softening light - Orchid Board

Kevinator · #1 09-13-2015, 11:35 PM

Hey guys! Does anyone know any cheap and effective way to soften a light source? I can't find a good way to go about doing it without buying more equipment.

Nana Trish · #2 09-14-2015, 12:55 AM

Sheer curtain panels will soften the light/sunlight coming from windows.

desertanimal · #3 09-14-2015, 01:38 AM

Wax paper? Tracing paper? I think it really depends on the specific light source you're trying to soften.

RosieC · #4 09-14-2015, 08:16 AM

Some sort of white cloth?

Our flash fires off-camera inside what's called a 'Softbox'. We have bought one, but basically the front is just soft white cloth that softens the light from the flash, with black sides which stop it leaking out other routes.

The other thing you can do is try and bounce it off the ceiling. Before we had the Softbox we used to point it up, the ceiling is white and not particularly high, the bounced light softened it a lot, but if the ceilings are too high you will loose most of the light.

Ray · #5 09-14-2015, 09:09 AM

I went to the local craft store and bought a wooden canvas stretcher frame for about $5 for a 36" frame. Then, a cheap white sheet from K-Mart was doubled and stapled to the frame, the excess trimmed off.

Put that between the flash and the subject - you can play with the various distances to experiment.

snowflake311 · #6 09-14-2015, 12:45 PM

If you want to get into flash photography get an off camera flash. Bouncing light off a wall gives a nice effect.

What kind of flash and camera do you have?

Kevinator · #7 09-15-2015, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snowflake311

What kind of flash and camera do you have?

I am currently using a Nikon D3300 with the normal lens that come with it and I only have an on-camera flash. I'll have to consider getting an off camera one someday.

snowflake311 · #8 09-15-2015, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevinator

I am currently using a Nikon D3300 with the normal lens that come with it and I only have an on-camera flash. I'll have to consider getting an off camera one someday.

I was like you. I tried putting a paper in front of my on camera flash I tried things but nothing gave me the light I wanted. On my Pentax k30 I could adjust the Flash intensity and that helped a lot.

If you want to get into Flash photography an off body flash is the only way to go. Make sure you get one there the head of the flash can move. I have 2 flashes so I can get really fancy and use one as a slave. Thats fun.

I know it seems like a lot of money for a flash but it makes all the difference in the world. I lived many years with out using A flash I would just use Sunlight and room lighting. I don't know what took me so long I LOVE MY FLASH! I have a Metz 52 AF-1 it's a great flash and the price is right.

This is one of the many Flower photos I took with my Flash.

Tolumnia Genting Pink Lady1 by Sarah Ireland, on Flickr

Tindomul · #9 10-27-2016, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snowflake311

I was like you. I tried putting a paper in front of my on camera flash I tried things but nothing gave me the light I wanted. On my Pentax k30 I could adjust the Flash intensity and that helped a lot.

If you want to get into Flash photography an off body flash is the only way to go. Make sure you get one there the head of the flash can move. I have 2 flashes so I can get really fancy and use one as a slave. Thats fun.

I know it seems like a lot of money for a flash but it makes all the difference in the world. I lived many years with out using A flash I would just use Sunlight and room lighting. I don't know what took me so long I LOVE MY FLASH! I have a Metz 52 AF-1 it's a great flash and the price is right.

This is one of the many Flower photos I took with my Flash.

Tolumnia Genting Pink Lady1 by Sarah Ireland, on Flickr

Amazing photo. I never considered using flash for my pictures. I never liked the way they come out so I have learned to take flashless pictures for the last 5 years. But now you all have me thinking.

tropterrarium · #10 10-27-2016, 01:21 AM

Re the "flash look", if not intentional, then it is poor technique. It takes some time to learn how to direct, diffuse, and reflect flash to get the desired look. The one major advantage of flash is the short duration, and therefore the sharpness of the resulting image.

For larger plants, it takes some rather serious equipment to get soft light. I recently invested into a Paul Buff Einstein 640 with a softbox, and it makes a world of difference.

Have a read of Hunter & Fuqua Light: Science and Magic. Very helpful.