How to Make a Light Diffuser for Macro Photography

If you are going to be doing some small photographic work, as in shooting macros or miniatures, you don’t need a huge diffuser. Whether using a flash or a desk lamp, your light will probably need to be diffused. Rather than spending a lot on equipment, you can make something a lot smaller and more portable using simple materials. Read on to learn how.

Steps

1

Get a cheap picture frame, whatever size will suit your purpose. The one in this article is an 8.5 X 11 inch (21.5cm x 28cm) picture frame from a dollar store.
1. Remove everything from the frame. In the case of this frame, that means removing the plastic cover, the glass and the fake certificate.
2. 3
  
  Lay down your diffuser material on the cleared frame. Some of the things that you can use for the diffuser include wax paper, tissue paper, a shower curtain liner, etc. You might even like to try different objects to see whether it’s possible to get different effects.
3. 4
  
  Put the glass back into the frame. It’s a good idea at this stage to make sure that it is clean before you put it back into place. The glass will help hold your diffuser material in place.
  - If you have some creative ability, you could make an insert to go inside of the frame. If it fits exactly, it will hold the material tightly and then you don’t have to worry about broken glass should the diffuser accidentally topple over when taking photos.
4. 5
  
  Be sure to bend the prongs in the back of the glass to hold the glass onto the frame. Once done, the micro diffuser is ready for use or travel. Done:
5. 6
  
  Finished.
  Tips
  
  Be imaginative when looking for materials to use as the diffuser. For example, when your baby outgrows baby gear, there are possibilities to turn change table liners or diaper outer pants into diffuser material––use your imagination and reuse whatever you have available. Would also suggest taking an old laptop LCD screen apart it has several sheets of great plastic for diffusing.
  
  Warnings
  
  If using glass in the micro diffuser and you’re traveling, be sure to wrap it well to avoid breakage. Alternatively, remove the glass and find a more flexible insert instead, such as a plastic sheet.