Cheap trick for better on camera/pop up flash shots

Deny

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Maybe this has been brought up before, but it doesn't hurt to share again for those who haven't seen it.

I've seen lots of flash diffusers from domes to small soft boxes, tried them all and didn't like them for a very simple reason that I'm sure most will agree with: softness of light depends on apparent light source size, plain and simple. Of course one can always bounce the flash on walls and ceiling, but that is not always possible - then what?

So here's my approach in those situations: take some napkins with you, unfold one and hold it in front of your flash - works better with close up shots, portraits and small groups. Makes a world of difference to me, is very cheap and works with almost any camera/flash, except heavy camera/lens combinations since you'll have to hold the camera with one hand and the napkin with the other.

It looks a bit clumsy and people will think you're weird, maybe they'll even point and laugh... until they see the results :)

Try it if you haven't yet, I think you'll like it ;)

Cheers
 
For the times when you want to keep your hands free:

 
Like I've said, I've tested a bunch of those and they're ok, but notice how even the largest of them is still a fraction of the size of an unfolded napkin, and for the application in hand size matters. I thought by now someone would have come up with some sort of wireframe adapter for this very purpose, of course with a cloth diffuser which would obviously look classier than a napkin, but haven't been able to find anything like that yet.
 
Maybe this has been brought up before, but it doesn't hurt to share again for those who haven't seen it.

I've seen lots of flash diffusers from domes to small soft boxes, tried them all and didn't like them for a very simple reason that I'm sure most will agree with: softness of light depends on apparent light source size, plain and simple. Of course one can always bounce the flash on walls and ceiling, but that is not always possible - then what?

So here's my approach in those situations: take some napkins with you, unfold one and hold it in front of your flash - works better with close up shots, portraits and small groups. Makes a world of difference to me, is very cheap and works with almost any camera/flash, except heavy camera/lens combinations since you'll have to hold the camera with one hand and the napkin with the other.

It looks a bit clumsy and people will think you're weird, maybe they'll even point and laugh... until they see the results :)

Try it if you haven't yet, I think you'll like it ;)

Cheers
I use one of these:

Interfit Photographic 22" Round Foldable Portable Light Diffuser

available here:


They fold up and fit in most bags, rigid ring holds it's shape, more translucent than a napkin.
 
I thought OP was looking for diffusion on on-camera flash?

Not sure how 22inch diffuser/reflector achieves this. Surely only for off-camera, stand-mounted (or human held) flash?

But fully agree bigger the better.

Like OPs idea ref a 'wire frame' to hold napkin.. come on some entrepeneur make one!
 
I thought OP was looking for diffusion on on-camera flash?

Not sure how 22inch diffuser/reflector achieves this. Surely only for off-camera, stand-mounted (or human held) flash?

But fully agree bigger the better.

Like OPs idea ref a 'wire frame' to hold napkin.. come on some entrepeneur make one!

--
LesP
The diffuser is not for built in flash, but for a real flash mounted on the camera. I point the flash head up a bit (you want it aimed to the center of the diffuser). I set the zoom on wide; with the head tilted up the zoom will not be coupled with the lens.
 
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Does good job of softening the light and works like a barebulb.
 
In general, it seems like lots of things work out well with this. Last thing I tried that seemed to work well was a small bubble wrap bag, maybe something like 5x7, secured in place with a rubber band. Seemed to do as good a job as my $50 Gary Fong diffuser.
 

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