Digital photography is a fun and rewarding hobby, but professional quality equipment can be too expensive for an amateur's budget. Improve your photography with a flash diffuser that provides great quality without breaking the bank.
Diffuser Basics
When taking photographs with a standard flash, the single light source can create harsh lighting and very dark shadows. This is especially common when using the built-in flash on many camera models. A flash diffuser breaks up the light from the flash, spreading it out and giving softer light to an image.
By softening the effects of the camera flash, many photos are improved. Portraits look more flattering, presenting a more attractive image that represents a subject far better. Close ups, especially shots of smaller items, benefit best from diffuse light, allowing a cleaner, more detailed picture. A diffuser is most beneficial when shooting in enclosed or low-light environments.
Types of Diffusers
The most common style of diffuser is a manufacturer made built-in unit that is incorporated into the flash. These flash diffusers are often made of semi-transparent plastic, providing a soft filter for the flash. These diffusers are most easily replaced with a softbox, sometimes called a stoffenbox. A softbox slips over the flash, allowing light out through a semi-transparent filter. Unlike camera-specific models, a softbox will generally work with a variety of flash models.
Bounce flash diffusers redirect light from a flash towards the ceiling, which then further diffuses the light back down onto the subject. Other diffusers work with external flash units. Some of these styles will reflect the light off of a reflector disk. Other external units will use a larger diffuser to filter the light.
Materials and Construction
With a basic understanding of how a diffuser works, it is relatively simple to construct your own. While many styles and variations of flash diffuser can be made, the basic components are the same.
Before beginning, determine what sort of flash or light source you will be using with the diffuser. If the flash is built into the camera, you will need to design your diffuser accordingly. If using an external flash, you may have more freedom in your design.
Once you've determined the light source, you will need to decide whether you are building a filter diffuser or a reflective diffuser. Filter diffusers may be made from many materials, from velum paper to semi-transparent plastic. Hobbyists have used everything from lotion bottles to airsick bags. Keep your eyes open for materials that might work, and experiment with them to get the best results.
Reflection diffusers are also simple to make. Because they merely redirect the light instead of allowing light to pass through, there are many more options available to the do-it-yourselfer. Bear in mind that such reflectors should not necessarily be mirror-like surfaces, but merely capable of reflecting light without absorbing too much. A reflector should also be lightweight, allowing for easy transportation and simple positioning. Reflectors may be made out of poster board, silver wrapping paper or even windshield sun shades.
If you decide to attach your diffuser to the flash, there are some steps you can take prevent light from being lost, allowing you to get more illumination out of your existing equipment. The interior of the softbox can be lined with aluminum foil or coated with silver spray paint. This reflective interior allows more light to flow through the diffuser.
Tags: flash diffuser, light from, light source, allowing light, diffuser flash, external flash