In Photos dot org

If you use the built-in flash on your camera you’re probably used to the ugly effect direct light has on portraits and scenes: red eye, background shadows and foreground brightness, lost blown out detail. You can avoid all that by buying an external flash and bouncing or you can build a flash diffuser to sit in front of your camera.

Looks like a fun project to try too!

A few links you will find useful and interesting as we start another week.

• Cardboard bounce flash for your SLR using only your onboard flash. I might try this with my Panasonic FZ5
• Protect Your Photos: How to Defend Your Copyright - I have a keen interest in this after my Thieving Duck became a joke email attachment.
• Four ways to bounce a flash - yet more tips on flash bouncing. Why? Don’t you want to avoid that ugly shadow behind your subjects, let alone avoid the dreaded red eye?
• Following on from my previous post on photographing children, here’s a two part series: The Complete Guide to Children Photography - Part I and part 2. I’ll try some of these techniques and post some more photos of Adam!
• What does Paris Hilton have in common with an iconic image of the Vietnam War? Mike Johnston reveals the surprising coincidence.
• Bibble Labs 4.98 has been released and from a brief pla with it last night it appears to show thumbnail images more quickly than before. Recommended upgrade if you use this software!

David at Strobist has linked to all his flash lighting articles in one place. It’s a really good place to go if you want to get the most out of your flash.

Another great resource is Photonotes: Eos Flash for users of Canon cameras and flash units. There’s some great bits of info there.