Flash photography suffers from a major problem – the light source is too small. Generally, the bigger the light source the more pleasing the effect. That’s why photography studios usually use umbrellas or softboxes. But what if you don’t have access to a softbox, or you’re in a situation where it just isn’t practical?
Enter diffusers. A diffuser spreads the light from your flash onto a larger area, softening the resulting light in the process. Commercial diffusers typically velcro on to your flash and cost about 20 bucks. Not too bad, but also a perfect candidate for a hack.
Below you will find an Adobe Acrobat PDF template that you can cut out and fold your own flash diffuser. It folds flat and attaches to your flash with a rubber band. While not as sturdy as a commercial diffuser, even printed on card stock, it does have the advantage of being cheap and easy to build.
One note – if you plan on using a diffuser often, it’s worth dropping the 20 bucks on a commercial model. They hold up better and look more professional. But for occasional use, a free model out of cardstock may just be perfect.
Instructions
- Print the PDF file onto cardstock
- Allow the ink to dry to prevent curling
- Cut along the outside edges
- Fold along the inside white lines
- Attach to your flash with a rubber band
Download
You can download the PDF template file here.
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Of course you could always construct it out of modellers polystyrene plasticard and attach it to the flash with velcro patches
Honestly, if I was going to go through any more effort than printing and folding I’d probably just drop the 20 bucks on a commercial version :-)
I made mine out of foam art board I got from Hobby Lobby. Cost about $2.50, is durable to fold and stuff in my Velocity 9X.
Not a bad idea. A little matte black paint on the back side and I’d be you couldn’t tell a difference between yours and a commercial version from a few feet away.