Purple Prose + photography tips

One of best things about the add-on flash is that you can easily modify the light for different effects:

• Most add-on flashes allow you to chance the angle at which the light hits your subject. Aim the flash toward a wall or ceiling, and it’ll give you a softer, diffuse light. But beware of the color of the wall that you bounce the flash off. Your subject may take on a strange hue because of it. Also, watch out how far away the wall or ceiling is, the distance rule from tip #15 applies here. The further away the wall or ceiling is, the lesser the intensity of light that is reflected back on your subject. And finally, try bouncing the flash off a reflector placed near your friend or subject.
  


• Change the color of your light by putting a piece of colored tissue paper in front of it or, for a stronger effect, try using a piece of transparent colored plastic. The professionals do the same thing with colored gels. You can see the effect in the above photos. Adding several layers of plastic in front of the flash deepened the intensity of color. The first picture was taken with the flash alone. The second used a single layer of pink plastic. The third one used a double layer.
• The use of a special photography umbrella also gives a soft effect. Some umbrellas are white, which reflects less light than the silver or gold lined ones. The use of an umbrella lined with black reduces the amount of light that reaches the subject. You won’t be able to use a large umbrella with your add-on flash—the flash is too small for this and doesn’t have enough power. These umbrellas are designed for professional lights. But you can still use a small portrait umbrella. You’ll also need a light stand, a y-connector that attaches the umbrella to the flash and the stand, and a way of connecting the flash to the camera (check your flash manual for requirements).
• You can also—for a lot cheaper—purchase a diffuser device that you attached over your flash. It provides the soft look of the bounced flash, but works great if you’re outside or you don’t have a wall or ceiling handy. Like the umbrella, you’ll have to go to your local professional photography store for this product.
• Another way of modifying the light is with black construction paper. In tip # 1, I wanted to limit the amount of light that hit the jar from the top. I formed a tube from the black paper and attached it to the flash, then aimed the unit so that the light would freeze the water drops. The jar is actually lit up from below the Plexiglas with a desk lamp. The professionals call this light-modifying device a snoot—but don’t ask me why.