DIY Flash Diffuser

I've been experimenting with my camera - trying out new tricks, doing new things with it.  I especially enjoy DIY tricks.  I saw this one online some time ago (and subsequently forgot where).

The pop-up flash built into many cameras is a nice feature - but sometimes it's too much. All that light concentrated into one area of the picture frame can cause the photo to look flat, or to have weird, unflattering shadows.  Flash diffusers spread out the light.

I took an old plastic film canister - a not quite opaque white one - cut out a notch large enough to fit it over the pop-up flash on my camera and ... voila.  A simple DIY flash diffuser.

Here's a sample of the difference it can make.  It's subtle, but significant.

This is without the diffuser.
















And this is with the diffuser.

And for another of my DIY experiments - here is a filter made from a drain trap.