Beginner

Softbox Distance Comparison Portrait

Lighting setup

The same medium softbox at close, far, and gridded distances on a plain headshot — teaching how source size and distance change softness, contrast, and background spill.

Lighting breakdown

1
Comparison Softbox Key
One medium softbox on a strobe camera-left — move it close, far, or add a grid while pose and framing stay locked for a fair comparison.
Medium softbox on strobe · 0.65
Softbox
2
Background Spill Control
A grid on the softbox or a flag behind the subject controls how much key light washes the seamless when the box is farther away.
Grid or black flag · 0.65
Grid

Portrait subject — Softbox Distance Comparison Portrait lighting setup.

Base setup

Move the box, not just the power.

Top view

Complete setup · 1 light + 1 grip

Learning path

This setup appears in curated assignments — continue the sequence when you are ready.

Step 3/8Beginner portrait lighting
Move the one light you have: source size is relative to the subject, so the same box gets softer as it comes closer and falls off faster as it does.
Light Builder Next: On-Axis Soft Headshot →
Step 2/5Strobist Lighting 101
The law everything else obeys: move the box and both the shadow-edge softness and the falloff change together, with nothing else touched.
Light Builder Next: Soft Beauty Light Portrait →

Lights: 1
Contrast: 3:1 close / 6:1 far
Catchlight: Soft rectangle catchlight scaling with distance
Key position: Medium softbox 30–45° camera-left; distance is the variable
Mood: Soft / Commercial / Documentary
Quality: Soft Light / Gridded
Subject: Female Beauty
Environment: Studio / White Seamless

Mood variations

Portrait subject — Close Soft Wrap variation of Softbox Distance Comparison Portrait. — Close Soft Wrap
Move the softbox close for maximum wrap and the smoothest cheek transition.

Portrait subject — Farther Harder Shape variation of Softbox Distance Comparison Portrait. — Farther Harder Shape
Pull the same softbox back for a harder key with more defined jaw and nose shadow.

Portrait subject — Grid Spill Control variation of Softbox Distance Comparison Portrait. — Grid Spill Control
Add a grid on the softbox to keep the background dark while maintaining the farther, more sculpted key.

Final look

Base setup

Softness is relative: a softbox closer to the face enlarges the apparent source and smooths shadow transitions; pulled back it behaves harder with more defined jaw shape and more spill on the background. A grid tightens the beam without changing the modifier size, isolating the lesson from power changes alone.

Camera & framing

Exposure

ISO

ISO 100

Shutter

1/160 – 1/200s

Aperture

f/5.6 – f/8

Lens & framing

Lens

85 – 105mm portrait

Camera height

Eye level

Framing

Head and shoulders, full face in frame — chin, forehead, and both ears visible; comfortable headroom; no edge crop

Try these settings → Key : fill ratio →

Key notes

1Keep power adjusted so exposure stays matched — the lesson is distance and modifier, not brightness.
2Close softbox: smooth cheek transition, wider spill on background.
3Far softbox: sharper nose shadow, more defined jaw, background gets brighter spill.
4Add the grid on the far position to show spill control without moving the box again.