Are you debating purchasing an egg crate grid but are wondering how important it is for your softbox?
Maybe you have an egg crate grid but are unsure how to use it or whether it’s even necessary? Perhaps you are new to photographs and want to know how important the egg crate grid is for a softbox?
Whatever your reason is, we have the answer for you!
We know how tricky the photography world can be to navigate; whether you are a beginner or a professional photographer, you can hit a bump in the road that forces you to stop and think what on earth is going on? And egg crate grids are no exception!
There’s a lot of debate out there as to whether egg crate grids are important or not for softboxes, leaving many people confused and unsure where to turn.
You find yourself unsure who to trust or whether to get a softbox are not.
Well, no more! Today we are here with the answers you need! We will walk you through the importance of an egg crate grid for a softbox to help you decide if you need one or not. Keep reading to find out more!
What Is An Egg Crate Grid?
Before we get into it, let’s have a recap for those in the room that need it!
An egg crate grid, or light control grid, is used to control and direct lighting. They are commonly used on broad, soft light sources (like a softbox) and are placed over the softbox or other lighting.
By placing the grid over the softbox, less light is spread across the space, offering you more control than you previously didn’t have with your softbox.
It essentially blocks some of the light from spreading and is used in film as well as photography.
Egg crate grids come in various forms these days, but the most common are soft fabric crates and plastic pop-up versions. While both of their main goals are light control, each type has different benefits.
When selecting your egg crate grid, we recommend reading up on these benefits to help you decide which is best for you and your needs.
Now that we have covered what an egg crate grid is, let’s see just how important they are for softboxes!
How Important Is The Egg Crate Grid On A Softbox?
Let’s get straight into it! We think egg crate grids on softboxes are incredibly important and an option you should strongly consider when purchasing your softbox.
These days, you can purchase a softbox with a grid, saving you the need to find one that fits and fork out more money than you need to. It can often work out cheaper to purchase it this way and saves you plenty of sizing hassle.
So why are egg crate grids important for a softbox? Let’s look at why we think an egg crate grid is important to use with a softbox!
Controls The Light
We touched on this earlier, but egg crate grids are massively important for anyone wanting to control the light in their photographs! The grid allows you to stop light from spilling out of the side without compromising on the soft light we all love from our softbox.
You can use the grid to flag off the side angles of the softbox, directing the light towards the front and on your subject. Using a grid will also stop the light from spilling onto the camera, impacting the lighting in your photograph.
If you have found yourself struggling to get the right lighting from your softbox or that the lighting in your photos isn’t working try an egg crate grid and prepare to be amazed at the difference!
Fantastic For Close-Up Work
If you do a lot of close-up shots with your softbox, an egg crate grid is about to become invaluable to you!
By placing the grid over the softbox when carrying out your close-up shots, you can stop the lighting from hitting the background and still keep your subject well-lit!
It stops the light from being too powerful for the subject while still providing the warm and soft light that we love from our softboxes. By covering the light too, it can be less harsh on the subject’s eyes, making it more comfortable for them to be photographed.
We bet you won’t go back once you have used an egg crate grid for close-up work!
Helps With Rim Light
You can also use your egg crate softbox for rim lights too. Using it this way can be super handy for portrait work and brightening up any shadows in your shot.
If you use multiple softboxes for rim lighting, it’s important to consider those lights’ impact on your image.
They are fantastic for brightening up shadows, but as the rim light is pointed towards the camera, there is always a chance of it flaring and hitting the front lens element!
You might end up with a spill in the background, too, that could ruin your shot!
Using an egg crate grid on these softboxes lets you direct the light towards the subject without hitting the lens. This eliminates the chance of flare or hitting the background and ensures that your subject is lit as you wish.
In these cases, the egg crate grid helps stop light from spilling out of the sides and illuminate things you want to keep dark.
They are also excellent ways to plan your lighting, ensuring your shots always look as anticipated. That makes them incredibly important, doesn’t it?
Can I Use Egg Crate Grids On A Softbox Outside?
While there is no rule to say that you can’t use egg crate grids when shooting with softboxes outside, it might not be necessary. Whether you should use a softbox with a grid or not, outside will vary depending on the natural light available to you.
You might have enough natural light to take your shots beautifully, without the need for extra lighting or tools! However, we aren’t always that lucky to get the perfect shot with just our camera, and you will likely take some equipment with you to control the lighting better.
In these cases, you can take your softbox with you to control the light and capture the shots you want.
If you want even more control of the light and its direction, you could use your softbox egg crate grid.
It will help control some of the light entering the image but be mindful that you will need to battle the sun, too; we bet you won’t go back once when shooting outdoors!
You might find that you need to adjust your setup frequently, especially as the sun changes position, so prepare yourself for lots of lifting and reshuffling your softbox!
Final Thoughts
And just like that, we have come to the end of our egg crate grid journey today. As you can see, these grids are a fantastic way to control the light from your softbox if you are working in smaller spaces or closer to the subject.
They can also be handy if you want to create a darker atmosphere or reduce the light for any reason you choose!
While they might not be essential for everyone and every situation, if you want better control of the direction of light in your shots, an egg crate box for your softbox is the best way to go!
Keep an eye out for softboxes that come with egg crate grids to save you the hassle of finding suitable covers and save some money too!
Remember, if you aren’t sure how to use the grid, you can check your softboxes instructions or check out the wealth of tutorials online to turn you into an expert in these important softbox accessories.