$8 Quick and Simple Beauty Dish.

[78novacaine]

Parts list:

1 plastic mixing/serving bowl, approximately 12" diameter - $1.50
Velcro (I purchased a 6 foot length because I knew I would be needing more later) - $6.25
Tape - Had laying around, been a while since I bought any so don't know prices, lol
Aluminum foil - You will need about 2-3 sq foot total, especially if you are as prone to screw ups as I am - About $.25 worth out of a roll
Scrap cotton: Either an old white t-shirt, rag, etc, as long as it is thin and white - free

Sorry I got too involved to do pics as I went, but the process is fairly simple.

First, trace the outline of your flash on the base of the bowl, as centered as possible.

Then, using a utility knife, cut out the rectangular hole (the plastic will most likely chip and crack, I used large portions of duct tape to reinforce once I was thru with the hole :D )

Third, place your flash in the hole and use your velcro to secure it to the bowl (I had to wrap the edges of the hole in duct tape a few times to get a snug fit for the flash head)

Fourth, line the inside of your bowl with aluminum foil, tape it in place.

Finally, stretch your cotton over the outer edges of the bowl, securing with tape as you go.

Here are a couple of example pics:

Yeah, I need to get some windex on that mirror ASAP, lol, it's the guest bathroom so I been neglecting it


By davidmsager at 2011-06-28

Looks to be getting pretty good diffusion, time for a test shot, held at arms length, firing the flash manually with a 1 second exposure since my radio triggers have not yet arrived:


By davidmsager at 2011-06-28

It ain't pretty, but it works:


By davidmsager at 2011-06-28

I am going to come up with a way to pretty it up a little bit shortly. I also have a quick cardboard snoot setup I made, but that is pretty self explanatory. My total investment for flash, radio triggers, beauty dish and snoot = $50-55

[arich]

what are you using for the reflector?

[78novacaine]

Talking about between the flash head and the diffusion material to bounce it back in the dish? Not using one at all, I was surprised when I read a similar thread on another forum that doesn't use one, and saw how good the diffusion was on it, so I tried it out, for $3 +/- in materials what's the worst that could happen? Plus the other thread was years old and not as detailed, so figured I might as well make my own. I am sure the aluminum foil lining the inside (crumpled up first) is a big help as well.

[Saltwater Servitude]

Another thread here that'll have some links to other sites with additional information.

My Cheap DIY Beauty Dish

I'll be using mine in about 2 hours for the second time, but this time around I have several specific shots using it alone.

I'll post results in the next day or two.

[arich]

Hmm so it's really more of a softbox then, without the center reflector you aren't going to get that signature "beauty dish look".

[78novacaine]

Originally Posted by arich

Hmm so it's really more of a softbox then, without the center reflector you aren't going to get that signature "beauty dish look".

Yeah, you could call it that, I just titled my thread the same as the thread I got the idea from. I'm not too interested in the nomenclature, just that it works!