MXLIGHT Dual-Bulb, Dual-Power 500W and 1000W Twin Lamp Kit $199.95 MXLIGHT Dual-Bulb, Dual-Power 500W to 2000W Twin Lights Kit $459.95 3000w 3 Light Kit $529.95 PS300 3 Light 450 w/s Flash Kit $299.95
EZ Fluorescent Octagonal Softbox Light Kit $89.95 400 Watt 2 Light Cool Fluorescent Starter Kit $173.59 3000w 3 Light Halogen Light Kit with Overhead Convertible Boom $499.95 450w/s Flash 3 Light Kit $299.99
Flo-4 Single Fluorescent Light Kit $139.95 CoolFlo 2 Lamp Fluorescent Product Photo Kit w/Light Tent $119.95 QL1000 Quartz Halogen Triple Light & Softbox Kit $529.95 4000W PRO 4 Light Cool Fluorescent Light Kit with Convertible Boom $559.98
Light Kits generally contain, in addition to the lights themselves, an appropriate number of light stands, light modifiers (umbrellas, softboxes, barn doors, etc.), and other items which are listed in the kit descriptions, which can be found at the links above.
FREE: Photo Tips & Tricks in our Newsletter FREE: Photo "How-To" in our Portraiture 101 Guide Add a 9x12' Muslin Backdrop to your order for only $39. Really. Four Light Fluorescent 800W eBay Booster Kit $349.99

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