Build a $300 Music Stand Triflector for $29

I have always wanted to DIY my own triflector, but the problem was I didn’t even know where to start or what material to use.

You’re probably asking why I would want a triflector? Because it produces the most stunningly beautiful glamour light. Now, Lastolite does sell one of those, but they are around $330 with frame panels and all. I wanted it cheaper and I wanted it faster.

Before I started photography around 6 years ago I was studying classical guitar in the top university here in the Philippines so I remembered that I had a music stand lying around from my music days. It was a perfect starting point for my DIY triflector, and they are only about $15. So here is a quick step by step tutorial on how I built a DIY music stand triflector.

What you will need:

Music Stand
Foam Board
Double sided velcro
Foil (I used foil gift wrapping paper)
flat curtain rod (optional)

Total should probably be around 30-40 USD + a few hours of your time.

Step 1:

I started with the base which is my music stand (7 years old and it is now recycled into a better life). The music stand had a curved bottom where you can place your books or papers so I clamped that part and bent the steel to become straight.

Step 2:

The music stand did have some nice side arms but the problem was it was too short to hold the left and right flap of the triflector. So I used the flat curtain rod as an extension for the arms.

I cut the curtain rods into 4 pieces and bent it so they can act as the triflector arms. I used pliers to tighten the curtain rods into the arms of the music stand.

Step 3:

I chose to use foam boards as my actual reflectors because they were lighter than my usual illustration boards DIY’s. Using a cutter, I cut the board into the sizes I wanted.

Step 4:

For mounting the boards to the music stand I used double stick velcro. I only needed to use a small amount because it was enough to hold the light weight of the board.