OK, another boring Sunday coming up. Here's a do it yourself activity for your playtime leisure.
My friend revenant recently had a comprehensive and conscientious tutorial on how to get the most out of flash photography.
But what if you are a lazy, cheapskate philistine who doesn't want to pay hundreds of dollars for a flashgun and doesn't know what tungsten lighting is or where to hunt down strips of colored gelatine?
May I suggest a piece of waxpaper? It doen't totally neutralise a useless built in flash but there is a noticable improvement.

Thanks for the plug. It was a comprehensive list of mistakes, rather. I see your family has exactly the same resigned expression as mine when I force / bribe / con them into posing: "there he goes again..." I would offer another quick and cheap solution: cigarette papers, which can also be used to clean lenses. Cute kids, by the way. revenant · 2009-04-04: 14:38

I check the blog of revenant, and your comment too, it's nice to learn about creative use flash light, it's pros and cons. Thanks. These shots are beautiful, especially the last one. dgarun · 2009-04-04: 15:04

Great post. I will definately try this. And this didn't have all the big fancy words that Stefan used in his recent post:) dontblink · 2009-04-04: 22:03

the best tip i have for you, if you can rotate flash head 180 degrees is to bounce the flash behind you so the flash is pointed away from your subject. Dragana · 2009-04-05: 04:59

oh sorry, its on the camera, you can also stick some magic tape directly on, it works similar to wax paper Dragana · 2009-04-05: 05:00

Lovely photos. dreadwear · 2009-04-05: 06:53

Lovely photos. boszorka65 · 2009-04-05: 07:17

♥ i like your pictures and layout! good job! rinafeng · 2009-04-05: 10:27

I HATE flash! bought a diffuser for my nikon speedlight lately (appr. 60sfr) actually similar concept like your diy idea, makes a lot difference (http://www.hama.de/tools/advanced_search/index.hsp) but if really necessery I use flash indirectly (pointed at roof or walls). your family looks tolerant and immune to your experiments :-) longimanus · 2009-04-06: 17:12

i like DIY stuff! it's cheap and fun! and it works sometime too! :o) i have all my diffusers DIY! kif123 · 2009-04-06: 22:14

Tagged: tutorial