Introduction: Easy Cheap Light Modifier for Your Speedlight

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Here is an other instructable om how to make a cheap light modifier for your regular speedlight.

Step 1: Material

You need:
  • Some 2mm foam board
  • Black drinking straw
  • Black gaffa/duct tape
  • A glue gun
  • A scissor

Step 2: Make the First Row of Straws...

  1. Cut out a piece of gaffa/duct tape that has the width of your speedlights flash output panel (approx. 6 cm)
  2. Cut the black straws into approx. 122 or more pieces so their length matches the width of the gaffa/duct tape (approx. 4 cm)
  3. Stick 14 straws onto the gaffa/duct tape to make the first row

Step 3: Making the Second Row of Straws

Use a glue gun to attach the the second row of straws to the first. You get the best result by offsetting the second row half the width of a straw. This will also save you a lot of glue and allow more light to pass through the modifier.

Step 4: More Rows

Continue the process row by row. Remember to offset each new row. You may have to give the glue gun a rest from time to time so it gets time enough to heat the glue. When you reach the height of you flash's light panel, you are done. (I needed 9 rows for my SB-900 – 122 straws in total...)

Step 5: Duct Tape Is Your Friend...

Now stick one layer of gaffa/duct tape all around the grid to give it extra stability. It should be really stiff and sturdy by now.

Step 6: Add Some Heigth

Most speedlights have some kind of retractable light modifier hidden on top of the light panel. If this is the case, use some of the foam board to add some height to your grid, so the modifier will fit perfectly to your speedlight and no harsh light will escape and ruin your photograph.
Use the glue gun to stick the needed number of foam layers on top of each other to get the correct height (I needed three layers to make it fit my SB-900...)

Step 7: Make a Hose

Now lets add a "hose" to the grid so the modifier can be slipped over the speedlight. I made my hose approx. 11 cm long. This way I can modify, how close I want the grid to be to the light panel and thereby focus the light to my needs. The foam should have a perfect fit (in my case 11x24 cm), so there will be no gaps. Once your have cut your foam into the right size, glue it onto your grid with the glue gun.

Step 8: Finish the Job...

Now give it one tight layer of gaffa/duct tape around the grid. Then slip the modifier over the speedlight and give the other end a round of gaffa/duct too. Done

Step 9: See the Difference...

The two first images show the difference between firing the flash without and with the modifier. This type of modifier is good for hairlight, or to add a nice pin light to your still life set up...

In case you don't know how to use a grid, check out this video: