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■ Bounce the light. External electronic flash units mounted on the D7000 usually
have a swivel that allows them to be pointed up at a ceiling for a bounce light effect.
You can also bounce the light off a wall. You’ll want the ceiling or wall to be white
or have a neutral color to avoid a color cast.
■ Use reflectors. Another way to bounce the light is to use reflectors or umbrellas
that you can position yourself to provide a greater degree of control over the quan-
tity and direction of the bounced light. Good reflectors can be pieces of foamboard,
Mylar, or a reflective disk held in place by a clamp and stand. Although some expen-
sive umbrellas and reflectors are available, spending a lot isn’t necessary. A simple
piece of white foamboard does the job beautifully. Umbrellas have the advantage of
being compact and foldable, while providing a soft, even kind of light. They’re rel-
atively cheap, too, with a good 40-inch umbrella available for as little as $20. I pur-
chased some collapsible round aluminized reflectors used to block an automobile’s
windshield from the rays of the sun—at a remarkable two for $7.98.
■ Use diffusers. Nikon supplies a Sto-Fen-style diffuser dome with the SB-900 and
SB-700 flash. You can purchase a similar diffuser for the SB-600 from Nikon, Sto-
Fen, and some other vendors that offer clip-on diffusers. The two examples shown
in Figures 10.21 and 10.22 fit over your electronic flash head and provide a soft,
flattering light. These add-ons are more portable than umbrellas and other reflec-
tors, yet provide a nice diffuse lighting effect.
David Busch’s Nikon D7000 Guide to Digital SLR Photography434
Figure 12.21 This diffuser dome is provided by Nikon
with the SB-900, and softens the light of an external
flash unit.
Figure 12.22 Soft boxes use Velcro strips to attach
them to just about any shoe-mount flash unit.