Lighting news doesn’t always mean a new flash or a brighter LED. Sometimes the most useful announcement is the thing that goes in front of the light. This week NANLITE added three new Rapid softboxes to its lineup, and they are aimed squarely at the kind of work we do every week: portraits, interviews and on-location setups.
Here is what was announced, and what it tells you about why the shape and size of a softbox matter so much for headshots and event portraits.
What NANLITE announced
According to NANLITE’s US store and coverage from CineD, Newsshooter and LensVid (November 10–12), the new models are:
- Rapid 90 Square (90 x 90 cm), listed at 99 USD
- Rapid 100×70 Rectangular (100 x 70 cm), listed at 89 USD
- Rapid 120 Octagonal (120 cm across), listed at 109 USD
All three use an umbrella-style frame that pops open and folds down quickly, with a quick-latch speed ring, a silver interior, two layers of diffusion and an included eggcrate grid. They fit Bowens-mount lights (and NANLITE’s BE mount), so they work with a wide range of LED heads and strobes, not just NANLITE’s own. NANLITE says the grid narrows the light from about 110 degrees to 70 degrees on the square model and 60 degrees on the other two. Pricing and availability may change, so check current listings before you buy.
These are simpler and cheaper than NANLITE’s deeper parabolic Rapid softboxes that launched in early 2025. That is the real story: good, fast, portable soft light keeps getting more affordable.
Why softbox shape matters for headshots
A softbox turns a small, harsh light into a big, soft one. The bigger the light source is compared to your subject (and the closer it is), the softer the shadows and the smoother the skin looks. Shape changes the look too:
- Octagonal (like the 120 cm): A favorite for portraits. It wraps light around the face, and it leaves a round, natural-looking catchlight in the eyes.
- Rectangular (100×70): Great for half-body and standing portraits, and easy to turn vertical or horizontal. It also works well as a fill or background light.
- Square (90×90): A compact, all-around key light that fits in tighter rooms and still gives soft, flattering light.
Why the grid and the “rapid” setup matter on location
Most corporate headshots and event portraits don’t happen in a studio. They happen in a conference room, a hotel ballroom corner or an office lobby. That creates two problems a good modifier helps solve:
- Setup time. At a busy event headshot station, every minute spent building a light is a minute not photographing people. Modifiers that open like an umbrella get the station ready faster and pack away quickly at the end of the day.
- Light spill. An eggcrate grid keeps the light on the person and off the wall behind them. That gives you a cleaner, darker or more even background and more control in rooms with white walls and low ceilings.
What this means for headshot and event clients in San Antonio
- Soft, controlled light is the difference you can see. It is a big reason a professional headshot looks polished and a phone selfie looks flat or harsh.
- A small corner of the room is enough. A portable softbox setup can turn a corner of a conference room or lobby into a headshot station, so your team doesn’t have to travel to a studio.
- Consistency matters for teams. When the light is the same for every person, a whole team’s headshots match on your website and LinkedIn, even if they are taken on different days.
Why we used a product photo for a portrait-lighting post
We keep close-up faces of our clients off the blog unless they have approved it. So the photo above is from our product work instead. The same rule applies: a large, diffused light source gives you smooth highlights and soft shadow edges. On a jar, that means clean reflections and readable labels. On a person, it means smooth skin, gentle shadows and bright, natural catchlights.
Shop softboxes and lights
If you are building a portable headshot or interview kit, these are good starting points:
- Shop NANLITE Rapid softboxes at Adorama
- See Bowens-mount NANLITE LED lights at Adorama
- Browse octagonal Bowens-mount softboxes at Adorama
Disclosure: some links in this post are affiliate links, which means Grey Bug Photography may earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you.
The takeaway
New softboxes aren’t flashy news, but they matter. Fast setup, a grid for control and a shape that suits portraits are what make on-location headshots look like they were taken in a studio. NANLITE’s new Rapid models are a good sign that quality soft light keeps getting easier to carry to wherever the people are.
Sources: NANLITE US store listings (November 10, 2026); CineD, “NANLITE Rapid Square, Rectangular and Octagonal Softboxes Announced” (November 12, 2026); Newsshooter and LensVid coverage of the Rapid series (November 11, 2026).
Need team headshots or an on-site headshot station for your next event in San Antonio or anywhere in Texas? Reach out to Grey Bug Photography, or see how we work with planners on our For Planners page.
