7 Easy and Cheap DIY Lighting Setups
Photography is interesting if you have all the tools you need and some skills. But most beginners have the skills but lack tools to execute different processes, which makes it necessary to pursue alternatives that can help them produce good photos. One of the ways you could do with cheap tools and items around you is understanding some DIY processes you could embrace. Here are several that you should consider as issued by experts.
- Multi-Super-SB-Ring Light
This is a simple idea as you only need 6 Nikon SBs which you will mount on a coffee can using duct tape. The target is to produce fire power that will help to address the ringing problem you will encounter most of the time.
- DIY Ring flash
For this you need a used milk jug/bottle and scissors. Cut the bottle well so it fits around the lens of the camera and this will help to create a ring flash that will work closely as well as the one you would have bought at the stores.
- Inexpensive light tent
Another problem you want to solve is the use of a light tent, which is meant to help to replicate product images used in catalogs. The products appear as if they are floating on a white background, and this is the effect created by a light tent. What you need in your case is fabric, glue board, tape and light source. With the items, you need to arrange the setup such that the light focuses on the subject to be placed at the center of the setup and ensure the fabric used is not too light or heavy.
- Party bouncer card
You could also make a party bouncer card if your camera does not allow off flash. For this setup you need a white business card and scissors. You will make two cuts on one end of the card then install it onto the hinges of the flash at an angle of 45 degrees and you are done. It will help by diffusing light and reflecting most of it to the roof to give you a clear photo.
- Turkey pan beauty dish
If you don’t have a beauty dish, you can utilize a turkey pan for this purpose. You need to position it at the middle of the flash so it reflects light across a circular area, allowing you to easily achieve soft focus.
- Homemade Softbox
Hot flash could be a spoiler that you want to avoid, and one of the ways to do so is having a softbox, which could be expensive hence the need for a DIY solution. There are many softbox schemes you can download to use. You will need sheets of paper to use while preparing the box as per instructions issued, and once done attach the setup to your camera.
- DIY Flash Bouncer
You will need a pair of scissors, one sheet craft foam, and a wide rubber band. Cut the bouncer shape and sew the attachment band and wrap the band around your light source. This should take just five minutes and you are ready.
