I think Fish said it best, “Why use just a few words when a lot will do.�
I’ve wanted a beauty dish for a while now and thought of making one, but I couldn’t find the right shape and material to make one. I tried a trash can lid, a do it yourself oil changing pan and finally remembered about Don’s “salad bowl� beauty dish. With six dollars worth of Home Depot items (a white can of spray paint and three nuts and bolts.), and a donated (16�salad bowl� attached to one of my Photogenic reflectors I had a new light source.
I had a light blocking unit in front of the strobe to reflect all the light into the bowl but the light was still too harsh, although not as harsh as a direct blast of light. I took off the light blocking unit and added an umbrella to shoot through. That did it. The quality of light coming through the umbrella is a lot softer after being reflected by the white “salad bowl� rather than a standard silver Photogenic reflector.
My brother is due over with his tap and die set so I can add a set screw to the other side so I can tighten the umbrella down when I use it in conjunction with the light blocking unit.
I was very pleased at the quality of light when I used it as the main light in conjunction with a bounced fill light and background lights. I was also pleased with the diffused shadows it produced when I used it as a single light source. Overall I think I was able produce some pretty good dtuff in spite other equipment malfunctions plaguing me last Saturday. Tell me what you think in the thread called “The pleaser after the teaser.’ thread.
Rick D.