A bounce card causes you to face your flash unit up - pointing it to the ceiling, but you also put a little 3×5 index card behind the light to send some of the “caught” light forward. The Stofen Omnibounce, Flip-it and the Lightsphere do this same thing too each in their own way, but then so did the old bounce card.

Why doesn’t someone make something simple like a bounce card, but make it so the photographers can make it themselves and make it better than the simple old bounce card ever was?

There is something like this - it’s called “A Better Bounce Card”. And it is something every photographer can make themselves - without buying expensive devices - and make as many as they need!

Plus it’s DIRECTIONAL, Cheap, bump someone and it won’t fall off or worst yet bust off your hot shoe mount! And it’s light, actually, light as a piece of paper!!

I have had some trouble finding the foam paper, I’ve been in a lot of shops but they don’t even seem to know what I’m talking about.

I do know some people have managed to find it though, so it can’t be that hard.

If anyone knows where you can get it (preferably in PJ) it’d be appreciated.

I’ve heard someone say they got some in 1-U, but I don’t know where!

I do have a Gary Fong Lightsphere II (the clear one), but this is extremely portable and lightweight, so I’d like to keep it stuffed in my camera bag just in case.

Many people have often approached me and asked me how I do my product and close-up studio shots. In actuality, I use a very simple DIY solution…

You can put one or two layers of tracing paper on the cartons and also line the insides of it with foil. For light source, you can use strong daylight (4200K) lamps or flashguns (if you have the budget). I use 2 flashguns commanded wirelessly via an infrared commander which I can control the lighting ratio. For backdrops, you can buy fancy artboards from the artshops or use satin from Kamdar. The white board on top is to ensure there are no light leaks through and from above.

Some results with this setup (with some variations)…

When starting out with photography, it’s easy to think that your camera’s flash is only needed indoors or in the dark. But on the contrary, a flash can be very useful in bright shooting conditions.

Also known as using a “fill-in” flash, the idea is that available light (whether natural or artificial) may not always light up your subjects properly. Either that, or the contrast between your subjects and their backgrounds may be too strong. To remedy this, simply use your camera’s built-in flash (or add-on flash unit) to balance out the lighting.

Here are a couple of pictures to better illustrate this:

In the first picture, you’ll see that the lantern looks fine but the street in the background is blown out. This is because the lantern is in the shade and needs more light to be properly exposed.

To solve this problem, a fill-in flash is used to illuminate the lantern (second picture). This reduces the difference in brightness between the foreground and background, allowing you to capture details in both.

Why this works:
In the 2nd shot, the camera’s shutter and aperture are adjusted for the background (which is brighter) while the flash lights up the lantern (which is darker). This works because flashguns have a limited range and weaken with increased distance. This is why the background isn’t blown out by the flash. In contrast, the lantern was lit properly is because I was standing close enough to it.

The proper exposure is handled automatically by most modern cameras, so don’t worry - just enable your flash and it’ll sort itself out.
Why this is necessary:
Like film, the sensors in digital cameras have limited dynamic range. That is, they cannot capture as much contrast as the human eye. Techniques such as this reduce the difference in brightness so that the picture appears more like how the human eye would see it in real life.

Additional information:
There are some issues abut using a flash - some of which are probably more suited to an advanced article about flashes and lighting (i.e. Sync speeds, ISO settings, the effects of varying aperture). When I find time, I’ll write about these.

Do take note that using a flash excessively will drain your camera’s batteries faster (especially if you’re using a compact digicam).
Conclusion:
If you find your subjects too dark or your backgrounds too bright, try using a flash - it helps!

Very cool DIY projects for you!

The ring flash is normally the domain of studio and macro photographers. Quite expensive if you can’t justify the cost with business from clients. Anyway, have a look at this affordable solution! Just make sure you have an existing flash gun and lens hood…

CHECK IT OUT!

On another note, a couple of DIY projects for bouncers (similar to the Lumiquest Pocket Bouncer). Quite usable!

Project 1
Project 2

Good luck!