Using a Pringles Can as a Macro Flash Diffuser

Using a flash can quickly become necessary for taking macro photos. Since you’ll be working with a narrow aperture and relatively fast shutter speed, finding a bright exposure can be tricky. Using a flash is the ultimate solution—but their harsh nature can easily spoil the image. This is why using diffused light becomes so important. It illuminates the subject uniformly and softens the shadows. In this video, photographer Micael Widell shows you how to make your own cheap, effective, DIY flash diffusor using a tube of Pringles chips:

The basic idea is to cut the Pringles tube to an appropriate length based on the length of the lens that you’re using. You want one end of the tube attached to the flash, and the other end to be as close to the subject as possible. Just make sure that the tube does not get in the way of the lens. A great thing about the Pringles tube is that it has a reflective inner surface, so you won’t lose much light in the process.

To make the light reaching the subject softer, you will need to add something like a white paper or a white piece of cloth to the end of the tube facing the subject. This is what will get rid of the harshness of the flash. As you’ll see in the video, Widell also makes some adjustments to get the angle right.

Toward the end of the video, Widell also shows some results using his DIY flash diffusor. As you can tell, they do get the job done quite well.

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