Build A $1 Lightsphere
Photographer Allen Mowery made a (yet another) simple Lightsphere from some stuff he found around the house (Velcro and bubble wrap vinyl drawer liner). As the comparison above shows, the results are as good as the original thing. The oh-so-simple how to video after the jump.
DIY Lightsphere – A Good, Cheap Gary Fong Alternative, thanks for the shout, Allen
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Comments
I would not even dream
I would not even dream of showing to an event with bubble wrap on my flash. I'll get kicked out.
Flash Diffuser
This is a valid point. When I show up at a wedding I am dressed like a pro not someone who just crawled out of bed. The client expects this.
They also expect that I show up with pro gear, not something I built for $1. They want a pro camera, not a point and shoot.
Use it at home as it works but on a job I use pro equipment.
I will never understand what the big deal is with paying $50 for a flash diffuser.
We pay thousands for lenses and other equipment. The Lightsphere works-period. Definitely worth the money!
Kicked out by who? The bride
Kicked out by who? The bride who doesn't have a clue? By Uncle Bob who claims his camera is better than yours? Really, get a clue. Or keep spending 50 bucks on gary fong tupperware. The best solutions don't always come out of a prepackaged box.
Strange
I get my bubble wrap out of a packeged box.
I've used this exact same DIY
I've used this exact same DIY diffuser at about 4 weddings with excellent results. It's not bubble wrap. I have also used a Fong dome and hated it because either it or the cap would keep falling off. Really, IMO the dome doesn't look any more 'pro' - it looks ridiculous. Also, I've never been kicked out of a wedding.
I did have my camera gear
I did have my camera gear questioned once though - I had brough along a Leica M8 and a Sumi to get some alternate look shots. One of the guests did chastise me for trying to use a point & shoot at a wedding. Ok well. Thankfully I've retired from weddings for the most part and don't have to deal much with the unwashed masses any more.
I love these types of DIY
I actually use a soup container (David Hobby inspiration there) and only have ever been said something to about it one time. I looked at the person reminded them that they hired me after seeing my work and asked them why they cared what gear I used as long as my photos were great.
There are tests all over the net of Fongs/Stoffens v. Tupperware/Other Alternative and they have shown time and time again there is absolutely no discernible difference. So go out and spend $50-$80 "looking" like a pro, I'll spend $3, get some soup and a light mod and still take great shots.
Vinyl Drawer Liner
Where did bubble wrap come from? He says vinyl drawer liner in the video, though I'm sure bubble wrap might work. I saw another photographer do something similar with a larger piece of a frosted shower curtain. It looked like it was purpose built for the flash, until he told me what he used. Thanks for the post.
re: vinyl drawer liner
Thansk for the fix there, the bubblewrap came from the instructables he gave credit to in the post.
"I will never understand what
"I will never understand what the big deal is with paying $50 for a flash diffuser."
Wow you probably have too much money in your hand. 50 bucks is IMO far from reflecting the real cost of a simple plastic thing. But hey, if it sells then Gary Fong found the right price.
His point is that if you call
His point is that if you call yourself a pro, $50 for something that works sounds like a fair investment. If you're not, well, whatever works right?
This isn't just about
This isn't just about affordability, it's about objecting to feeling ripped of
Make one for $1 and put $49 in the next charity box you see. If everyone who was tempted by a $50 flash diffuser did that, the world would be a better place.
Awesome Soft light
Made mine out of some Ikea drawer liner - very similar to carpet runner - It worked amazing! I did get asked what it was - but 'light diffuser' seemed to send them away looking impressed!! It held its shape well - looked very expensive and I was really pleased with the result - so much better than the white card reflector I used last time. Dead easy to fold away too!
Thanks for the inspiration!
Ikea Drawing Liner light sphere
Found a roll of IKEA drawer liner on a kitchen cabinet :o)
Works great and does by no means look like a DIY product.
Have to see if I can use it as an internal diffusor for my DIY softboxes...
Thanks for the hint!
I have a Gary Fong Knock Off and I hate it
I'm willing to try this DYI as I have a gary fong sphere knock off and think it is a heavy, cumbersome pain! To use it on a Vivitar 285 I had to slit the sides to make it fit. weights down my camera and takes up a very large amount of bag space. The top falls off most of the time too. This dyi number looks much more portable and space friendly. Looks no less pro level then the "bucket" on the end of my flash. Yes I had some one ask me what the "bucket" was for LOL. No matter what you have on your flash people are going to ask questions. I guess with DIY it all depends on the quality of product you use, bubble wrap and wax paper are pretty obvious, but shelf liner is less obvious and there for more finished looking. Its a shame people think the more money you spend the more "pro" you are.
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