How and Why to Use Flash Diffusers

While using the flash feature of your camera is important and needed sometimes in low or no light situations, let’s face it, using a flash can be annoying. They can often create awful shadows, wash people out and often messes up the background by overpowering it.

However, there is something easy and relatively cheap that you can pick up that will solve all of your flash photography problems without ditching the feature altogether, and it is a flash diffuser.

A flash diffuser is a simple piece of semi-see-through plastic that attaches to the external flash of your camera. They come in various shapes, textures, diffusion levels, colors and sizes, but are all used to lessen the negative effects of the flash. Essentially, a flash sends out a cone-shaped flash of light at your subject, almost like a spotlight. A diffuser (as you could guess by the name) diffuses this light and spreads it around the entirety of the photo, softening the light and giving you a better picture.

They are very easy to use as you simply attach them and then can enjoy their benefits immediately. Being as this attachment will change your photos, it is best to experiment with shooting on different angles and from different vantage points to see what yields you the best results.

Now that you know what flash diffusers are and how to use them, let’s recommend a couple to check out.

by Kale Havervold