Stradawhovious
Been spending a lot of time on here!
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2010
- Messages
- 3,241
- Reaction score
- 911
- Location
- Minneapolis, MN
- Can others edit my Photos
- Photos OK to edit
*DISCLAIMER* The following is probably geared towards beginners only..... The seasoned pros around here will probably herniate themselves laughing at this.
Or maybe not.....
When I take pictures of indoor events, I have noticed a couple of things... #1, the flash (for me) works much better bounced in most cases than it does directly pointed at the eyes of my victims... er..... subjects. I also noticed that with a bare flash, and no bounce card (thanks Nikon....) it leaves unsightly shadows on people.
I looked for diferent modifiers, and there are THOUSANDS of different kinds, all different sizes, shapes, colors, flavors...... but they almost all share one thing in common. They are hilariously overpriced.
The other day, I was cleaning out a scraped knee of one of the children, and took a close look at the bottle of rubbing alcohol I was using. (Yeah, I could use peroxide, but alcohol stings more, and I'm an evil bastard.) I noticed two things... the shape of the bottle, and the shape of the base.
Then I grabbed my speedlight and had a eureka moment............
(I know I'm probably not the first one to do this, but I'm proud of myself. Please let me bask in that.... It doesn't happen often.)
Here are the steps to make your $1 modifier....
Step 1. Buy a bottle of rubbing alcohol at the dollar store. (or steal it rom your wife. That's what I did.)
Step 2. Dump cheap alcohol....... . (this would be a good time to remove the label too...)
Step 3. Draw a line around the bottle about three inches from the bottom, and cut the bottle into two sections. You can go ahead and throw out the top section.
Step 4. determine how you are going to mount your modifier.
Two ways of doing this. The first is to attempt to make it look like a store bought unit.... or as close to one as possible. This would entail trimming away plastic to make two mounting tabs on the short sides of the "modifier" (as shown in the picture). Put velcro on both the speedlight and the tabs. This will not only make you look like a pro, it will also make a very satisfying sound when removing the modifier.
The second is for those that either don't have velcro strips, or don't care that people will be talking trash behind your back while you are takind photos..... Don't bother trimming any more of the sides of the bottle. Take a thich rubber band, and wrap it around the very top of the speedlight two or three times. This will make a nice rubber bumber that will pressure fit the "modifier" and keep it in place when in use..... Like so.
Here are samples of with and without the modifier. Remember, I really only use this when bouncing the flash off the ceiling indoors. It's use for other applications is not yet tested.....
It works pretty well for me, and I'm more than likely going to find a permanent place for it in my bag. YMMV, but hey.... it's only a dollar. Might as well try it, right?
Without....
With. (I suppose I could have picked a less shiny subject, but you get the idea.
Or maybe not.....
When I take pictures of indoor events, I have noticed a couple of things... #1, the flash (for me) works much better bounced in most cases than it does directly pointed at the eyes of my victims... er..... subjects. I also noticed that with a bare flash, and no bounce card (thanks Nikon....) it leaves unsightly shadows on people.
I looked for diferent modifiers, and there are THOUSANDS of different kinds, all different sizes, shapes, colors, flavors...... but they almost all share one thing in common. They are hilariously overpriced.
The other day, I was cleaning out a scraped knee of one of the children, and took a close look at the bottle of rubbing alcohol I was using. (Yeah, I could use peroxide, but alcohol stings more, and I'm an evil bastard.) I noticed two things... the shape of the bottle, and the shape of the base.
Then I grabbed my speedlight and had a eureka moment............
(I know I'm probably not the first one to do this, but I'm proud of myself. Please let me bask in that.... It doesn't happen often.)
Here are the steps to make your $1 modifier....
Step 1. Buy a bottle of rubbing alcohol at the dollar store. (or steal it rom your wife. That's what I did.)
Step 2. Dump cheap alcohol....... . (this would be a good time to remove the label too...)
Step 3. Draw a line around the bottle about three inches from the bottom, and cut the bottle into two sections. You can go ahead and throw out the top section.
Step 4. determine how you are going to mount your modifier.
Two ways of doing this. The first is to attempt to make it look like a store bought unit.... or as close to one as possible. This would entail trimming away plastic to make two mounting tabs on the short sides of the "modifier" (as shown in the picture). Put velcro on both the speedlight and the tabs. This will not only make you look like a pro, it will also make a very satisfying sound when removing the modifier.
The second is for those that either don't have velcro strips, or don't care that people will be talking trash behind your back while you are takind photos..... Don't bother trimming any more of the sides of the bottle. Take a thich rubber band, and wrap it around the very top of the speedlight two or three times. This will make a nice rubber bumber that will pressure fit the "modifier" and keep it in place when in use..... Like so.
Here are samples of with and without the modifier. Remember, I really only use this when bouncing the flash off the ceiling indoors. It's use for other applications is not yet tested.....
It works pretty well for me, and I'm more than likely going to find a permanent place for it in my bag. YMMV, but hey.... it's only a dollar. Might as well try it, right?
Without....
With. (I suppose I could have picked a less shiny subject, but you get the idea.
