How To Create Soft Lighting

When using point or spot lights you have a choice of whether to go to hard light or soft light. If this means nothing to you, don't worry. What it means is just how tightly focused the light is that hits our model. While a hard light brings sharp transition between lit areas and real dark shadows - a soft light creates a more gradual transition between the lit areas and the shaded parts of our model and therefore given a much more pleasing result.

Daz 3D Lighting Tutorial : How To Create Soft Lighting (YouTube)