DIFFUSER GIZMOS Under $1.00
To me a hardware store is like a candy shop. I get ideas and inspirations just walking the aisles. With my innate and restless brain going at 100 miles ann hour, the projects just seem to come alive. With that said I present to you GIZMOS and proclaim my self the "The Wizard of GizMO". No secret rings, no hobbits, nor fire dragons, just a nuts and bolt approach to things someone else wanted you to spend a lot of money on.
DIFFUSERS: POOR MAN'S FLASH CARD
Most of the name brand flash manufacturers are supplying some form of diffusion with their 300-400 dollar flash purchases. Some are the original Sto-Fens and some are merely knock-offs of Sto-Fens.
Really it doesn't amount to a hill of beans except the Sto-Fens won't fall off, the manufacturers version probably won't fall off and the knock off probably will.
This is called a bounce card diffuser, and is just a sample of the 4000 plus add on lighting diffusion, shadow killing, red-eye elimination wallet grubbing, plastic, "save me arse" add-ons that we cannot live without.
PHOTOGRAPHY IS LIKE BUILDING A HOUSE
Lets face it, a good picture is like a house. Bad foundation, weak structure and all the fancy paint in the world won't help a bad house. There are no magic bullets in photography. Composition, Lighting, Action, Subject and Position all play a key role in the formation of the winning shot.
THE BASEMENT
Flash units simply are an electrical dispersion producing light. The problem is the light is sharp and specula. think crisp. High guide numbers are achieved for sales purposes with this specula light but it is not flattering to people. We take this narrow light and either diffuse it in a huge softbox, or try to bounce it off a 30 foot ceiling. usually the latter results in a disaster.
So the obvious and simple answer is bouncing light. Too much bounce and we get a bunch of soft shots that are too equal all over and we lose the modeling effect.
K.I.S.S.
So we made a trip to Hiram's Redneck Museum of photography and looked for solutions. Hiram took a Venetian blind and a paper cutter. He founded the POOR MANS CHEAP FLASH CARD. A piece of tough White Balanced Virgin Vinyl with a rippled surface from a venetian blind and 2 inches of Velcro. You can then use either self stick Velcro or two sided tape or simply a rubber band. It will work as good as the hundred dollar toys will and the 99 dollars saved will get you a spare flash and a bottle of Hiram's Magic Attitude Elixir.
NEW! Professional Flash Diffuser Under $10.00
We knew in advance the $1.00 flash diffuser might not be sophisticated enough for some of our folks so we came out with the professional model, THE PRO. "PRO" sells, always does.
Rangefinder did a test of five of these various styles including the Fabric, Tupperware, and Plastic and concluded they all did about the same, no real gain of one over the other.
It's all hype, down to the endorsement, the really sad looking doctored test photos and the uniqueness of the product. You know things get tested only from their advertisers..... Nothing is unique about bouncing light or advertising paybacks.
You can also use Foam Core or any flat white meter-able material and when you get good at light, you can do magic with Black. Like GOBOS and snoots.
We'll post patterns and how-to's. It's so Frickin simple I laugh when I see the guys buying a fifty dollar (cost two bucks) gadget that can do the same thing. Bounce is bounce and you don't need all that gadgetry confusing your settings. Just like dog food. Made to sell for those who think their dog is a gourmet. Don't feed him for a day and he'll pull your garbage pail apart.
So...We declared war on Velcro! So here is our entry in the Axle Race.
Screw the reflector, If it's white, it's right, Yellow makes it warm and mellow. But attaching these things is a pain in the butt. We designed a new axle, wheels are still round! And the idea is a gift for you from the brain of the Gadgetmeister, the Dean of Gizmology.
PLEASE NOTE:
We don't sell the part needed. It is called the Bantam Belt Clip. We do, however, work very closely with theCLIP.com on a lot of products and designs I fiddle with.
I use them simply because they are the best ones out there, the others being knock-offs. We like to support our vendors out there just as I also support my customers. I need both.
And if I send you there you are dealing direct. It's so slick it because it replaces Velcro. It's small compact and weighs virtually nothing. Fastest release on the market. Two second installation and removable.
So bug the vertical blind stores If you can get a selection of cutoffs and share with friends. Some even some in light beige which gives a warm tone with out looking yellow.
Then simply cut it to the shape you see on the right or above and then add a hole.
Using a different kind of tab and clip available from the folks who make my Black Box clips, we adapted the clean one shot locks in place unit as shown below. Slick clean and reasonable, adaptable and CHEAP. Push button on and off. Still allows use of the other modifiers like a Sto-Fen.
Here's the info from theCLIP.COM
Bantam Belt Clip Features:High-strength polymer composition, Self-lubricating, ratcheting design allows device to swivel for comfort, Sturdy belt clip retainer on back for security, Compact design, Versatile, Absolutely 100% plastic. NO metal, NO interference, NO corrosion.
Check with http://www.theCLIP.com but I believe this item ships with one Bantam Belt Clip, two round bantam tabs and two round 3M VHB adhesives $7.99 plus shipping, discounts for volume and they have ten different styles and types for a multitude of function and creativity and they do ship overseas for minimum costs. I have other styles that we can use.