By admin on August 28, 2010
1962 Corvette
One of the truly great things about photography is the ability to capture people’s passions. This amazing 1962 Corvette was perfect to the very last detail, exhibiting the owner’s enthusiasm for this vehicle.
The photos displayed here show some of the advantages of using a soft light source as outdoor fill. Often in these situations there are regions of a picture where you simply need more light.
1939 Chevy
Here is a 1939 Chevy. The mid-afternoon sun leaves the engine compartment in the dark. Photographing the engine while maintaining proper exposure on the exterior requires a little help.
Taken with no flash
This was taken with no flash.Part of the engine is in bright sunlight and the rest is in the shadow. Click on the photos to see more detail.
Taken with direct flash
Adding fill from an on-camera flash balances the exposure nicely. Notice, however, the shadows from the support bar, wires, and radiator hose, etc. Exposure is good, shadows are not.
Taken with Graslon 4100F
This was taken with the same flash with the Graslon 4100F.Notice the shadow from the support bar has all but disappeared, and the other shadows are much more natural looking.
The Graslon diffusers can be used virtually anywhere a flash is needed, with superb results.
Posted in Examples
By admin on August 23, 2010
No flash
Photographing subjects in open shade can be a challenge. The first picture of the tortoise was taken with natural light in mid-afternoon with very bright spots in the background and very dark areas on the subject.
Direct flash
The next picture was taken with direct flash. The dark areas disappear, but the harsh shadows look like- a flash picture. Not the greatest.
Taken with Graslon 4100F flash diffuser
The last picture was taken with a Graslon 4100F diffuser. Notice how natural the subject looks, and the dark areas are nicely lit with soft, even light.
Posted in Examples
By admin on July 31, 2010
Here is a real world example of the difference a great diffuser can make: A very inviting water cooler, just waiting to be photographed, complete with condensation. The camera and flash were rotated to portrait position with flash to the left.
Taken with direct flash
The first picture was taken with direct flash. The shadows and bright spots are less than desirable. Typical of direct flash.
Taken with Graslon 4100F flat diffuser
The second picture was taken with a Graslon 4100F Flat flash diffuser. Notice the smooth and soft shadows, and the more natural looking highlights.
Taken with Graslon 4100D Dome diffuser
The third picture was taken with the Graslon 4100D Dome flash diffuser. Even softer.
This is a great example of the perfect use of the Graslon 4100. Close shot, not much natural bounce (ceilings were high).
Softer light. Better pictures.
Posted in Examples
By admin on July 12, 2010
Taken with Graslon 4100D Dome diffuser
Taken with direct flash only
Photographers understand that when it comes to light sources, bigger is definitely better. A studio may have a diffuser the size of an entire wall. The problem comes when you want to take the soft light with you. You don’t really want that umbrella mounted to your camera.
The Graslon 4100 flash diffusers offer a large, effective, soft light source by transforming your on-camera flash by enlarging the size of the source, not just putting a diffuser in front of your flash. This is accomplished by a series of carefully engineered reflectors and openings that bend the light before diffusing it, and is designed to be most effective when you are lacking close objects that would normally give you good bounce. The Graslon 4100 literally provides its own bounce.
Applications include weddings and events, outdoor and wildlife, product photography, portraits, macro, still life, and sunsets (just kidding). Anywhere you need a big, soft light on the go. Also works great on your slave units, and sits perfectly content on table, shelf, or tripod using the optional 4140 stand.
It’s like having a serious light panel. Only brighter. At much less cost. Even comes in amber for tungsten color balance.
We like it. We think you will too.
Posted in Featured
By admin on July 12, 2010
The Graslon 4100 flash diffusers are generally designed the send most of the light to the subject, not wasting “bounce” light when there is nothing from which to bounce.
Taken with flash only pointed up
Taken with Graslon 4100D pointed up
The exception is the 4100D Dome diffuser, which allows more light to travel in a broader path. It is excellent in situations where there are walls and ceilings, and is superb as a slave. A very willing slave.
These photos were taken in a large ballroom with about 20 foot high ceilings. The flash was pointed straight up in both photos. In the first photo the direct flash sends the light straight up, but with the high ceilings the light comes mostly straight back down. In the second photo the 4100D Dome diffuser sends the light everywhere. Notice the far walls.
Click here for more info about the Graslon Dome Diffuser
Posted in Featured
By admin on July 12, 2010
Sometimes the ambient lighting isn’t the brilliant white of the camera flash. The amber version of the Graslon Flat Flash Diffuser is specifically colored to match the warm hues of tungsten lights often found in large banquet halls and meeting rooms. In rooms with no close bounce opportunities and warmer lighting, the Flat Amber Flash Diffuser is without equal.
Click here to view the product page for more info.
Posted in Featured
By admin on July 12, 2010
Graslon 4140 flash stand with flash and diffuser
The Graslon 4140 Flash Stand is great for using a Graslon diffuser as a slave. It will sit nicely on a shelf or table or can be attached to a tripod with the tripod socket (1/4-20 threaded hole) on the stand. The flash mounts to the hot shoe adapter on the stand. It is large enough to provide stability when using the Graslon 4100D or 4100F diffusers.
Posted in Featured
By admin on June 29, 2010
When I was a teenager in the late sixties I began taking pictures for the school yearbook, newspaper, anyone that would let me. I could see my black and white pictures in a very short time (hours) and learn about exposure, composition, etc., because I always had access to a darkroom. Retouching was by dodging and burning with the enlarger, special effects were with retouching pencils and masks, and it was not inexpensive.
Thing are very different these days. Recently technology has created a dreamworld for anyone who likes to take pictures. You can see what you have taken instantly, image editing is easy and amazingly effective, special effects are endless, and the cost after equipment purchase is- zero!
Graslon was founded to provide innovative camera accessories based on the integration of photography solutions, mechanical design, state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques, and creative approaches to marketing. Our goal is to provide you with products that will help you fulfill your passion for taking great photos.
After extensive design, modifications, real world testing, more modifications, more testing, we are ready. Ready for you to experience another set of great tools in the activity of capturing and recording light. The activity we call photography.
Take lots of pictures. Examine them. Critique them. Then take more. Never before has excellent photography been so achievable by anyone. Especially you.
Our product offerings include diffusers we call the Graslon Prodigy (Model 4100), and the new smaller Graslon Insight (Model 4300). They are so unique and effective that our main challenge is communicating to you just what they do. They actually bend light from a flash, enlarging its size by methodically bouncing it with very precisely designed reflective surfaces, then directing it through effective diffusers giving a large, soft light source you never thought possible on an on-camera flash. We welcome you to experience the incredibly soft light from Graslon.
Dan
Posted in Graslon News
By admin on June 29, 2010
There are many ways to compare flash diffusers. The tests displayed here are intended to show differences in situations where there is little or no bounced light available on the subject. The following paragraph outlines the test procedure in detail so you can easily duplicate the same tests yourself. No secrets. No surprises. Just great results!
The following tests were performed using a Canon 580EX flash in manual mode, with the flash mounted 8 inches left and 9 inches above the 100mm lens. The grid is 1 inch squares cut from red felt and is 8 inches from the wall. The grid is 64 inches from the focal plane (image sensor). Bounce was eliminated by constructing a 24″ x 24″ tunnel from black foam-board.
Flash Only
The top picture is with the flash only. The only slightly soft edges on the shadows are from the size of the flash. The larger the source, the softer the edges will be. The flash by itself is relatively small and tends to produce harsh shadows.
Graslon Model 4100F Flat Diffuser
The second picture is with the same flash using the Graslon 4100F Flat diffuser. The incredibly soft shadows are the result of the larger source produced by the diffuser. Notice the slight breakup of the shadows. This is the result of the pass-through slots in the primary reflector, used to fill what would otherwise be a dead spot in the center. In real life this results in very natural looking pictures, since no natural source is just a soft light, but numerous lights and reflections from many surrounding sources.
Graslon Model 4100D Dome Diffuser
The third picture was taken with the Graslon 4100D Dome diffuser. Notice the shadows are even softer than the 4100F. This is a result of the larger dome diffuser. The 4100D is larger and less convenient, but produces an amazingly soft light source. It also provides bounce light for even softer light.
Gary Fong Lightsphere
The fourth picture was taken using the popular Gary Fong Lightsphere. The Lightsphere was designed for bounce lighting, such as low ceilings and close walls. The Graslon 4100F flash diffuser is specifically designed for use without any surrounding reflective objects, such as large event halls with high ceilings, outdoor venues, and situations where you are very close to the subject. No light is wasted. All of the light goes toward the subject. A major key to successful diffuser use is picking the right diffuser for the right surroundings.
Softbox
The fifth picture is a 5 X 7 softbox. It is approximately the same size as the Graslon 4100. While the the softbox will fold flat and store easily in your gadget bag, notice the difference in the results. The softbox is simply a piece of translucent plastic (a diffuser) in front of the flash, with perhaps a center piece partially blocking the intense light in the center. The issue is that it does not actually enlarge the light before it hits the diffuser, so the light source is effectively not much larger than the flash itself. The Graslon 4100 produces much softer light because its internal reflectors actually spread or enlarge the light. Because of these internal reflectors it is more of a “hard box” and therefore cannot be folded flat. The choice is incredibly soft light or a diffuser that folds flat. Some situations are definitely worth the trade-offs.
Posted in Compare Us | Tagged best flash diffuser, camera accessories, comparison, flash diffuser
By admin on June 28, 2010
I. Mount the Graslon Diffuser onto your external flash unit:
- Loosen elastic cinch strap.
- Loosen the thumb nuts (Four on the 4300, six on the 4100) just loose enough so the 4 brackets slide easily- 2 or 3 turns.
- Insert flash head into brackets until flash head stops at tabs on brackets.
- Tighten elastic cinch strap. Pull strap until it is completely stretched. This will slide all four brackets around flash head, gripping it with the rubber pads on the brackets.
- Visually center the flash head in the diffuser, then tighten all four or six thumb nuts . That’s it!
- The protective cover is provided to keep dust from the reflective surfaces and to keep the brackets, rubber pads, and cinch strap in great condition should the diffuser rattle around in your gadget bag. Place it on the back of the diffuser when the diffuser is not in use.
Note: Once you have adjusted the brackets for your flash, they do not need to be adjusted again. Simply loosen the cinch strap and remove flash, and insert flash and tighten strap for next use. With some flashes all that is necessary is to pull flash head from diffuser, and re-insert for next use. It makes a snug, grippy fit on the flash head.
II. Choose the correct setting for your situation:
- Inside: Exposure with any diffuser is a little different than without. Get familiar with you camera/flash/diffuser combination by spending time learning what works best with your setup. Some cameras do not work well in TTL mode with a diffuser. Set your camera on manual, shutter priority, or program mode. Set the shutter to 1/60 to 1/250, or recommended speed for using a flash on your camera. Exposure is controlled by flash power, aperture and ISO settings. Depth of focus and ambient exposure is controlled by aperture. As with any diffuser, make appropriate compensation. We recommend increasing exposure by 1 2/3 stops as a starting point. A very simple approach is to use program mode, flash in TTL, exposure on flash to = 1 2/3. The most effective flash pictures taken with light modifiers are generally taken in manual mode.
- Outside: Superb for fill flash outdoors, the Graslon diffusers can add just that small amount of fill needed to brighten those faces, without adding the specular highlights and harsh shadows from a direct flash. Use the same settings you normally would for outdoor fill, and add a little exposure compensation to the flash.
- Shooting in RAW and slightly under-exposing (1 to 1 1/3 stops) eliminates some of the clipping common in flash pictures. If there is clipping, the detail is lost. When you “process” or edit your RAW photos you will find the darker areas normally lost in a jpeg compression actually contain a surprising amount of detail. Use daylight color balance. If you like to edit your photos afterwords, give this a try!
Take pictures every day!
Posted in Instructions & How-To | Tagged camera accessories, flash diffuser, how-to, tutorials
