# DIY $1 Speedlight Modifier



## Stradawhovious (Apr 12, 2011)

*DISCLAIMER* The following is probably geared towards beginners only..... The seasoned pros around here will probably herniate themselves laughing at this.

Or maybe not.....

When I take pictures of indoor events, I have noticed a couple of things... #1, the flash (for me) works much better bounced in most cases than it does directly pointed at the eyes of my victims... er..... subjects. I also noticed that with a bare flash, and no bounce card (thanks Nikon....) it leaves unsightly shadows on people.

I looked for diferent modifiers, and there are THOUSANDS of different kinds, all different sizes, shapes, colors, flavors...... but they almost all share one thing in common. They are hilariously overpriced.

The other day, I was cleaning out a scraped knee of one of the children, and took a close look at the bottle of rubbing alcohol I was using. (Yeah, I could use peroxide, but alcohol stings more, and I'm an evil bastard.) I noticed two things... the shape of the bottle, and the shape of the base.

Then I grabbed my speedlight and had a eureka moment............

(I know I'm probably not the first one to do this, but I'm proud of myself. Please let me bask in that.... It doesn't happen often.)

Here are the steps to make your $1 modifier....

Step 1. Buy a bottle of rubbing alcohol at the dollar store. (or steal it rom your wife. That's what I did.)





Step 2. Dump cheap alcohol....... . (this would be a good time to remove the label too...)





Step 3. Draw a line around the bottle about three inches from the bottom, and cut the bottle into two sections. You can go ahead and throw out the top section.





Step 4. determine how you are going to mount your modifier.

Two ways of doing this. The first is to attempt to make it look like a store bought unit.... or as close to one as possible. This would entail trimming away plastic to make two mounting tabs on the short sides of the "modifier" (as shown in the picture). Put velcro on both the speedlight and the tabs. This will not only make you look like a pro, it will also make a very satisfying sound when removing the modifier.





The second is for those that either don't have velcro strips, or don't care that people will be talking trash behind your back while you are takind photos..... Don't bother trimming any more of the sides of the bottle. Take a thich rubber band, and wrap it around the very top of the speedlight two or three times. This will make a nice rubber bumber that will pressure fit the "modifier" and keep it in place when in use..... Like so.






Here are samples of with and without the modifier. Remember, I really only use this when bouncing the flash off the ceiling indoors. It's use for other applications is not yet tested.....

It works pretty well for me, and I'm more than likely going to find a permanent place for it in my bag. YMMV, but hey.... it's only a dollar. Might as well try it, right?

Without....




With. (I suppose I could have picked a less shiny subject, but you get the idea.


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## kundalini (Apr 12, 2011)

The isopropol bottle DIY has been around for a while, probably as a revolt to the overpriced Fong Dong.  Good on ya for the DIY and decent results.


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## Stradawhovious (Apr 12, 2011)

kundalini said:


> The isopropol bottle DIY has been around for a while, probably as a revolt to the overpriced Fong Dong. Good on ya for the DIY and decent results.


 

My pride deflated with the very first reply. :lmao:

I figured it was WAAAAYYYYYY too cool for me to be the first.


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## Derrel (Apr 12, 2011)

Your are hereby awarded the DIY Necromancer Award for reviving the oldest known flash diffuser DIY trick!@!!@


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## thebutler4 (Apr 12, 2011)

First time I have seen it! .. Nice work!!!


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## Stradawhovious (Apr 12, 2011)

Derrel said:


> Your are hereby awarded the DIY Necromancer Award for reviving the oldest known flash diffuser DIY trick!@!!@



**** YEAH!!!!!  I *NEVER *win anything!  This just made my day!!!!


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## kundalini (Apr 12, 2011)

Sorry Dan.  

Bro  :hug::


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## Derrel (Apr 12, 2011)

"*2011 Recipient of the TPF DIY Necromancer Award*"

I LOVE IT!!!!!!


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## RockstarPhotography (Apr 12, 2011)

this is off the topic, but you shouldn't clean out scrapes or cuts with alcohol or peroxide.  It kills the cells and makes healing take longer.  Just use antibacterial soap.  Of course, all my cuts and scrapes were cleaned with peroxide, and I lived.  Just something my doctor told me.


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## lyonsroar (Apr 12, 2011)

RockstarPhotography said:


> this is off the topic, but you shouldn't clean out scrapes or cuts with alcohol or peroxide.  It kills the cells and makes healing take longer.  Just use antibacterial soap.  Of course, all my cuts and scrapes were cleaned with peroxide, and I lived.  Just something my doctor told me.


 
Hell yes.  Peroxide!!  I remember my grandparents pouring that on my cuts and scrapes.  Fizzy.

OP:
I use a milk bottle for mine.  



172096_1534786896576_1441940703_31160487_6035375_o by Lyonsroar91, on Flickr


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## Dao (Apr 13, 2011)

Bubble wrap also works if you need to bounce the light off the ceiling and direct some light to the front of the subject.


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## AtuspidsGoddess (Apr 13, 2011)

I'm gonna have to try it thanks!


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## Village Idiot (Apr 13, 2011)

Until a friend of mine sold off all his OCF stuff and I picked up a good bit of Honl stuff for cheap, I was using velcro cable ties on the flash heads so I could stick my gels to my speedlights.


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## o hey tyler (Apr 13, 2011)

Here's what I DIY'd


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## Stradawhovious (Apr 13, 2011)

o hey tyler said:


> Here's what I DIY'd


 

What, your camera didn't come with one installed? And I though Nikon was bad for not having a bounce card on the SB-600.... Jeesh!  Punbelievable!


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## o hey tyler (Apr 13, 2011)

Stradawhovious said:


> o hey tyler said:
> 
> 
> > Here's what I DIY'd
> ...


 
Nah, didn't come with an L.L. Bean "Wicked Good Moccasin". I chose not to get the outdoor model. In hindsight, I should have.


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## Sonoma (Apr 13, 2011)

RockstarPhotography said:


> this is off the topic, but you shouldn't clean out scrapes or cuts with alcohol or peroxide.  It kills the cells and makes healing take longer.  Just use antibacterial soap.  Of course, all my cuts and scrapes were cleaned with peroxide, and I lived.  Just something my doctor told me.


 


lyonsroar said:


> RockstarPhotography said:
> 
> 
> > this is off the topic, but you shouldn't clean out scrapes or cuts with alcohol or peroxide.  It kills the cells and makes healing take longer.  Just use antibacterial soap.  Of course, all my cuts and scrapes were cleaned with peroxide, and I lived.  Just something my doctor told me.
> ...



Have you ever poured Isopropyl alcohol into a cut or scrape?  HELL NO!!!!


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## Village Idiot (Apr 13, 2011)

o hey tyler said:


> Here's what I DIY'd



It's a hot shoe, for your flash.


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## lyonsroar (Apr 13, 2011)

Village Idiot said:


> o hey tyler said:
> 
> 
> > Here's what I DIY'd
> ...


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