DIY Grid/Snoot

About two weeks ago I came across a couple different DIY blog posts on the internet, each one describing how to do a DIY grid, this time using a substance called coroplast (corrugated plastic). Each blog has various methods on how to make it, but one stood out to me. In particular the way the grid was attached to the flash.

http://blog.phatbabyphotography.com/2009/01/diy-snoot-uh-whats-snoot.html

I really liked how "good" it looked, and I immediately thought, all it needs is a coat of black paint and no one will know that I only spent $8 on it!

The first step in this process was trying to find this so called coroplast. I spent hours googling various art stores and searching websites but to no avail could I find this material. Several of the blogs mentioned that if you can not find coroplast then you can easily use a "for sale" sign, turns out that for sale signs that you can buy at any retail store such as Walmart or Home Depot are made out of this material. Not only that, but so are most politician signs, and with the election coming up there will be plenty of free coroplast for everyone! Okay, not really, thats probably called stealing, even if the sign was just sitting there...

The next step was finding this PVC Pipe fitting, I searched all around our local Lowes Hardware, and more than likely missed the one isle it would have been on. At Home Depot I found it right away, this fitting is not with the other PVC pipes, it is in the section with the gutters. They sell for less than $3 each and are almost a perfect fit for the Canon 580ex (and probably other model) speedlights.



Following the directions from the blog post I cut a little whole on each side of the PVC, and then tested the fit on my flash several times.



I made a grid, carefully measuring and cutting the pieces of plastic. You really want to cut in the straightest line possible, it will make the grid look better in the end. I glued the strips together using some kind of super glue.



Once I finished my grid I test fitted it several times inside the PVC.



What I did now was different than any of the blogs I have seen on the subject, I decided to paint it black, and for two reasons. The first reason, white in theory will act as a reflector where as black should help the light become more direct. Second, the black look will blend in with the flash, making most if not all clients unaware that I am cheap!



So, $8 and several hours later I created a light modifier that could cost as much as $150. Unlike the grids available for speedlights, I dont have to attach any unsightly Velcro to my flash either!

So youre saying, $8, whats the catch? Does it work? Yes!

Here are the samples to prove it, please excuse my dirty drive way and my even dirtier sensor, its time to clean both again!

This first shot is with the flash with out any kind of light modifier on it.



This is with just the PVC snoot on it, the light has become slightly more directional, but not enough to make any significant changes.



This is with the grid installed! Awesome.




I hope to make some updates in the future with some real work examples with the grid. Right now this is all I have

DIY

About a year and a half ago I attempted to do my first DIY piece of equipment for use with my photography. Ever since then I have always been interested in finding ways to cheaply make some thing that works great and at least looks good instead of buying some of the many overpriced items out there sold to photographers.

One area that I have deeply dove into is DIY light modifiers for hot shoe flashes. Snoots, grids, (hopefully) softboxes and many other items that can be found. I read various websites with tutorials featuring such items and I get countless ideas to create my own equipment!

I plan to share my journey on here as well as show some of the own processes I go through to create these items. The biggest thing is that I will be trying to make the items look "good", look like something that should belong on your camera and something that a client wont notice is really a $2 PVC pipe or part of a cereal box. Thats one area that many of the tutorials fail to show or complete. Many of the other tutorials are meant to be something to do during downtime, just for fun, ignoring the fact that there are many photographers such as my self that are unable, or unwilling to spend $125 on an item when I can make it for $10.

In a day or two I will make my first post in this series.

Weather Proofing

Three years ago my first photography instructor and friend David Hessell (www.hessell.net) shared a great tip with our class regarding keeping equipment dry during rain, snow, or other wet forms of weather. He suggested using bandanas, among other items such as shower caps to help keep cameras try and protected. Not a huge fan of shower caps though oddly enough I cleaned out of one my camera bags the other day only to find 2 or 3 of them in it!

I have a dozen different bandanas that I carry around with me to use when I think about it. Nothing beats a 99cent weather proofing job.



Truth by told that a lot of times I just let the camera get wet, let it get soaked. I dont know how many times I have used both of my cameras, the 30D and Rebel XT in rain, snow, dense fog and not taken the time to try to keep them dry. One good example is a prom shoot that Brandi and I did in April or was it May? It started pouring, the couple had an umbrella ready and Brandi and I shot as they walked down the trail in the rain. Every thing was soaked, cameras, clothes, shoes, looked as if we had just gone swimming, yet everything worked!




Camera companies want you spend extra on their biggest and best cameras and lenses for weather proofing when most if not everything is built pretty solid and can with stand some exposure to the elements. I wouldnt hold the camera under the water faucet or anything like that, but a little rain never hurt any one.