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Archive for category DIY projects

DIY Canon 550EX flash grid

A grid is the light modifier that you’ll use when you want to focus or narrow your flash beam of light, and let it be concentrated in one strong beam.There

is a way to narrow and control the flash light beam by using the manual zoom angle control (this option is available with the Canon 550EX flash unit and in many other flashes) but with the DIY grid you’ll be able to really control its width and power to a maximum.

This project is an easy one and all you’ll need for it is:

  • Piece of bristol paper ( you could use any type,I used a folder that I got in a Google convention).
  • About 40-50 straws.
  • Ruler.
  • Canon 550EX…
  • 20 minutes

IMG_7241

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DIY flash gel filter holder-Quick and easy

You probably heard about the free gel filters packages that sometimes in the past where send to everyone that requested them.Well I believe that the filter manufacture companies went bankrupt as the word spread around the photography community.Now there are some sets that are sold on eBay Adorama ans such for about 10$.If you got your hands on a dealer around you that still ships those filter set for free,you should contact him and ask for one!

The filter set that I got has maybe  100 of colored filter gels suited exactly to my Canon 5xx series.All I had to do was to build a gel filter holder.There are many DIY projects like that on the net and I actually started that with a piece of plastic that broke and then said hey why wouldn’t I try to make it of a transparency slide?!

Its easy and your 5 years child can do it for you too!

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Cookie Photography-the cookie shootout

The cookie post started when I had a newly wed couple that came to my office to get their wedding album.I had to bring some goods in to serve the guys,so I went don’t to the local super market,having only a couple of minutes to choose the best sweet for my visitors,I decided to go with the chocolate chips cookies that I all ways love!

When I took the box from the self I said to myself ,”hey that’s a great photo on the box I want to do that too!”

Here  is one of the first  pics that I took:

the_cookie_01

Get In and read the rest of the story (I bet you’ll want those chocolate cookies too)!
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DIY Small softbox from Shoe box

Well we had a sale in the Adidas outlet store near the place that I leave in.As a very enthusiastic jogger (yes my passion is divided into two : photography and running).With very good proces before the Israely holidays I couldn’t resist it and bought two running shoes…You couldn’t imagine my wifes reaction to that,as I already have about six running pairs…

But after all I told her , there will be something good out of it:I’ll do some softboxes for small flashes from the shoe boxes!!!So here how it goes:

What you need:

what_you_need

  • All you need is some shoe boxes,if you don’t have any ,ask your wife as they usually don’t throw away  anything that is related to their shoe/boots…
  • An utility knife
  • Some gaffer tape
  • A ruler.
  • White bristol or any white panel that can diffuse the light (I don’t want to offer,but I believe you can use some printer paper sheet too…. ).
  • A marker.

And lets go on!

I marked the front panel of shoe box softbox,by putting a sign at every corner of the box about 2cm .

front_panel_marking

putting a line between them will make the softbox’s front panel diffusion area.

front_panel

This is the rectangle that you’ll need to cut.

flash_place

At the back of the shoe box ,make a rectangle that will be cut and hold the flash in spot.Don’t cut a rectangle out,but just mark it .What you’ll have to cut is the two short side of the flash place and one long cut in the middle of the long part.The back of the softbox will have to look like this (take a good look at it in order not to make mistakes!!!):

final_result2

Now the only thing you’ll have to do is to put the front diffusion panel for you new softbox.Cut the white panel to the size of you’re shoe box front panel and glue it to the inner side  of the box:

final_result

This was a very easy project to do.It will take you about 15 minutes for each softbox (not including the time you’ll argue with your wife about why to ruin the shoe box she successfully saved for the past 10 years)

PS :

For better flash hold I put some Velcro scotch on the back of the softbox,that will stick to the flash heads.

In the next post I’ll show you some cool photos that where made with that simple equipment

(There might be some not attractive pictures of myself…)

DIY 3 in 1 Reflector White/Silver/Gold

This is going to be a really quick and amazingly easy DIY tutorial.In this tutorial we will build a 3 in 1 reflector aprox. size 60cm long  50cm wide.This reflector will be a white/silver/gold reflector.

Lets get going with our sort shopping list:

  • 1 50cm*70cm foam white bord.
  • 1 silver 50cm*70cm silver bristol panel.(this is sold as packages with 3 silver 3 gold bristol panels).
  • 1 gold  50cm*70cm silver bristol panel.(this is sold as packages with 3 silver 3 gold bristol panels).
  • Double sided sticky velcro.
  • Scissors

Lets go:

That the before picture

what you need list

For each corner of the colored bristol panel cut a piece of two sided sticky velcro for you studio DIY reflector.You could cut more pieces of the velcro or bigger pieces,I cut a small piece about 1/2 cm wide.

Stick one side of the velcro on each corner of the  foam board and the other side  of the velcro stick to the colored bristol reflector for the studio reflector.

IMG_9790

After finishing the silver reflector side (you could start with the golden side either)  you should have this,an easy diy silver studio reflector:

IMG_9791

Repeat this process for with the other side and the golden bristol panel.

Now you have your first and easiest 3 in 1 studio reflector.

no_below

white_below

silver_below

gold_below

Go on and do it!Share your photos and thoughts with us!

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Easy And Cheap DIY Colored Gel For Hot Shoe Flash For Only 1.49$!!!

One of the most fun things to play with while exploring your of camera flash photography is changing or controlling the color your hot shoe flash creates.The gadget that will give you that control will be a professional colored gels pack.That fact is that those gels (professional gels) cost a little to much in my opinion.They give some great advantages as longer durability (if you those gels for studio lighting you’ll find out that the flash head might melt the plastic gel) and more accurate and defined color name (can be described by Converting 5500K to 2900K,WOW!).But you can get a pack of 6 or more colored gels that will give you endless options.

This is what you need:

  • A marker pen.
  • Good pair of scissors (not those in the picture bellow,you should have a better one).
  • Flash diffuser (got this one to get the exact measure of the flash,but can measure you flash width and that will do).
  • 1$ Office Depot 12 tab divider (it has to sets of six different colored dividers).

IMG_9703

Open the pack and thats what you’ll get.

IMG_9701

From this point you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know what to do,but what the heck I’ll write it down.

Mark on the dividers pack the height of your flash head.I’m lazy some times so I used the hot shoe flash diffuser to mark it height,but you don’t have to do it with the diffuser,just measure it and mark it.Generally it will be stripes 4cm-5cm height.

IMG_9702

This is what you get after cutting the stripes.I cut it twice and got 24 stripes what means 6 sets of 4 stripes with the same color.

IMG_9705

Just testing it with a yellow gel.

IMG_9708

Tips for using those colored gel stripes:

  • Simply attach them to you hot shoe flash head with a rubber band if you don’t have a more professional strap.
  • To control the color you could explore the differences while shooting with 2 or more stripes of the same color or different colors.
  • Explore the color differences just by adjust the power of you flash.

Got any other ideas,share with as.

PLEASE COMMENT BELLOW!!!

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DIY hot shoe flash speed grid

After finishing my big 20cm*20cm softbox speed grid I had some leftovers from the black corrugated plastic sheeting (that the material that used my to do the grid itself-if you know how it is really called please tell me!),I decided to go on and build a small speed grid of the hot shoe flash that I use (Canon 580EXII 550EX and 430EX).This project  is a very easy one and will expand your flash ability and creativity.

So lets start this fun project with our “shopping list”:

What we need:

what you need for the speed grid

  • 1 black maple sheet-I use it also for some products shots.
  • 1black corrugated plastic sheet,or left overs from the 20cm*20cm softbox speed grid project.
  • good contact glue
  • some rubber bands
  • a pair of scissors
  • a marker
  • An utility knife
  • big&strong ruler

1.Measuring and cutting the maple sheet for your speed grid:

  • Measure your flash size height and width – with the Canon 550EX who is the “biggest” flash that I have it is – 4.5cm height,8cm width.
  • Mark those sizes on  the maple sheet and leave 2.5cm margin on one side of the paper,those margins will help you close the speed grid together.
  • If you are building it for your Canon speedlite 550EX You should cut a 27.5cm by 10 cm piece.
  • You should mark and cut it like this(make your width adjustments if you are going to build it for other type of hot shoe flash):
  • Make some soft and not deep cuts on the lines (4.5cm,10cm,4.5cm and 10cm) with your utility knife-this will help you to bend nicely the mapel sheet.

 

diagram

2.Now lets cut some stiripes of the corrugated plastic sheet.You should cut it 8 cm wide and about 1cm-2cm long.You should have about 20 of those stripes in order to pile them 4.5cmcm hieght.

3.Glue them together.As I did in the previous project I advise you to glue groups of 4-6 stripes together and them glue the groups together.You should have a 4.5cm height of stripes like in the following picture:

grid panel

4.Put generous amount of the glue both on the grid panel and the mapel paper.Let it dry of some minutes before attaching it together.

putting the glue

5.Attach them together.Use the rubberbands to let it stick together.If you followed the instructions you should have something like that:

speed grid 1 

6.Now you have you own hot shoe flash speed gird.All it takes is about 20minutes and a couple of bucks for materials!

Here is the first pictures from the speed grid:

speed grid 2

speed grid 4

 

Share your tips and your DIY speed grid photos with us!Please Comment!

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