As I was breaking down my flash/lighting equipment, it occurred to me that I didn't know what difference, if any, shooting through a soft box or an umbrella made. I had bought the soft box several years ago and since I don't use flash much, I rarely used it. Christmas time found me wanting to spend time exploring flash and learning how to use it. I started reading the Strobist's blog (haven't finished yet) and decided that if I was going to really learn about it, I should get the equipment he recommends. So I bought a light stand and an umbrella. Today I decided to compare the stuff I have.br/ br/ This is my bear in natural light, no flash at all. The light was coming through a double pane north facing window, half-way across the room on the left side of the camera. Camera was set to auto white balance and you can see the tint from the windows.