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By Joseph Linaschke (http://w w w .lynda.com/articles/author/joseph-linaschke) | Thursday, July 24, 2014

Shoot Macro Photos — with a Pringles

Can

(http://www.lynda.com/Photography-Cameras-Gear-tutorials/Photography-101-

Shooting-Macros-Close-Ups/164027-2.html)

Macro photography requires a big investment in lots of expensive gear, right? Well,

maybe not. With a little creative thinking, you can save money by doing some amazing

things at home.

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7/25/2014 lynda.com Article Center | Shoot Macro Photos — with a Pringles Can

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A ring light is an expensive but incredibly useful accessory for shooting flash

photography of close-up objects. If you aren’t ready to invest in one, but want to play

around with one, try this:

Using nothing more than a Pringles can and a few common household items, I’ll show

you how to create softly lit macro photos with a pop-up flash.

Select a Pringles can

Choose a can with a clear lid; it’ll give you more versatility than an opaque one. Empty

it out, and clean any chip dust left behind.

Cut a hole for the flash

Cut a hole near the bottom of the can just big enough for the pop-up flash to slide

into. In the photos below, I cut the entire bottom off and also cut a hole for the pop-up

flash. This allows me to use this modifier on a full-size strobe or a pop-up one. If

you’re just using it for the pop-up flash, leave the bottom intact. If you do cut the

bottom off, you’ll want to tape it back on when using a pop-up flash so you don’t lose

light out the back.

Draw a cut line on the can the size of the pop-up flash. Remember you can always cut

more away, but can’t put it back—so be conservative with your first cut. Trim as

necessary until the flash fits snugly through the hole

(http://blogldc.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/PringlesCan_01.jpg)

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7/25/2014 lynda.com Article Center | Shoot Macro Photos — with a Pringles Can

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(http://blogldc.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/PringlesCan_02.jpg)

(http://blogldc.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/PringlesCan_03.jpg)

In the next photo, you can see the can in place on the flash, with the bottom taped

back on.

7/25/2014 lynda.com Article Center | Shoot Macro Photos — with a Pringles Can

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(http://blogldc.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/PringlesCan_04.jpg)

Diffuse the light

The next step is to diffuse the light coming out the other end of the tube. Start with a

single piece of white tissue or napkin, and add more from there if needed. Just wrap a

tissue over the top of the can and snap the lid on, then trim the excess tissue from

around the lid.

(http://blogldc.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/PringlesCan_05.jpg)

7/25/2014 lynda.com Article Center | Shoot Macro Photos — with a Pringles Can

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(http://blogldc.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/PringlesCan_06.jpg)

Telescope the can

For added versatility, you can turn this into a telescoping can! Just cut the can in half,

slit the back half lengthwise all the way down the middle, and slide the front half inside

the back. Add tape over the gap to keep it flexible and trap light inside, then add a

snug rubber band to hold it all together.

(http://blogldc.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/PringlesCan_07.jpg)

7/25/2014 lynda.com Article Center | Shoot Macro Photos — with a Pringles Can

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(http://blogldc.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/PringlesCan_08.jpg)

(http://blogldc.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/PringlesCan_09.jpg)

The finished product

Now the Pringles can telescopes in and out, allowing you to get the light source closer

to your subject.

Wait, isn’t the light source still the flash itself? No! As far as your subject is concerned,

the light source is the end of the can.

And remember, the closer the source, the bigger—and therefore softer—the light will

appear. (For more on this concept, check out my Photography 101

(http://www.lynda.com/Photography-Cameras-Gear-tutorials/Photography-

101/123498-2.html) course.)

Learn it fast with expert-taught software and skills training atlynda.com.

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7/25/2014 lynda.com Article Center | Shoot Macro Photos — with a Pringles Can

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(http://blogldc.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/PringlesCan_11.jpg)

Results!

The first photo is shot with ambient indoor light. The light is very soft, but the

exposure is the same on the foreground and background, plus the shutter speed was

really long, and therefore impossible to hand hold.

(http://blogldc.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/PringlesCan_101.jpg)

In the next photo, I used the pop-up flash without the Pringles can. The shadows from

the flash are very harsh—yuck!

7/25/2014 lynda.com Article Center | Shoot Macro Photos — with a Pringles Can

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(http://blogldc.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/PringlesCan_102.jpg)

In the last photo, I used the Pringles can. The shadows are much softer, and the

background is darker because of more light fall-off from the strobe due to the can.

This makes the flower stand out more, and overall is a much more pleasing image.

(http://blogldc.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/PringlesCan_103.jpg)

For just a few bucks and a little time, you too can have a super-simple, super-effective

light modifier for macro photography.

FYI, in the pictures above, I used the only tape I had on hand, which isn’t terribly

pretty. If you want to make this look like something that belongs in your camera bag,

consider wrapping it in black gaffers tape. Much better.

Be sure to watch my Photography 101: Macro and Close-up Photography

(http://www.lynda.com/Photography-Cameras-Gear-tutorials/Photography-101-

Shooting-Macros-Close-Ups/164027-2.html) course for more neat techniques,

including many cost-saving tricks like these that you can do at home.

Learn it from the experts.

With online video courses at lynda.com (http://www.lynda.com/default.aspx), you can

reach your goals faster. Learn software, improve your skills, and get an inside look at

how the professionals work.

See what you can learn (http://www.lynda.com/default.aspx)

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Tags: Photography (http://www.lynda.com/articles/tag/photography), Lighting

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