DIY flash grid lets you put subject in spotlight

     We've talked earlier about softboxes, which allow you to make your light bigger and softer, which can be a flattering look.

    But there are times when you want the light to be tighter. For example, if you want to just do a rim light, you don't want to completely light up the subject.

    This is where grids come in. The grid creates a narrow spot of light with feathered edges so the light falls off. It does this by forcing the light through a grid, channeling it in one direction and reducing spread.

    Photographers use grids on all kinds of flashes, with some covering large softboxes, while others fit over basic speed lights. However, the smallest of those are $7 at some retailers.

    If you are looking to make your own, or make a custom set, you can do it for a few cents a piece.

    There's a couple videos out on Youtube showing how to make them, but the one I like is done by Spyros Heniadis. Instead of using straws to form the grid as some suggest, he recommends using corrugated plastic, also known as coroplast. What I like about it is you just assemble strips of material to a size that would cover your flash head. No need to glue individual straws together, assuming you can find black straws where you live.

    You can pick up coroplast at craft stores or sign shops, or just grab some campaign signs after the election, but you want to make sure the material is black. Other colors will cause a color cast, and white will spread the light out, defeating the entire reason you're doing this in the first place.

 

 

    One thing I did different was instead of using craft foam for the body of the grid, I used cardboard from postal mailing boxes that I used to make the softboxes, and then wrapped it in black duct tape to both hold it together and give it a more professional look.

    Here's a shot I took without the grid.

    

    And here's one with the grid.

 

    I used a 1-inch long grid, but you can use different lengths to either widen or narrow the field. With this method you can make a variety of grids for different situations.