Westcott Apollo Strip Speedlite Softbox Kit 12x36 inch

The Westcott Apollo Strip Speedlite Softbox Kit 12x36 inch is a portable light-shaping solution built for photographers and content creators who want softer, more directional illumination from a shoe-mount flash. Its long, narrow strip design is especially useful for creating clean edge light, elegant vertical catchlights, and controlled highlights on reflective products. Whether you are shooting portraits, fashion details, interviews, or tabletop scenes, this modifier helps transform the small, harsh beam of a speedlite into a more polished and professional-looking source.

One of the defining benefits of the Apollo series is its quick, umbrella-style setup. Instead of dealing with a more complicated rod-based assembly each time you shoot, the framework is designed to open and collapse efficiently, which is particularly valuable for on-location photographers, event shooters, small home studios, and educators who need a dependable modifier that can be deployed quickly. The 12x36 inch format offers a useful balance between softness and control, making it easy to light subjects without flooding the entire scene.

• Most standard shoe-mount flashes / speedlites
• Compact flash units that can be positioned on the included speedlite mounting bracket

The elongated 12 x 36 inch shape is one of the main reasons to choose this softbox. Unlike square or octagonal modifiers that spread light more broadly, a strip box delivers a slimmer beam pattern and a more sculpted look. This makes it ideal for hair light, side light, separation light, and full-length portrait lighting where you want soft illumination with tighter control. For product photographers, the vertical panel of diffused light can produce beautiful reflections on bottles, glassware, appliances, and other glossy surfaces.

The recessed front helps the light remain more focused than an open-faced modifier. This added control can make it easier to keep spill off the background, reduce flare, and preserve contrast in the scene. The diffusion material softens the output of the flash, helping minimize harsh shadows and specular hotspots while still preserving enough directionality to shape a subject with intention.

A strip softbox fills a unique role in a lighting kit. In portrait work, it is often used vertically beside the subject for slimming light and gentle contouring across the face and body. It can also be placed slightly behind the subject to create a refined rim effect that separates hair, shoulders, or wardrobe from the background. In beauty and fashion photography, the narrow profile is useful when space is tight and you need precision instead of broad spill.

For video creators and hybrid shooters, the same characteristics make it useful as an accent source. It can add shape to a background, provide side illumination for interviews, or create a window-like reflection in product demos. Because the modifier is optimized around portable flash use, it is a practical solution for creators who want mobility without sacrificing light quality.

The Apollo design is widely appreciated for convenience. Traditional softboxes often require individual rods to be inserted into a speed ring, which can be time-consuming during fast-paced assignments. By contrast, the umbrella-inspired opening mechanism helps this kit go from packed to ready in less time, which can improve workflow on location. That ease of setup is especially useful for school photographers, wedding and event portrait stations, mobile headshot sessions, and small commercial productions.

Its collapsible construction also makes it easier to fit into a broader travel lighting kit. Photographers working out of rolling cases or compact cars often prefer modifiers that offer a strong size-to-portability ratio, and the 12x36 format is a practical example of that balance.

When paired with a compatible speedlite, this softbox produces a softer, more flattering light than direct flash, while still retaining enough structure for dramatic portraiture. Its long rectangular profile gives catchlights a distinctive shape and can help define facial features and fabric texture more elegantly than bare flash. Compared with a small umbrella, it offers more control. Compared with a larger octabox, it is often easier to position in narrow shooting spaces.

Because it is a strip modifier, placement matters. Moving it closer to the subject increases softness and wrap, while feathering the box lets you fine-tune contrast and spill. This makes it a strong tool for photographers who like intentional light placement and consistent results.

• Portrait photography
• Fashion and editorial accent lighting
• Rim and edge lighting
• Beauty photography
• Product photography for reflective items
• Headshots in small spaces
• Mobile studio and location work
• Video interviews and creator setups requiring controlled light shape

Compared with a shoot-through umbrella, the Westcott Apollo Strip offers notably better directional control and a more refined shape. Umbrellas are excellent for broad, fast coverage, but they tend to spill light widely. This strip softbox is better when you want precision and cleaner scene contrast.

Compared with a square softbox, the 12x36 strip format is narrower and more specialized. It is less about general-purpose fill and more about sculpting, outlining, or producing vertical reflections. Compared with a larger octabox, it will not wrap as broadly around a subject, but it can be easier to control in tight studios and can deliver a more dramatic, fashion-oriented look.

Westcott has long been known for practical lighting tools aimed at photographers who need solutions that are easy to understand and easy to transport. This kit follows that approach with a travel-friendly design suited to photographers moving between sets, classrooms, client offices, and home studios. The included case helps keep the kit organized and ready for transport, while the folding structure simplifies breakdown at the end of a session.

• Compatible speedlite or shoe-mount flash
• Sturdy light stand
• Wireless flash trigger system
• Rechargeable AA batteries or dedicated flash battery solution for your flash model
• Sandbag for additional stability on location
• Reflector for fill control opposite the strip light
• Additional speedlite bracket or swivel adapter if building a multi-light kit

• Place the strip box vertically just off-axis for flattering portrait lighting with subtle facial contour.
• Use it behind and to the side of your subject for controlled rim light and separation.
• For glossy products, rotate and feather the softbox until the reflection becomes clean and even.
• Bring the modifier closer to the subject for softer light and smoother transitions.
• Pair it with a reflector or second light for balanced shadows in headshots and interviews.

• Product: Westcott Apollo Strip Speedlite Softbox Kit
• Size: 12 x 36 inches
• Manufacturer Number: 2368
• UPC: 810008713945
• Category: Speedlite softbox / flash light modifier kit
• Primary use: Soft, controlled strip lighting for portable flash systems

Westcott has built a strong reputation in photographic and video lighting by focusing on approachable, field-friendly tools that streamline production. The Apollo series became popular because it helped simplify softbox setup for photographers who wanted the benefits of shaped, diffused light without the slower assembly process associated with some traditional designs. That practical heritage continues to make Apollo modifiers appealing to portrait photographers, educators, and content creators alike.

This kit is a strong fit for photographers who already use speedlites and want more control and polish than direct flash can provide. It is especially useful for portrait shooters, small commercial studios, event photographers building a portable booth, and creators who need a narrow, versatile light source that travels well. If your priority is directional softness rather than the broad spread of an umbrella, the Westcott Apollo Strip 12x36 inch kit is a smart and efficient choice.