Posted by Steve Wachtel on April 15, 2006 at 6:34 PM
I have found myself in rather harsh light lately trying to shoot flowers. I am wondering what, if anything, folks use in the realm of reflector/diffusers, or home-made diffusers, etc.
And along with that, any hints, tips, and "watch-out-fors" in using said diffusers.
I use a mid-sized (28 inch?) Photoflex diffuser. You'll find it makes a world of difference. Once you've used one, there's no going back. They're best used positioned very closely the the subject. The closer you hold the disk, the more the subject just "glows" with soft light. It's really something to behold.
However, they're only good for a small area - like when doing macro work. Also, you need to really watch your background. It does no good to diffuse the light on your subject, but then allow a non-diffused background to show. They're also no use when shooting "grand landscapes". That's why it's always best to shoot in early morning or late afternoon.
Besides the above, I've used translucent plastic (actually, a ground cloth) wrapped around the spread-out legs of a tripod. Since commercial diffusion disks are a bit pricy, you should be able to make your own by purchasing the appropriate material in a fabric store and stretching it out around some sort of frame.
Hope this helps, Ken
Posted by Steve Wachtel on April 15, 2006 at 6:58 PM
Thanks, Ken... gonna buy something this week online (after advice from this thread, hopefully), but I fear I will need it next weekend in the Smokies... so... a trip to Lowes and a little creativity may have to do in the interim (the camera stores here in Columbia are woefully worthless for anything more complicated than a P&S and photo albums).
B&H has a ton of them, as does Calumet.
After popping around a little online, I am wondering if it is worth getting a "sleeve" set where you start out with translucent fabric in the ring for diffuse light, and use removable covers for reflection. That seems the most handy and least heavy way of getting multiple uses out of it.
Am also wondering if there is a "most-handy, but not ridiculous" size. Seems 20-24 inches diameter would be reasonable for flowers and for packing down. Any other factors I should consider in that?
OK, I just measured mine and it's a 22" - the smallest I'd recommend. While that size is pretty easy to pack, the larger ones would even be more useful. The multi-use ones would definitely be more useful yet.
I use my PhotoFlex 22" Reflector a lot that hang from my bag most of the time.
Posted by Mark Stahlke on April 15, 2006 at 11:01 PM
Hi Steve,
You can order PhotoFlex reflectors and diffusers from the NPN Gift Shoppe. I bought the macro kit Jim put together and a 22" diffuser. With a diffuser and a gold reflector you can create some wonderful lighting. I find the 12 inchers are a lot easier to control in the breeze.
Discussion
6 repliesAnd along with that, any hints, tips, and "watch-out-fors" in using said diffusers.
However, they're only good for a small area - like when doing macro work. Also, you need to really watch your background. It does no good to diffuse the light on your subject, but then allow a non-diffused background to show. They're also no use when shooting "grand landscapes". That's why it's always best to shoot in early morning or late afternoon.
Besides the above, I've used translucent plastic (actually, a ground cloth) wrapped around the spread-out legs of a tripod. Since commercial diffusion disks are a bit pricy, you should be able to make your own by purchasing the appropriate material in a fabric store and stretching it out around some sort of frame.
Hope this helps, Ken
B&H has a ton of them, as does Calumet.
After popping around a little online, I am wondering if it is worth getting a "sleeve" set where you start out with translucent fabric in the ring for diffuse light, and use removable covers for reflection. That seems the most handy and least heavy way of getting multiple uses out of it.
Am also wondering if there is a "most-handy, but not ridiculous" size. Seems 20-24 inches diameter would be reasonable for flowers and for packing down. Any other factors I should consider in that?
Ken
You can order PhotoFlex reflectors and diffusers from the NPN Gift Shoppe. I bought the macro kit Jim put together and a 22" diffuser. With a diffuser and a gold reflector you can create some wonderful lighting. I find the 12 inchers are a lot easier to control in the breeze.
Cheers,
I responded to this post in the SENP forum. Check it for my thoughts and suggestions.