How to Create Diffused Light With Strobes
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A lot of people presume my work is shot in natural light, but actually, it’s created with 90% artificial light! To create soft light that replicates natural window light using studio strobes, we need to think about three things: diffusion, size and proximity.
If you are a photographer looking to learn flash to give you more agency over your working hours and ability to fulfil any creative brief, I’d recommend Joanie Simon’s Artificial Academy lighting course.
What is hard light and what is soft light?
Firstly, let's look at the difference between 'hard' light and 'soft' light.
Hard light is what we get on a hot summer day where you can clearly see defined edges in the shadows. Soft lighting is what you might see on an overcast day, where objects cast a shadow but there are soft edges to it.
Hard Light - the shadows clearly have defined edges
Soft Light - The shadows don’t have defined edges to them
Diffusing the light
If your primary light source - whether window light or artificial light - is casting harsh shadows on your set up, we need to bring in diffusers to create softer light. The direct sunlight (or the bulb, if using flash) will pass through the diffusion material and it will be bounced/dispersed in multiple directions creating soft light.
There are many different types of diffusion techniques and material you can use to diffuse light. They come in the form of soft boxes, umbrellas, rosco material, or even sheer curtains over the window.
For a simple, one-light set up, I use a large 47 inch Octagon umbrella with diffusion material. The larger the material, the softer your light will be. This umbrella is easy to set up and pack down and is very portable, making it an ideal option for location shoots.
You could also use a roll of Rosco diffusion material to the side of your scene to create even softer light. This works particularly well for reflective or crinkly packaging. Keep in mind how thick the material is - the thicker it is, the softer the light and shadows will be. If it's too thick, you'll need a more powerful light to compensate for light fall off.
There are many ways of diffusing light - none of them right or wrong - experiment which works best for you.
Size of the light source relative to the scene
When creating diffused light, keep in mind the size of your light source relative to what you are shooting. A larger light source creates softer shadows, whereas a smaller light source will create harder shadows.
Remember that the diffuser becomes the light source. When you’re using a small light, like a speedlight, with a large roll of diffusion material or a large umbrella, the light will become soft.
Proximity
When creating diffused light using strobes, you need to think about proximity. The closer the light source to your subject, the smaller the shadows will be. The further away the light, the longer the shadows will be. There’s no right or wrong, but keep this in mind depending on the result you’re after.
If you’re using a light behind some diffusion material, keep in mind proximity of the light to the diffusion material. The closer the light to the material, the harder the shadows. The further away the light, the softer the shadows.
The further the light gets away from the material, the darker your scene will be. You might need to compensate by cranking up the power output on your light.
In summary:
There are so many benefits to using flash for commercial photography. If a client has a specific aesthetic in mind with regards to the lighting, you don’t need to hope for a sunny day, you can get to work using the tools you have to recreate the look.
Secondly, light quality changes throughout the day, resulting in white balance that will be super varied across a whole set of images taken in one day. This increases your time in post-production correcting colour temperature, whereas flash keeps everything consistent across the day. You can also create sharper images which is important for commercial work, utilising lower ISO and a higher flash output, rather than relying on low shutter speeds and higher ISO which can introduce camera shake and grain.
I hope you feel confident to create diffused light using these three powerful techniques: diffusion, size and proximity.
If you're looking for more product photography tips, check out my blog for posts on photo editing, light modifiers, Adobe Lightroom workflow and more.
Helena is a professional photographer based in Bristol, specialising in product and food photography. She works with ethical and sustainable brands, creating joyful, story-telling product photos.