Light Modifiers On The Cheap!

Photography equipment can be really expensive...but it doesn't have to be! Why pay $30-80 for tupperware? just got to the local resale store or garage sales. Some of this you may already have. These are just a couple of quick-n-easy light mods.

Step 1 Materials

Depending on what you are going to make, you will need the following:

General: Scissors, tape( I used black, chrome, and white duct tape), cardboard(preferably thin cereal box kind), rubber bands


Stofen: frosted plastic bowl or tupperware type stuff, knife or something to cut it.


Grid spot: Black straws

Comments

[phototure]

Here are a couple of photos purely for "on flash" reference. The first shows the Honl bounce card/gobo, and the other a DIY snoot similar to the one i made. Only difference with mine is that if you want softer edge...but the white end away from the flash...harder...put the black end away from the flash.

[kissiltur]

Good idea making these flash mods! Very nice. Could you post a couple of pictures of how the bounce card/gobo and snoots fit onto the flash? I am afraid I am having a hard time visualising them from your descriptions (of course, this could be because I've never encountered these things before...).

[wupme]

A stofen also works on the outside, just different then indoors.

[kelseymh]

Very nicely done, and a great overview of different flash techniques.

You may be interested to know that the "grid spot" uses the same basic physics (collimation via cylindrical channels) as some kinds of night vision goggles! In particular, see image-intensifier tubes and micro-channel plates.