For years, photographers have repeated the same advice: if you want softer light, add more diffusion.

After hearing this for decades, I decided to put it to the test.

In this video, I compare hard reflectors, softboxes, diffusion panels, scrims, and DIY diffusion materials to find out what diffusion actually does to light—and why adding more diffusion doesn’t always create softer results.

Through a series of controlled lighting tests, you’ll see the difference between placing diffusion directly on a modifier versus using diffusion as the effective light source. Along the way, we’ll explore softbox design, light spread, apparent light source size, and the principles behind creating truly soft light for portraits, dance photography, and studio photography.

Topics Covered:

What diffusion does to light
Softbox vs diffusion panel tests
Why more diffusion doesn’t always create softer light
How apparent light source size affects softness
Using scrims and diffusion frames effectively
Portrait lighting techniques
Studio lighting setups
Dance photography lighting
DIY diffusion vs professional diffusion materials
Creating softer light in photography

If you have questions about diffusion, softboxes, scrims, or portrait lighting, leave them in the comments below.

Gear

DIFFUSION

Lee Filters Wide Heavy Frost 60″x20′
Adorama: https://howl.link/b9alj9tzglmzr

Shower Curtain Liner
https://howl.link/tph9beuepzyq9

Rosco R3004 Half Density Soft Frost
https://us.rosco.com/en/products/filters/r3004-half-density-soft-frost

Westcott 6×6′ Scrim Jim Cine Kit
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4bAQOeH
B&H: https://bhpho.to/3HHZpOT

Advantage Gripware 8×8′ Halo Artificial Silk

CAMERA

Canon R5 Mark II
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4cJZyir
B&H: https://bhpho.to/3Yc4YyB

Canon BG-R20 Battery Grip for EOS R5 Mark II
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3B3Bg5f
B&H: https://bhpho.to/3XJFyaT

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.0
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vkEWbE
B&H: https://bhpho.to/426bKEM

Canon RF70-200mm F4 L IS USM
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Z4GOd5
B&H: https://bhpho.to/3HkgKNY

Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3tHbPxm
B&H: https://bhpho.to/3L6f1Na

LIGHTING

Elinchrom FIVE
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Um6V61
B&H: https://bhpho.to/3LcypYZ

Elinchrom Rotalux Deep Octa Softbox 100 cm (39”)
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3fRG5AH
B&H: https://bhpho.to/3oSg0cy

Elinchrom Litemotiv Direct Para Softbox 120 cm (47.3”)
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3AumKiy
B&H: https://bhpho.to/41JKL1V

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction
00:32 – Hard Light Test
01:55 – Adding Diffusion To A Softbox
03:57 – Minding the Gap with Etherio
06:35 – Revisiting the Hard Light Setup
07:00 – Principles in Action
08:57 – Final Thoughts

The post I Thought More Diffusion Made Light Softer , But I Was Wrong! appeared first on Chicago Photographer & Director of Photography.

Learn the three portrait lighting decisions that have the biggest impact on how your subjects appear in photographs. In this video, I break down how the size of your light source, the angle of incidence, and fill light influence wrinkles, skin texture, contrast, and overall appearance.

Using real-world portrait photography examples, you’ll see how small changes in lighting can make the same person appear younger, older, softer, more dramatic, more approachable, or more powerful—without Photoshop or retouching.

Whether you’re photographing executives, actors, fitness models, seniors, or everyday clients, understanding these three lighting principles will help you create more intentional portraits and make better creative decisions in the studio or on location.

Topics Covered:

Soft light vs hard light
Light source size and shadow transitions
Angle of incidence and skin texture
Fill light and shadow control
Portrait lighting for older subjects
How lighting affects wrinkles and perceived age
Creating softer or more dramatic portraits
Studio portrait photography techniques
Professional lighting demonstrations and examples

Want hands-on help mastering portrait lighting? Check out my in-person workshops:

https://johngress.com/workshops

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction
02:50 – Angle of Incidence
03:59 – Fill
05:22 – How to use these levers
07:05 – Final Thoughts

The post 3 Lighting Decisions That Change How People Look appeared first on Chicago Photographer & Director of Photography.

For our second look with McKenzie, we moved into a hallway and created a set of images using a very simple lighting setup. McKenzie was lit solely with an Elinchrom 100cm Deep Octabox, while the ambient light in the hallway is used to establish the exposure for the background. I first adjusted my camera settings so the hallway looked correct, and then added the softbox to light her.

During this setup, I also experimented with adding a grid to the softbox to see how much it would impact the shadows. Normally, a grid prevents light from bouncing off surrounding surfaces, which can deepen shadows. Without the grid, the softbox was lighting the ceiling, floor, and walls, and that light was bouncing back into the shadows.

However, because the hallway was already brightly lit with ambient light from the windows, there was already significant fill in the scene. That ambient light elevated the shadows regardless of whether the ungrided softbox was lighting the walls, floor and ceiling. As a result, the difference between using the grid and not using it was minimal. This was somewhat surprising, as I expected to see more pronounced shadow changes, but the ambient light essentially neutralized the effect of the grid.

The post Member Exclusive – Makinzie Look 2 appeared first on Chicago Photographer & Director of Photography.

In this member-exclusive session, I photograph McKenzie to help her update her portfolio with clean, commercial-style images on a white background. The goal of this shoot is to create a set of model digital style images, including three-quarter length portraits, close-ups, and a few full-body shots.

For this setup, I purposely kept the background slightly underexposed so McKenzie would stand out, even though she’s wearing a white shirt. She’s lit with an Elinchrom 100cm Deep Octabox as the main light, and I used two strip softboxes to evenly illuminate the background while maintaining separation.

Throughout the session, I demonstrate how to work efficiently when creating a cohesive set of portfolio images, including:

Three-quarter length portraits

Close-up headshots

Full-body images

Posing

If we were creating traditional model digitals, like these https://johngress.com/chicago-modeling-digitals/, I would also include very straightforward head-on and profile shots, along with additional neutral full-body standing poses.

The post Member Exclusive – Makinzie Look 1 appeared first on Chicago Photographer & Director of Photography.

In this exclusive edit, I’ll show you how I lit the third look in my shoot with Jamie — this time focusing on form, shape, and how light direction affects the appearance of the body.

I began by photographing Jamie with a 190cm indirect octabox placed directly in front of him. This setup is great for portraits where you want smooth tones and minimal shadows — but as you’ll see, it flattens out definition and isn’t ideal for showcasing a muscular physique.

To bring out more structure and depth, I switched to a pair of strip softboxes — one on each side. With this setup, I focused on refining Jamie’s pose and adjusting the light until it sculpted his body perfectly.

This video highlights how changing the direction and placement of your lights — even with the same subject — can completely change the mood and purpose of your image.

The post Member Exclusive – Jamie Look 3 appeared first on Chicago Photographer & Director of Photography.