Photographer Joseph Linaschke shared his tip of using a simple plastic cup to improve your macro shots over at Lynda.com.
It really is so simple you can make it in two minutes, and the results are amazing. You’ll be surprised by how much this trick changes the outcome of the pictures.
Hand-held macro photography presents a lot of challenges, but three of the most prevalent are: subject movement, camera shake, and harsh shadows. Fortunately, you don’t have to carry around a bunch of gear to solve these issues. In fact, a cheap plastic cup will do the trick all by itself!
First, the setup. You’ll need some plastic cups, scissors, your camera, and (optional) some gaffer’s tape.
Once you have all that, just cut a hold in the bottom of the cup that is big enough to just barely fit over your lens. If you do a good job, says Linaschke, it’ll snap right now!
BEFORE AND AFTER
Read the full article with how-to-do pictures over at PetaPixel.
Article Source +Image Source: PetaPixel
I use a thin peice of polystyrene to diffuse the flash,personally I find it gives the best results with macro
Rick, check this out!!!
diffusion at it’s finest for sure 🙂
I’ll give this a try.
Can’t wait to try this!
Modern Lens Magazine isn’t worth the click bait. I’m gone.
Couldn’t see it for pop ups
Great information, but why do you feel compelled to put it in the form of a click trap? This puts Modern Lens Magazine in the same category with other shoddy marketing practices. It gives your brand a black eye.
don’t waste your time, all ads
What is it people are liking? The fact that you are collecting clicks by pimping some other site’s articles? That makes you a parasite, not a content source.
Nikki Myatt Chisolm
Nikki Myatt Chisolm
a tissue or paper towel will also diffuse your flash nicely 😉
Some other common objects that can be used are an empty rubbing alcohol bottle and a ½ gallon milk jug, same material. A white plastic shopping bag stretched in front of your Speedlight will give a more diffused light as well.
I suppose this would be a good idea on a Nikon 105mm macro lens…
Would be nice if I were able to open the page to find out what your talking about.
Sorry – won’t put sticky stuff on my expensive lens
Saw this years ago, but had forgotten it. The trick is to use a ‘milky’ glass. Clear will not help.
And be aware that this idea depends upon the distance from the subject. If you are too far away from the subject, it’s wont help, and could even hurt, by lowering the contrast of the image.
You can do something similar by simply putting a diffuser of some sort between the light (sun/sky) and the subject with any lens.
so simple.
Wishing each and everyone Prosperity, Longevity, Good Health and a Happy New Year. 2016
Clever! Better than holding up a diffuser.
what works even better is a Pillsbury ready made frosting cup. use the lens hood to mark it and if you are very careful when cutting it will actually lock right on the grooves for the lens hood. It too three cups before I got it to work on the hood grooves.
like this
Check your spelling. I think it’s a good though.
My bad… Tip* though.