Umbrella or softbox to light the subject?

[Dman]

I'll soon be buying an extra flash head to give me three in total. Two of these will be on the background as I currently have to shoot at f/22 on the bg to make sure it's an even white, so I'll be able to tone this down a stop or two. I currently use a softbox on the subject with the other flash, what advantages/disadvantages are there to using a softbox over an umbrella? The umbrella isn't a shoot through one.

Edit: This is purely for family/child portraits on a white or black background, nothing flash or creative, just nice and simple.

Cheers

 

[david1701]

hard light is fun

 

[HoppyUK]

I'll soon be buying an extra flash head to give me three in total. Two of these will be on the background as I currently have to shoot at f/22 on the bg to make sure it's an even white, so I'll be able to tone this down a stop or two. I currently use a softbox on the subject with the other flash, what advantages/disadvantages are there to using a softbox over an umbrella? The umbrella isn't a shoot through one.

Edit: This is purely for family/child portraits on a white or black background, nothing flash or creative, just nice and simple.

Cheers

If an umbrella or softbox are the same size, and used at the same distance for a portrait, it will be very difficult to tell any difference.

The main advantge of a softbox is that you can use it very close and still get even coverage and exposure. Working closer makes the light relatively bigger and therefore softer, and the even coverage is beneficial for critical work, more table-top still life than portraits.

You can also get closer with a shoot-through, with similar light, but they spill light all over the place. Main thing about a softbox is control I guess - you can put it where you like and always get the result you're after, without side effects.

 

[GyRob]

for what your taking a softbox is very forgiving with kids moving around .
You dont say if its a white or silver brolly ,white would be like a softbox silver would give much more contrast .
when any are used close the catchlight will take on the brolly/softbox shape.
Rob.

 

[spxxxx]

less spill with the softbox and it is easier to direct the light