Reddit reviews Fotodiox 6"x9" Softbox for Nikon Flash, Canon Speedlite, for Nikon SB-600, SB-700, SB-800, SB-900, SB-910 Flash, Canon Speedlite 380EX, 430EX, II, 550EX, 580EX, II, 600EX-RT, Vivitar Flash, Sunpak, Nissin, Sigma, Sony, Pentax, Olympus, Panasonic Lumix Flashes

In order to take good pictures of art, you should find the most diffuse light you can, this'll prevent whitewashing half your picture. I've found that sunlight through clouds is pretty good and quite bright. If you're doing this regularly, then it might not always be ideal conditions to go outside and snap a picture. You'll want to invest in an external flash or lamp and a light diffuser So that you can take good pictures indoors. Though you might have a florescent lamp or something that does acceptably, too.

Properly exposing is also important. If you're taking pictures indoors especially, you'll probably want a tripod so that you can take exposures as long as you need.

Also, try to get reasonably far away from the piece and zoom in if you have to, this'll prevent distortion. Try your best to frame the picture well and make sure that the piece is as square against the camera as you can get it.

It'll take a bit to get right, there are people who specialize in photographing art. But once you've got a system down, it doesn't take a minute to do.

If you're working small, you might be able to use a good scanner (though crappy scanners will result in crappy scans, especially of art. They're usually designed for text, which means the the colors will be washed out and the contrast absurd. Make sure you research a scanner before you buy one.) but that's not really an option if you're working on a larger artist's pad, oil painting, or doing anything that's shiny or bumpy.

The key to getting soft light is the size of the light source from the vantage point of the subject, in porportion to the subject's size.

Small diffusers won't do so much if you are shooting large subjects (such as people), or even if you are shooting small subjects and don't position the light very close to the subject.

So I ask, what are you looking to use it for? The only real good use case for small softboxes is for small scale studio still life and macro photography. I do a lot of this, and I use these on my 560s, and they work great.

Otherwise, if you are looking for big soft light in a small package (say you want to take a killer portrait, or photos at an event, but without carrying a 48" softbox), your best bet is with bounce flash. There are several modifiers that can help you.

Modifiers that throw the light in all directions, bouncing off everything, are popular, but in my opinion they create flat and boring shots. The most popular modifiers that do this are the Sto Fen and the Gary Fong lightsphere. They are very easy to use, but again, I find the shots boring.

Another modifier is the simple bounce card. There is one built into your flash already and there are several "improved" bounce cards out there. The bounce card simply allows you to create soft light from the ceiling, while filling in the shadows under your subjects eye sockets.

To me however the key to light is directionality. I would recommend not buying a flash modifier, and instead getting Niel Van Niekerk's book "Direction and Quality of Light". He will teach you how to create dramatic shots with bounce flash, and how to build your own flash modifier, that (IMO) is better than anything on the market (once you know how to use it) and costs less than $3 to build.

A little too bright, and super harsh direct light.

If you want smoother light for free, don't point at the subject, but at the wall. You can also get away with keeping it on the camera that way too.

Another cheap and portable option is a small softbox style diffuser that will mount on a speedlight and still be small enough to mount on the body if you choose. They run about $15 on Amazon. at short range it does make some difference.

Then you will want TTL.

https://www.amazon.com/Thinklite-TT685C-Camera-Cameras-Autoflash/dp/B013FM8X0S

That is your AA powered version from Godox.

https://www.amazon.com/Godox-V860II-C-Pioneering-Wireless-Speedlite/dp/B01E15Y44C

is the battery pack version. I personally prefer AA speedlights most of the time because I can always find AA batteries and carry extras. However the battery pack version does have a faster recharge, and is rated for 650 full power flashes, a respectable number but you won't get that many with TTL.

I would also recommend picking up a cheap on flash mini softbox for the times you can't bounce.

https://www.amazon.com/Fotodiox-Foldable-Softbox-Speedlights-Panasonic/dp/B003Y30334 fits in a pocket when not in use or https://www.amazon.com/Flash-Diffuser-Reflector-Kit-Positionable/dp/B01LZRBOME are both things I have used. I don't like the plastic omibounce caps, but you might like those as an option as well

You're welcome!

There's several ways you could go about it. Without investing in more equipment, you may be able to bounce it off a white ceiling.

Otherwise, you could buy a cheap softbox that goes over the speedlight to diffuse it, and then either hand hold it or set it down pointing at the subject.

Or, you can get a lightbox that you put your subject in, and shoot the flash through a side/top of the box. This method ensures that the background will be white, if that's what you're going for.

Here is the desktop version of your link