Barn doors, diffusers and lights

I am just starting to explore the world of creative lighting.  I HIGHLY encourage visiting The Strobist blog (a Site Worth Your Time).  While you are there, click on the paid links and Amazon links.  You can get a $1000 workshop worth of information for the price of a internet connection so at least visit the sponsors.  Rant over.  Like I said, I am just learning.  One of the first things I learned was that almost everything I thought about flashes was wrong.  Why would you want to diffuse light? Why bounce light?  Why color light?  Im still working on the last two but I am starting to understand diffusion.  Two of the 10 gift ideas were diffusers.  But what if you don't have even $20 in your budget?  How about $2.  For $2 Ill show you how to get a diffuser and a basic barn door.

I love my Sto-Fen. Not giving it up.  But there is the Gary Fong C4 Cloud Lightsphere too, plus more I probably don't know about.  Assuming they all do something different, what am I missing out on?  Never know because I am not going to buy them all.  But to get an idea, its time to head to the craft store.

Meet your future diffuser

$.89 at your local craft store.  You will need to adjust the size to fit bout your flash and how much "dome" you want.  I got the smallest because it was almost exactly the size of my AF360.  Now the tuff part.

I know, its hard to see.  Cut three sides.  I left one of the small sides on this one. I recommend leaving one of the wider sides and making that the top.  The side you leave will provide some pressure to keep it on.  The plastic is really thin and flexible so making the hole a little undersized is ok.  Leaving the large side also lets you put colored reflectors in there too.  (I ran out of clear boxes so I will put up pictures of the alternate version soon).

Here it is in action.  Big box of soft light.  You can move the wire as needed.  I had to use a helper light to focus on the clear object.  Ill talk about the light at the end.  So for $.89 and about 5 minutes, you get a useable diffuser.

Barn Doors

This one is still a work in progress but I am hoping some of you will try it and think of improvements I haven't.  Meet your future barn door.

Might notice a theme here  :)  This is a medium sized one and cost $.49.  On to the hard stuff.

Lay it out, trace

and cut
I am not the worlds best line follower......  Same thing here, leave the "long side to put some pressure on it if needed.  If you use a bigger box, you can use a Sto-Fen to hold it on.

Like I said, a work in progress.  I am looking for a black one.  Seems like a lot of light escapes this.  I also thought of wrapping it in black duct tape.  Might help with durability too.  I am experimenting with slots for preset spots but the wire actually makes it pretty easy to adjust the opening.  Ok, one last combination....

I used the small diffuser to hold the "barn door" on backwards making a kind of snot.  Once I get some colored ones I will experiment with different holes on the bottom for different effects.  I think the "take out food system" has real promise!!

Helper light

This is my helper light.

I got it from Ikea in a two pack for $3.  I think they only sell them in store (I cant find them online) so if you don't have an Ikea, try this - Sylvania DOT-it Self-Adhesive Bright White LED Light, Black.  These lights have a TON of uses.  I have used them for backlighting on flowers, focus lights, and plain old light in the dark (like for looking at your setting while doing night shooting because Pentax didn't backlight the LCD!).  They make a great addition to your camera bag.

Like I said, this is a work in progress.  I want to try inserting colored paper in both of these to see what happens.  And I would like to refine the barn door function a bit.  By the time I am done, I am sure I will be very happy and convinced that what I really need to do is spend $10 to get this - SP Studio Systems 4 Leaf Barndoor Set.  Until then, I will keep saving those lunch boxes!