DIYPhotography.net

NEWS FLASH

Nikon printer starts going backwards

Failed picture with two flashes - nikon image is reversed :)

Not Safe For Work! [ut]

http://zn-md.livejournal.com/220747.html

Thx for the chance to win this great gift, as an aspiring food photographer this would give me the extra dimension to improve my craft.

can I enter a DIY 'beauty dish' in this competition, or does it have to be technically a "softbox"?

As I use Minolta/Sony entering this would be pointless.

OK, ok, darn it, seems like there is no content aware flip horizontal function in PS :) Nikon has been brought all the way back from the parallel universe and all's better now...

Can it please be clearly expressed what style of light modifier truly is considered to be a softbox?... I think I know, but someone else may think otherwise and potentially disqualify themselves from the contest from the word go... Plus, if I'm wrong, it would help keep me from being disqualified.

Thanks in advance.

Don't forget to make use of the softbox dimension calculator featuered here in the past :)

I started designing mine today, and I came up with a multi purpose design that I think would be an amazing tool for photographers. Is it ok if it can transform its function, as long as its main function is a softbox?

And is there a size preference?

I must object to the fact that there's no Sony flash to be won. The fact that the SB-700 has a simple slave trigger built in is not an excuse. How about a nice, shiny new HVL-F43AM? It's priced similar to the 430EX II.

I made this a while ago...

Since I am still shooting with film, my film scanner is at my parents in southern France and i'm currently in the Netherlands, it might be a tad tricky, but I'll upload as soon as i can a test picture as well as setup shots.

Hopefully this will help or inspire other people!

Cheers!

I saw this soon to be available product on a webinar with Zack Arias.  Not even available yet.  Best part:  Wind does not affect it.  I've used it for two portrait sessions.

Made with the container of backdrop paper and left over diffuser from another softbox.  I kept both plastic ends, lined the inside with white paper and pulled the diffusing material over the 3 inch opening I cut along the tube.  

I saw this soon to be available product on a webinar with Zack Arias.  Not even available yet.  Best part:  Wind does not affect it.  I've used it for two portrait sessions.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bulldog413/5794870465/in/photostream/

My weekend project was a DIY softbox. I documented the whole process and turned into a post on my blog.

You can read it, see all the "making of" images and a sample at the end.

http://skwizphoto.wordpress.com/2011/06/05/diy-weekend-project/

In fact.. I did nothing that change the color of the background layer in Photoshop....

Your Laptop is a good short-distance softbox with the GREAT advantage that you can change the color of light... :)

My blog is in spanish... I promis that I'll translate it soon, but at least you can see the images (process and results)

http://prioridad-de-apertura.blogspot.com/2011/06/semana-90.html

The softbox is just in the second part of the post... :)

here it is a how to video and photos.

http://tinyurl.com/4xgxgax

This link is to a Flickr thread with pics of the softbox, examples taken with it & discussion on details I left out of my description.

Is not using cardboard or other such material construction of a HARD box, not a soft box?

Here´s my softbox, suitable for using either a CFL or a strobe. I used an old ceiling lamp as the base for the CFL config, borrowed a flexible arm from a (broken) second lamp and attached it to a clamp. The strobe "adaptor" is 100% home made, molded in styrofoam and epoxy clay. It´s a custom fit for my Minolta strobe, fired with a YN radio trigger. I used to own an alpha a200 but I switched to Nikon not long ago (so yeah, I´m hoping to get the SB700). Most pictures in the set were taken with my P7000.

The softbox: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mundogudu/5819739429/

Sample picture (with minor post production, used for an actual restaurant menu): http://www.flickr.com/photos/mundogudu/5819700609/

Enjoy!

Here's my entry: http://www.gurucollege.net/blog/photography/xl-diy-t-shirt-softbox/

It's a softbox made from a rather large postal shipping box, just small enough for a cut-open and stretched out XL t-shirt to cover the opening.  It's large enough to stand freely, yet light enough to move with one hand.  It stores easily, and allows you to keep other lighting gear inside it.  It also retains almost all of it's structural rigidity, so it stores easily and solidly.

I've also posted it to flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/breandandezendorf/sets/72157626939635146/

Hello,

Here is my entry for the contest. 
You can find step-by-step tutorial on how I did the softbox (with photos), sample images and my setup for the shooting.

Hope you like it! I had a lot of fun designing it.

http://mariusmanastireanu.blogspot.com/2011/06/diy-softbox.html

Cheers,
Marius M.

Hi, this is the link to my DIY umbrella softbox "howto" using a black extra large golf umbrella.

The link includes detail on the materials used and very detailed pictures, plus a couple of shots using the DIY softbox as main light.

http://jealbeniz.blogspot.com/2011/06/diy-39-umbrella-soft-box-for-less-...

Enjoy, Thanks for reading. 

http://www.taintedelephant.info/2011/06/little-bts-and-diy-on-my-recent.html

from an ikea tent http://www.flickr.com/photos/e-coli/2377798661/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/e-coli/2379861150/ some photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/e-coli/2205080854/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/e-coli/2205087248/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/e-coli/2205085934/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/e-coli/2205101842/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lagrimas26/sets/72157626965525596/with/5835...

Do we have to submit a photograph using an external flash?  I don't have an external flash, but would love to enter the contest. 

Hi everyone, here's my softbox

http://enchantingkerala.org/digital-photography-school/diy_softbox.php

Cheers

Ok, here is my softbox I built some time ago:
http://eketjall.se/foto/diy/softbox_klar.jpg/visa/

Here is a photo where I used the softbox:
http://eketjall.se/foto/detaljer/RC-Truck.jpg/visa/
and here is the light setup for the above photo:
http://eketjall.se/foto/detaljer/RC-Truck-Setup.JPG/visa/

The tutorial on how I built it, including lots of images and some sample shots:
http://eketjall.se/foto/page/diy_softbox/
(I hope the image titles beeing in swedish in the tutorial isn't a to big of an issue. I think te images speak for them selfs)

I built a softbox using some PVC pipe and a linen sheet. It was easily disassembled and packed into an old gear bag to take to other locations or just store to keep clean. I wrote about it in an article on my scale modeling website.

http://hawkeyes-squawkbox.com/2010/06/03/encore-scale-modeling-photography/

Here is one of the many images I took using this DIY Softbox...

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t320/hawkeyes_bucket/Product%20Relate...

It was a modest beginning!

Here is my entry:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aud1073ch/tags/diyphotographynet

I wanted a softbox that was extremely inexpensive, with easy to find parts and household tools.

I made a softbox for less than $3 using a second-hand lampshade and an old shirt. I had some of the hardware in my junk bin. This is also very easy to construct.  I didn't use any calculators or measuring.
It mounts with a regular umbrella clamp, so you can use almost any strobe or light you can mount on the stud.

Here is finally my version of a Softbox this is a 28" Apollo Softbox using less than $30 dls. I hope you find this interesting :)

http://www.pixelanalogo.com/2011/06/15/diy-28-apollo-softbox-from-scratc...

Inside the post you will see tht tutorial of how to do your own, the example photo using the softbox, the setup and how slim and compact it is. Enjoy!

Here is my entry into the DIY softbox contest. I hope you like it!!

http://www.roadtoprophoto.com/diy-softbox/ 

Here is my entry for a DIY softbox for under $10. It's lightweight, portable and can be constructed in less than an hour. All parts can be sourced from a local grocery store or drug store.

http://photo.dynowski.com/photos/softbox/

Hi everyone

here's my entry for the competition

http://enchantingkerala.org/digital-photography-school/diy-softbox.php

Regards

Shibu Bhaskar

Hello fellow DIY photographers.

My entry into this great contest can be found here:

http://www.tysonjosey.com/diysoftbox/index.html

Total cost of this project was under $15 and it is a very effective softbox.  I wanted to create a lightwight softbox that would fit over the flash, but be large enough.  The total size is approx 18" x 18".

The design is fairly unique.  The build is based on wire clothes hangers and a gutter downspout coupler.  Anyway check out the link for all of the details.

www.tysonjosey.com/diysoftbox

Thanks to  DIYPhotography.net for the contest and motivation to finally come up with a design and build one.

Here is my softbox. I call it a Drum Light for the shape obviously. It is very flexible and light weight. I put the Photos of the box and samples into one SET on my FLICKR acct to keep it simple.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/afragmentoflight/sets/72157626986227786/with/5748330655/

and here is my favorite of my samples

http://www.flickr.com/photos/afragmentoflight/5748330655/in/set-72157626986227786

Goodluck to everyone!! Here's my entry:

http://blueweedphoto.blogspot.com/2011/06/diy-collapsible-strip-box.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42888188@N02/5845454255/in/photostream/

(including complete TUTORIAL!)

More Photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42888188@N02/5846010166

How to set it up:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42888188@N02/5845457475/

You will find enough links to Details in the tutorial. Ask me, if you have any questions!

Good luck to everyone with their DIY Softboxes :)

I LOVE this contest, if only to see everyones different ideas on building soft boxes.

Here's my take complete with tutoral:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/63806654@N05/sets/72157626809004161/

I've noticed that several folks, including me, have more than one photo taken with their soft box.  For the contest, do we have to pick one for the entry?  Do we need to include a separate link to that photo?  Thanks again for running this, and for a cool site.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_number_one_chief_rocka/sets/72157626858...

My IKEA DIY Softbox made of IKEA's SNÅLIS plastic box;www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/6013 0131 andwww.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/2013 0133 available in black and white and 2 different sizes.

Just take the box in black, spraypaint the inside silver and drill holes where you want to put your strobe/strobes. The holes should be as small it can fit a ordinary camera/tripod screw. Then take the lid in white, put it on the box, maybe whit some help from 2 clams and your ready. 

This softbox is good for shooting smoke and water drop photos.

You can use it as a small table for your laptop or whatever.

Use the softbox as a box for your gear.

Hi all

Wow, there are a lot of great entries.

Here is my own entry for the softbox contest. The links to my inspirations and all the descriptions of my build are with the pictures.

Here's how I built my DIY SabreStrip:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lbphotowinnipeg/5847199713/in/photostream

Here is a portrait using my DIY SabreStrip:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lbphotowinnipeg/5837922113/in/photostream

Here is my set-up: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lbphotowinnipeg/5846265767/in/photostream/

Hello :)

So many softboxes, it's gonna be hard to chose the best one :)

Here is my entry:

http://www.repliki-kloda.com/softbox.htm

Good luck everyone :)

Very creative entries from everyone. Kudos to diyphotography.net for organizing this.

My entry.

Build photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vicsaromo/sets/72157626994479744/

Sample shot: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vicsaromo/5848865201/in/photostream

Setup shot: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vicsaromo/5848864909/in/photostream/

My Softbox build....

http://www.nethercourt.co.uk/SoftBox/

The Final pic and setup......

http://www.nethercourt.co.uk/Miranda/

Here is my entry:

http://blog.m2creativedesign.com/2011/06/diy-35-octo-softbox.html

I decided to try to build a 35" rigid frame softbox with an octagonal diffuser, using CPVC pipe.  It was a lot more work than I originally anticipated, but am happy with the results.

I'm impressed with everyone's entries, as there are many creative ideas!  Anytime you see a large group of people using Mylar and duct tape, there has to be something cool!

Good Luck everyone.

Here is my entry for the Softbox.

Build or how to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dave-lord/sets/72157626874687151/with/5849490449/

Setup shots for the lights: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dave-lord/5849491315/in/set-72157626874687151

Sample shot: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dave-lord/5849490449/in/set-72157626874687151/

Hi there

This contest gave me the spark I needed to kick into gear and build the softbox that I've been meaning to do for the past couple of months ... specially with the great prizes!!!

Anyway, good luck to all, I've seen some pretty awesome designs.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/64242491@N04/sets/72157626999499716/

;o) Facebook: Dewald Lemley Photography

Here is my DIY softbox

http://www.benvelo.com/muttafino.htm

http://www.benvelo.com/muttafino_test_images.htm

so many great designs, we all win, since we all get some inspiration to improve on our own designs. thanks for having this contest Udi.

First, my image:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewfritz/5850685592/in/photostream/light...
I'm pretty new to the whole strobist thing, so be gentle!

The How-To, including lots of construction images:
http://andrew.fritztech.com/blog/2011/06/06/diy-30-square-soft-box-that-...

The setup image for the image above:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewfritz/5850136489/in/photostream/
(pardon the mess...)

Here's my entry to the DIY softbox contest. It turned out so well I'm still blown away. It doesn't require any existing camera gear to build and everything can be had for around $30 and a little bit of time.

Full tutorial and sample pics:

http://mawoca.net/2011/06/19/diy-30-ego-lighttabletop-softbox/

Nice entries so far. Great work everyone!

hello, here is my submission!

The complete construction guide is found here: http://www.photocs.net/diy-how-to-make-a-medium-sized-softbox/

Photo of the box here: http://photocs.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/DSC2999.jpg

Photo with the use of the box: http://photocs.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/DSC3010-Edit.jpg

Photo of the light quality: http://photocs.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/DSC3570.jpg

Hi! Here´s my very ligh, cheap and portable softbox I made some time ago.

Hope it´s clear explanation.

http://bspada.blogspot.com/2011/06/diy-softbox.html

Here is my submission, I wish I would have seen this post sooner because I have a bunch of DIY softboxes I've made but didn't document them. Unfortunately my current project of DIY sabrestrips isn't quite done yet so I won't make the deadline but here are links to my homemade fabric style strip lights which worked quite well.

My DIY Strip Lights:

Initial design done in Sketchup: http://flic.kr/p/9UZr7P

Nearly finished product: http://flic.kr/p/9V3g7o

Portrait using 1 strip softbox: http://flic.kr/p/9V3g3N

Used in a multilight setup : http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TpIHr37L16Q/TdsFFbPKy9I/AAAAAAAAAaA/GRZ75movtO...

Here is our entry for the DIY Softbox Contest:

http://sixtyfourcolorbox.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/diy-softbox/

The link contains a photo of the softbox, the complete build, an assembly video, and sample and set-up photos.

We had a fun time designing and building our softbox. It was great to collaborate on a project that took the combination of both of our skills to complete. 

I built two portable softboxes for my Vivitar 285 flash units using the same basic construction, but altering some of the materials. I created a composite image of each softbox, as well as the sample pics and setup shot.

DIY Softbox #1

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adam_telford/5850785287/in/photostream

DIY Softbox #2

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adam_telford/5851338506/in/photostream

And the photos using the softbox with a setup shot

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adam_telford/5850785699/in/photostream

This is an awesome building project. Ive always admired this site, since it has alot of simple DIY projects that even the not so handy individual can do. That is where i pick up my style... i didnt take crafting or shop in high school, and to me diy has always been on a lower budget scale with the ability to create something still looking on the professional side.

My project can be found on my facebook fan page. I know you can see it DIY admins because I am a fan of your facebook page!

Overall cost was $0 because I had most of the materials at home. Styrofoam cooler, black spray paint, black fabric, white fabric, some spray on adhesive, fabric scissors, and a butter knife. Pricing it out, you are looking at under $20. You can see the step by step here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.208481919195872.56486.20312551...

Awesome designs everybody!

Ricky (www.facebook.com/rickylopezphotography)

My softbox is cheap, easy to make, small, durable and collapsable.  

Here's a how to video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJdOEcfcHbc

Here are the softbox photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16141568@N06/sets/72157626877272229/

Hi!

Here's my entry:
http://www.nbl.fi/~nbl4383/softbox/

And for those who don't want to see all the other awesome pictures of my softbox and read how I built it:
Softbox: http://www.nbl.fi/~nbl4383/softbox/img/sb2.jpg
A pic taken with it: http://www.nbl.fi/~nbl4383/softbox/img/pic.jpg
Setup: http://www.nbl.fi/~nbl4383/softbox/img/lights.jpg

This is an awesome contest!

 There are a lot of great entries so far! I really like Shibu’s super thin softbox, slick design and great pictures!  For my entry I wanted to create something with new materials.  People are getting some great shots with the old aluminum foil/Mylar/cardboard…etc, but it’s time to throw some new tools in your toolbox!  (Like gelled softboxes!)

Design goals: Lightweight/use the hotshoe mount, Compact/Portable, Highly Reflective Surface, No Sewing, Quick Build

         To achieve these goals I turned to a product used to cover remote controlled airplanes, Monokote (http://www.monokote.com/). (Side note: I tried using Ultracote which is a competing brand, but it did not work in this application)  Monokote is a plastic film that when heated will activate glue on one side of the film as well as shrink from the heat.  So you can use an iron to bond it to a frame and then use a heat gun to shrink all the wrinkles out.  You can also work it around curves.  And if you poke a hole in it, just iron on a patch over it.  You will hardly be able to tell.  This product comes in just about any color you can imagine.  So for this project I used Flat Black, Chrome and Transparent White. You can buy it at local hobby stores, many will sell it by the foot, or you can order it online in 6’x2’ rolls.  I’ve seen it for $8-15/roll.  Just to get a little more creative, one of the shots was taken with a diffuser that was made from transparent yellow and blue Monokote.  

Monokote makes a simple, thin, colapsable design.  You can roll this thing up and take it anywhere.  Assembly is as simple as ironing it together.  Repair is nothing more then ironing on a patch.

Thank you for checking it out!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/christopherkrier/sets/72157626877918533/with/5851237091/

Chris

So what is the final date now? June 20 or June 27?

Had fun doin these haha

My entry for a DIY Softbox Contest!

DIY SOFTBOX 8x8 SHOT

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yeahenzo/sets/72157627005547960/

DIY SOFTBOX 8x8 SAMPLE SHOTS

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yeahenzo/sets/72157626881072137/

DIY SOFTBOX 8x8 HOW TOs

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yeahenzo/sets/72157626881157155/

Softbox based on R3 concept. (Reduce, Recylce, Reuse).

http://enchantingkerala.org/digital-photography-school/homemade-softbox.php

DIY foldable softbox from car windshield shader and sample shoots.

http://www.hygy.hu/galeria/index.php/list/0/fenykepezes/kellekek/diy%201...

The box is not 100% percent ready, becouse I read this contest about a week ago. But now it is usable. :)

This is a box that can be built with a minimum of tools, and at a cost of under $5 assuming you don't have the parts floating around already - which you probably do. If you forgo painting the insides white, it will give you a slight warming color, and can be constructed in minutes anywhere you have the other readily-findable components. 

Done right -- this version was a little rushed - it looks as professional as anything built out of a cardboard box ever will. 

Here´s my portable, foldable, and pretty softbox! A how-to with a horrible English (sorry)

http://bspada.blogspot.com/2011/06/diy-softbox.html

And a Picture of my favourite model, My withe cat:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/belen_spada_fotografia/5854594807/

Good luck for all those great DIYers!

Here is my attempt:

My version is made with very little fabrication work.  Mainly painting and cutting the components with scissors and a tubing cutter.

Sample image: http://flic.kr/p/9VmdH4

Setup image: http://flic.kr/p/9VmcWn

Softbox image: http://flic.kr/p/9Vme3K

Here is the how to video: http://youtu.be/L-fxS6plhQE

Here is the list of supplies

1 Can Silver spray paint, 1 Can Flat black spray paint, 1 Clear bubble umbrella, 1 white shower curtain liner, 12 feet of sticky back Velcro, masking tape, scissors, and a tubing cutter.

Pretty simple build with good results.

Here's a tutorial to a Lumiquest-style mini soft box in two sizes - 8x10 and 11x17.

http://www.sonicartistry.net/zemlinphotos/MiniSoftbox/Softbox%202/instru...

I've used these soft boxes in a number of macro and small product photography shoots.

Here are a couple examples

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zemlinphoto/3617465389/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zemlinphoto/3571880812/

This softbox design has been built in two sizes.  28" square requires 2 20" x 30" sheets of foam core.  The 17" square version can be made from 1 sheet of foam core.  The flash mount includes a conical reflector which directs light to the sides and prevents a hot spot.  These break down quickly and fold flat for storage and transport.

Here's a gallery of images for the soft box.

http://sonicartistry.net/zemlinphotos/DIY_Softbox28/

and a few photos that have used this design

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zemlinphoto/5423406621/

The 28" was used as key on these, the 17" as kicker

and a fun one

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zemlinphoto/4334015549/

which hasn't floated to the surface yet.  This was taken using both of my small soft boxes and a bare flash.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zemlinphoto/5315964424/

Thanks

Hi fellows photographers ( sorry about my English but i am from south America, Bogotá, Colombia) . This is my first entry to this page, but I follow DIYPHOTOGRAPHY since November of last year. I want to create a diy softbox a couple of months before, but I don’t had the attitude for that, but when I look your contest I did not have more excuses to postpone my project, then I want to give you guys thanks for give me the attitude to do my softbox.     

http://www.wix.com/jdiazs87/juandiaz#!diy-soft-box

http://www.wix.com/jdiazs87/juandiaz#!diy-soft-box

Here's my entry:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/20805292@N00/sets/72157626886080351/with/5855058197/

Fast and ugly but it gets the job done.  It was very cheap/easy to make as well, requiring a large box, a sheet and some tape.

Softbox and setup shot:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcasius/5855055435/in/photostream

Resulting shot:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcasius/5855606654/in/photostream

This is my DIY Four Square Economy Softbox.

Made for less then $15 dollars using free wood, $2 gardening rods, $1 table cloths, black and white duct tape $3 each, a few 1/4-20 bolts and a t-bracket that a had sitting around.

This was designed for <a href="http://www.diyphotography.net" rel="nofollow">www.diyphotography.net</a> softbox contest.  Orginal plan was to have a black cloth exterior and a reflective/shiny silver interior.  The base that mounts to the stand and holds the flashes was designed for thicker polls then I ended up using as the original polls were not as flexible as I thought and broke when bent to far.  I ended up using steel plastic coated gardening rods.  These were very flexible, and light weight.  I was not able to use the fabric I purchased because my Sewing machine broke on me.  So at the last minute I had to scramble and find a substitute. I ended up using white and black plastic table cloths, cut 4 panels of each color and taped together along the sides then each panel taped together.  for the front diffusion panel I used a protective seat cover the came with a chair I ordered from target.  It is about 2 feet wide in each direction.

tutorial to follow:

Here's my buildup.  I'm not gonna be able to upload the shot I used it for for another hour or so, but figured I may as well get the build submitted!

http://majones.tumblr.com/

Recycle and repurpose - that was my goal and that's what I did.  I repurposed an old lampshade and t-shirt to create a lampshade softbox.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dailyvignette/5855493816/in/set-72157627010...

The setup photo and instructions are with the above link.  There are also construction photos and the subject photo that I took using the lampshade softbox, if you scroll back a few images - with instructions for each image, as well.

This was a fun and easy to do project - took about an hour.

(I see someone else did a lampshade softbox, but I didn't look at how they did theirs - just saw the comment as I was scrolling down to enter mine.)

DIY Four Square Softbox Tutorial

Step one: cut a 1 inch thick block to size 6.5x6.5 inches then cut off the corners for the poll holes:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcasius/5855607374/in/set-72157626886135373

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcasius/5855056091/in/set-72157626886135373/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcasius/5855607802/in/set-72157626886135373/

Step 2: drill and chisel out holes for the peanut slave hotshoes.  I only have two right now, will add two more. (also when you do it turn the holes 90º so that you can access the controls on each flash)  you don't have to recess them but I wanted them to be low profile.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcasius/5855055687/in/set-72157626886135373/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcasius/5855055621/in/set-72157626886135373/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcasius/5855055521/in/set-72157626886135373/

Step 3: Drill holes into each corner.  I used a 30º angle with a custom jig on a drill press. but should have gone with a 15º or 20º instead.  also the holes are to big as I had planned to use different rods that ended up bending in half under tension.  I ran out and found some great plastic coated gardening support rods that are about 5mm in diameter.  As result I had to drill a deeper hole at the base of the original to fit the smaller rods.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcasius/5855607148/in/set-72157626886135373/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcasius/5855607092/in/set-72157626886135373/

Step 4.  With the rods inserted I made a pattern for each side so that we could make the exterior.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcasius/5855055787/in/set-72157626886135373/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcasius/5855607724/in/set-72157626886135373/

Step 5: each pannel is made up of one black and one white plastic sheet cut to size and taped together along the edges using white duct tape.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcasius/5855056431/in/set-72157626886135373/

Step 6: Each pannel is then taped to the next with black duct tape

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcasius/5855056329/in/set-72157626886135373/

Step 7: the front diffusion panel is made from a protective shipping cover from a chair, this is about 2 feet square.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcasius/5855056025/in/set-72157626886135373/

 Velcro in each corner attaches to the open end of the outside cover.

Final build and set up shot:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcasius/5855055435/in/set-72157626886135373/

Phew.  Got the photos up just in the nick of time!  Unfortunatelly I started having strobe sync issues due to low batteries right after this shot, so I haven't yet got exactly what I wanted, but I still think it's pretty cool.  Finished shot appended to the blog post, also available here:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattjones-madscientist/5856020542/

Thanks for a bitchin lil contest on a great blog, guys!