I’ve dabbled in macro photography for a number of years, most recently I’ve taken to spiders, insects and other tiny creatures as my main focus. It’s a great way to take yourself out of the world for a moment, and visit someplace completely alien. With the advent of really nice digital cameras, it’s also cheap entertainment..};^)
(After the the camera itself has been depreciated over a few thousand photos).
Many insects have the decency to pose for photos in the great (and generally well-lit) outdoors, like the fellow pictured above.
This is not always the case, however. Every so often a photogenic creature wanders into the house, in the shade, at night. Using the built in flash (I’m using a Nikon Coolpix 5700) gives acceptable results, but often, as pictured below, the really small critters get lost in the shadow cast by the camera’s own lens. See the picture below.
I recently received a small, high-output flashlight [G2 Nitrolon] as a gift. It has a halogen bulb, runs on a pair of Lithium batteries, and is very, very bright. I have tried using this as a lighting instrument for macro photography, but it is extremely awkward to hold the flashlight in one hand, the camera in the other and coordinate their movements.
The only successful test was made with an extra set of hands. But it is tough (not to mention socially unacceptable) to pack an extra set of hands in your camera bag …or is it?
This can mean only one thing: Project!
The goal is to build a small rig that screws into the tripod mount on the bottom of the camera. It has a flexible armature that can be bent into position to point a mounted flashlight where needed to light a macro photo.
Gathering the Materials
I had almost everything I needed lying around the house. Your mileage and actual materials may vary, as the content our junk boxes may differ. I suggest reading the project description all the way through, and then substituting parts as fits your situation.
- Tripod with broken leg, check.
- Old pill bottle, check.
- Hose from useless exercise-ball foot-pump, check
- Fairly stiff but bendable wire…hmmm.
The wire was a lucky find. I was at the craft store stocking up for another project, and I stumbled across "armature wire." This is thick wire made of soft aluminum. It’s used to make a skeleton for sculptural projects, but it is the perfect material for the boom arm, stiff, but easily bent into position. As an added bonus, it is actually designed to be frequently bent and rebent, so it should last for a while without breaking. It is approximately 1/8th inch in diameter.
Again: read through the project first. I had to make some mid-course corrections, so don’t follow this step by step.
Let’s get to it!
File Under: How-To, DIY, Make, Hardware, Photography, Macro, Lighting
January 9th, 2008 at 6:33 pm |
Hi Sam,
That’s a good idea. I’ve got an LED ring light project that I’d like to get to one of these days, which I think would also give cool results.
Maybe I’ll go see if anyone still has discount xmas LED strings…};^)
January 9th, 2008 at 2:24 pm |
Very nice idea. I might try to incorporate some of your ideas into my project. Right now I’m trying to wire 2 disposable camera flashes into the on-board camera flash for a twin-light setup on a Canon A570 with a 10+ macro conversion lens. If this works, I’ll have a “cheap” macro camera for $200, start to finish.
June 7th, 2006 at 9:44 pm |
Thanks, Phillip. And thanks too for ‘tits and bits.’ I hadn’t heard that one before…};^)
June 7th, 2006 at 9:34 pm |
Real neat thinking under your creative hat.Hat’s off to you
June 7th, 2006 at 9:28 pm |
Wow!this is some real good DIY stuff, that to with tits and bits.Congrats.Will use the idea.
June 7th, 2006 at 8:29 pm |
Awesome work…I have a summer ahead of me that I’m sure will need some more projects, so this goes on the list! Sure beats the handheld flashlight method I’m currently using.
June 7th, 2006 at 11:53 am |
Bookmarked for a later date.
I always love seeing DIY photography projects. I can’t wait to see if anyone does some mods to this.
Good stuff.