Playing with DIY flash stuff

[mindforge]

Okay.. I am in the middle of gathering household supplies to alter my off camera flash...

So far, I have used a milk carton diffuser, blue mason jar, a ceramic spaghetti strainer (cauldron), laundry basket with holes in it, and I bounced the flash off of a mirror with different color gels.

So far the laundry basket worked out really well to make spots on something up close.. the gels didn't work so well, I think the milk carton diffuser is now my favorite diffuser though. It worked so well at softening the light but really spread it around... I think I might take one side on the inside and cover it with tin foil to see if I can brighten and soften the flash just a little....


... anyway, I like having fun with this stuff. Does anyone else just find stuff and see if they can use it in some manner to change the way they take pictures?

[PKMax]

ooh, they are some great ideas. I've not played with using objects with flash yet, as I don't have a dedicated flash yet.

Love the idea of using objects with holes though to get the "spot" effect.

But I have used various objects for altering the light from desklamps.

using the White Greaseproof paper work very well as a diffuser, as do white sheets. I've also used washing up liquid bottles with red, green and blue liquid in to shine the lights through when doing some water shots to get the water to have some colour and you get some interesting results in the ripples of the water, and also put in a different coloured item behind and backlit that.

all of my "still life" images have been done with standard desklamps and card or paper to reflect and be backdrops. seems to work ok, but have to have much longer exposures for a lot of them. I think I'd have a lot more control with a flash.

[BlueX]

I've played around and made a Better Bounce card and a few diffusers for my flash. I also made my own version of the Black Rapid R-strap. I am currently trying to work out a design for an L-bracket.

[jjeling]

I like to use toilet paper or paper towels. It looks pretty ridiculous wrapped around the top of the flash on your camera, but it works. I use the flash less than 1% of the time I use my camera so take that advice at face value