I have tried several different methods to reduce the glare from the flash with no luck, has anyone tried to shield the flash with maybe a wax type paper to cut down on the flash?



Thanks Fernando

Hey Fernando,
I don't know if you get milk in plastic bottles like we get here in Australia, an opaque plastic if you do just trim a bit to cover the flash lens, find away to secure it in place. Should reduce your glare factor quite considerably without removing any of the light needed for exposure.

Hi,
You can go to a local camera store and buy a flash diffuser that covers the flash on your camera, if the flash is built in this may not be possible. If you have an optional flash that mounts on the top of the camera called the HOT SHOE, this is possible and may be of some help. I have had some success by not lighting up the subject (which I assume is the rod you built) too much and not holding the camera too close, a tripod also helps. Hope this is of some help

Frank--Voodoo custom rods

As a former pro (20 yrs), I would recommend either the diffusion suggestions or learn how to use "bounce" flash, that is, directing your flash unit at something other than your subject, using the light that bounces off that object to light your subject. This can be as simple as pointing your flash head at the ceiling (assuming that it is painted white/off white, not a bold color) and using the light that bounces back down. Do some reading; there is a very short learning curve with both diffusion and bounce, but the results are far more superior. Do a few practice exposures, recording your settings both camera (f-stop, etc.) and flash (distance the light travels from flash to ceiling to rod for bounce or distance from flash to diffuser to subject for diffusion). Bracket all your exposures & you'll be able to eye-ball it after a little while. Remember, keep shooting, in the grand scheme of all things photographic, film is cheap, but reshooting is not.

Good luck,

Tim

Or, don't use a flash. Light the subject with other light, use the right speed film, and adjust aperature/shutter speed so that a flash just isn't required.

..............

I agree with Tom, I find that any type of flash, even bounced tends to give me undesirable results. I like to light my rods with 3 lights minimum, and shoot using a tripod. I just use simple desk lamps with incandescent bulbs, but be aware that this requires adjustment of the white balance (or excellent 'auto' white balance) or photos will look too orange.

Mark Janeck
Custom Rods, Campbellville, Ontario

I've had my best luck as Tom and Mark; no flash. I place simple lamps very low to the level of the rod and adjust them and take a few pics until I get what I'm looking for.

Putter

Digicam, or a "real" camera?

I've had my best luck taking 20 pictures and picking the best 3 or 4. Flash on, flash off, pointing the falsh above teh rod, lights off, white background, green background, no background. Just keep snapping pics, chances are you'll at least get a few good ones. I'm using a Digicam

Correctamundo to all you digital users. "Hot lights" (constant light sources like a lamp) work better with digital than flashes and are MUCH easier to control. Exposure is also easier with digital due to the instant gratification playback gives. To do film right can get complicated an definately more $, so by all means, digital is the way to go. Fernando didn't specify film or digital, so I thought film tips would be best because they translate to both formats better than the other way around. Just make sure you make some notes (I also suggest making a diagram) on what you do so you can easily reproduce the same results easily, rather than "reinventing the wheel" every time you photograph a new rod.

Tim

I use strobes for commercial work all the time.
The secret is to get the flash off the camera with an extension cable.
The reason you have specular highlights (hot spots) is that the angle from the flash to the subject is also nearly the same angle as the subject to lens. This bounces the flash right into the lens. Set the lights a bit above and to the sides of the lens and pointed at the subject.
All cured! You can test this out by setting hot lights (even regular light bulbs) with reflectors in these positions and look through the cameras viewfinder. When you get the position right, there will be little to no glare.

Yes Myles we do have milk in the plastic jugs here, will give that a try. Flash is fixed on a digital camera, but i'm think the camera shutter speed can be adjusted like a regular slr camera. Will try all different things and see what happends. I was trying to take pics of guides and butt wrap I did with thread and did the camo pattern with sharpie markers. Previous pics were w/o cp and epoxy. I have added the cp and the epoxy and they still look very nice. Photos listed under user name set the hook in the photo page.

It's a great feeling knowing no one else has a rod like yours and they are just amazed at the work. You cannot get that satisfaction from a rod off the shelf.


Fernando