DIY photo equipment sets you apart from the crowd.
With the millions of digital images that are taken everyday, it is hard to stand out form the crowd. Buying the necessary equipment to make your photos pop is quite difficult too, as it is very expensive. Fortunately for amateurs, the functions of professional photo accessories is quite simple. They generally control light so that photographers can reach a certain outcome quickly. At the expense of looking less professional, amateurs can easily create homemade equipment that mimics the fancy items that professional photographers use.
Instructions
1. Create homemade ring flash by gathering two bowls that both have a base diameter of eight centimeters. The rim of one bowl should be bigger than the rim of the other bowl. Cut the base out of both bowls and glue the small inside of the big one so that one is centered inside of the other. The combined bowls will make circular space. Line this space with tin foil and glue it so it is securely attached. Trace the rectangular shape of the flash head into the side of the bowl and cut it out. Insert the flash into the rectangular hole and you will have a functioning ring flash. the ring flash enable you to spread out light without diffusing it. It also casts a soft halo-like shadow around its subjects, which is currently common in pop culture photography.
2. Create a DIY honey comb grid by cutting several black straws into 1/4 or 1/2 inch pieces until you have enough to cover the entire surface of your flash's head. Hot-glue the pieces together and use tape to attach it to your flash. The honey comb grid is used to direct light so that it does not spill into unwanted parts of your photograph. Black straws are the only way to go for making a traditional grid, but feel free to try using colored straws if you want to get creative. The light will not be as direct, but the colors of the straw will create a corresponding hue wherever it is used.
3. Glue aluminum foil to one side of a piece of foam core board to create a double-functioning reflector. The side with the foil will act as a silver side for reflecting hard light. The white side will diffuse and reflect light for a softer look.
4. Black construction paper can be equally effective as manufacture lens hods in preventing lens flare.
Create a lens hood by simply cutting out a five by 12 inch piece of black construction paper. Wrap this piece of paper around the end of your camera lens. Ensure that the outer rim of the homemade lens hood is slightly wider than the filter thread of the lens itself. Secure the lens hood with tape. Lens hoods block out lens flare, which is unwanted lighting that comes in from side angles and refracts light around tiny scratches on the lens.
5. Attach an index card to your flash to make a homemade bounce card. Point the flash head upward and tape the index card to the backside so that half of it is exposed to the flash. The bounce card reflects a small percentage of the flash's light forward while the rest hits the ceiling and illuminates the room. The bounce card fills in unflattering shadows on human subjects and is popular in wedding photography.
Tags: bounce card, flash head, lens hood, ring flash, your flash