Demb Flash Diffuser: Instructions
The Clear Front Diffuser Used Alone
Construction:The clear front diffuser is made up of two curved soft plastic panels. They are fixed together in the proper position to each other. A strip of Velcro on the diffuser lets you stick the diffuser around the Flip-it’s strap.
Changing the angle: The diffuser may be used together with the Flip-it!, or alone, with the Flip-it! folded back, (off). By changing the angle of the diffuser on the Flip-it strap, you control the power and softness of the light. To change the angle, rip one end of the Velcro off the strap, change the angle, then stick it back down on the strap. With a little practice, you will learn to do this in a couple of seconds.
Changing the power and softness: With the clear diffuser tipped all the way forward, the power is the least and the light is the softest. This position is ideal for candids and portraits in a room with a normal white ceiling. The diffuser is open on the top and does not prevent the light of the flash from bouncing off the ceiling. Simultaneous with the ceiling bounce, a minimal amount of fill light is provided to fill the shadows. Very ‘studio-like’ effects may be achieved with this technique. In this example, the flash was bounced off the ceiling to my right, to create a directional main light from the right side.
If you are in a situation where there is no normal white ceiling, the forward position may not provide sufficient power for your photo. In this photo, the diffuser was forward in a room with a wood cathedral ceiling. The flash is struggling to provide enough power, the photo is under-exposed, and the bounce of the wood ceiling is causing a reddish color cast. (ISO 400 F6.3)
By tipping the angle of the diffuser back over the flash, I send all the light through the diffuser, correcting the color cast. The increased power gives me a correctly exposed photo. (ISO 400 F 6.3)
Using the diffuser as an optional soft reflector: In this example, I used the diffuser in the portrait position. The angle of the flash is tipped to my right side, creating directional main lighting from the right side of the photo.
To quickly create directional lighting from the left side, I turned the flash head 180 degrees, and used the diffuser as a soft reflector. This saved me from removing the diffuser and Flip-it! and having to attach them to the opposite side of the flash.
Use with a bracket: In the previous examples, the flash was used without a bracket. By positioning the Flip-it! and diffuser on the short dimension of the flash head, I was able to achieve directional lighting by tipping my flash out to either side. With a bracket, the bracket does my tilting for me. Both the attachment section of the Flip-it! and the diffuser are flexible and may be attached to the long dimension just as easily as the short dimension.