Distancing the Light Source for Softer Shadows
No! Softer shadows are not created by moving the lighting equipment farther away from your subject. In fact, the opposite is true! The larger and closer the light source (relative to the subject) the softer the shadows will be. While sun is large, it is very far away and creates harsh shadows. On overcast days, clouds act like a giant diffuser. The same principle works with modified lights in the studio that have cloth coverings to coax the light into being soft (hence the name “softbox”).
This film noir project demonstrates how the shadows get harsher as the light gets farther away from a subject.
This unretouched image shows how the shadows soften when the light is moved closer to a subject.
This film noir setup took very little time to assemble. Screw a set of blinds to a small strip of 2×2-inch wood. Drill a 3/8-inch hole in the wood three-quarters of the distance along the strip to allow it to fit onto a background stand but not cause a vertical shadow in the middle (top). Remove the modifying fabric from a softbox and place the box where it provides the intensity and type of shadow desired (center). When the blinds are closer to the light source, the shadow will be softer. Adjust the distance between all components until the desired shadows are created (bottom). Use seamless background paper (not fabric) that is absolutely flat to provide shadows that don’t “warp.”