Ming Lo wrote:
I'm thinking of getting a strip soft box, and i wanted to see if anyone out there had an opinion on:

1) do you like the strip softboxes?
Yes

2) what are the best uses for them? 
Lots when you want very little width.

3) could you do just as well with a strobe bounced off a couple flats? 
No

4) and any opinion on getting / using a 36 inch vs. the 55 inch strip soft boxes?
A 55" can be a 36" but a 36" can't be a 55" (by having the last 19" not pointing at anything useful or flagging.

John
http://www.JohnAllanStudio.com

thanks,

ming

Ray Lloyd wrote:
I use two of the Calumet 14 X 56 strip boxes, and two of their 9 X 36 or whatever they are.

I use them when I want a highly directional and controllable, well...... "strip of light" that is still soft and diffused.  I think there is no other way to get this effect.

By directional and controllable, if I put the light above the Model, say, sitting on the floor, it doesn't light up the whole room, the fall off is dramatic, and the Model is sitting in this beautiful pool of light, surrounded by shadows fading in to darkness.

In my port, the two girls standing outside the room with the light coming out for the side lighting were lit by the 14 X 56;  The girl on the stairs was lit by one 14 X 56;  The girl posing with the filmy material and the background screen was back-lit with the 9 x 36;  The third picture of Monika "red white & blue" was lit by one 9 X 36 above her;  The girl on the piano was lit by two opposing 9 X 36's;  And Shawna on the bed with the reflective effect was done with one 14 X 56 above her slightly to camera left.

I think the main idea is the extreme light fall-off to the sides of the box.

It really works for me-

Excellent work!

Rich Meade wrote:
there are cheaper ways to make your own "strip box"

flags....

As long as you have room for the flags and box, and have extra stands for the flags.  Not always an option.

Ming Lo wrote:
I'm thinking of getting a strip soft box, and i wanted to see if anyone out there had an opinion on:

1) do you like the strip softboxes?

2) what are the best uses for them? 

3) could you do just as well with a strobe bounced off a couple flats? 

4) and any opinion on getting / using a 36 inch vs. the 55 inch strip soft boxes?

thanks,

ming

1. Love it!  I use a 17x46" box all the time.  Really, almost every shot.

2. Grid them, and it's the opposite effect of rim lighting.  You can get some nice butterfly and loop lighting shots, or use a pair of them for controlled rim lighting.  Really they are just softboxes w/ a different spill pattern.

3. No.  It won't even spill like a softbox of any shape.

4. The 36" will allow you to use it for 3/4 shots, or use a beauty dish or umbrella to light the face, and the 36 incher to light the body.  Or the 55" can be used as a 36" where room permits.  Your choice.

Glenn Worton wrote:
They're very useful - especially for rimlight/sidelight -

sort of 18+

https://www.modelmayhem.com/pic.php?pic … id=3031445

Two 12x48 strip boxes -placed 45 deg each side behind the model -

This is a great image!  It is worth taking a look.