Lighting How To

Have you ever left home without an external flash, only to come upon a portrait opportunity that you had to shoot with your camera’s harsh pop-up flash? Well, as long as you keep a cheap, white balloon in your camera bag, this simple hack from the wacky Koldunov brothers has you covered.

As you can see in the video below, this trick is really simple: Just inflate the balloon and use it as a diffuser by holding it in front of your camera’s built-in flash. The result is smooth, softer lighting

Of course, you can also experiment with colored balloons to create some special effects. And be sure to try holding the balloon in both a horizontal and vertical orientation to see which approach gives you the best result.

For more interesting tips and tricks from the Koldunov brothers visit their YouTube channel. And be sure to take a look at their video we posted earlier, showing you how to get creative with a cheap kit lens.

If you want to try something a little more sophisticated than a balloon for your next portrait session, read this article revealing our favorite lighting tools and accessories.