Materials for the Black Foamie Thing / Black Foamy Thing
As regular readers of the Tangents blog know, I use the black foamie thing (BFT) as a truly inexpensive flash modifier to flag my on-camera flash to give me lighting indoors that truly look nothing like on-camera flash.
I’m frequently asked where the black foam can be sourced … well, here are the Amazon affiliate links to order the piece of foam. I cut the sheet into smaller pieces. The BFT is held in position by two hair bands (Amazon), and the BFT is usually placed on the under-side of the flash-head.
The linked articles will give clearer instruction, especially the video clip on using the black foamie thing.
More links to articles relating to the black foamie thing.
For those here in Ireland and the UK – Funky Foam!
I have been using the black foamie thing for over a year and a bit. It’s the best and cheapest thing I have ever done for my flash. Thanks Neil.
Thanks for the great tips Neil! I made my own BFT using a drink coozie (the thin, flexible, fold-flat, foam ones – got about 20 from various places) – cut the bottom off and then cut into 2 pieces – perfect size for blocking direct light, and quick on/off the strobe using my wife’s hair bands. I also made one as a snoot – just removed the bottom.
It cracked me up to scroll down to the “Customers who bought this also bought” section and see several arts and craft supplies, and a link to Neil’s Off Camera Flash book.
I’ve been using my BFT for over a year now too and I love it. I cut mine from an old foam fender cover that was lying about in my garage. I have just started using a ball bungie to hold it on the flash. It seems a bit easier to manage when moving the BFT to shoot vertical. Just grab the ball and the edge of the BFT and scootch it around.
Eric
Neil,
an alternative material, which seems to work well, is 3mm nylon/lycra backed wetsuit neoprene (which can be bought in sheets). The neoprene I sourced had nylon/lycra on both sides, so I carefully pulled off the backing on one side, to go towards the flash, as the rubber has more friction against the flash unit than the nylon. (Oh, and one side of the wetsuit material I got happened to be blue, which was not useful…)
Most of the mousepads is made of black foam, there is only sheet of colour paper on the top. Try to remove this paper in water, clean a little and you have it :)
dear Neil
I followed you for years and always read your great post.
For a long time I waited to buy a new digital camera and have always been the idea of buying the Nikon D 800.
At this point I stopped because I knew that the D 800 has 36000 pixels, and I fear that this pixel value is negative for the noise.
I have proposed a Nikon D3s at cost but are very undecided whether to wait for the D 800 or take the old D3s.
I am not a professional photographer but I use the camera for pure passion.
I wanted to know if you think the D 800 has an acceptable noise …..
I need your advice ………. I consider you the best in the world.
I buy only with your advice …. I just need clarification from you!!
Thank you so much
Edy Trigona
Genoa, Italy
Edy … I would have no idea how the Nikon D800 will perform in terms of high-ISO noise. It has just been announced, and it will be a few months still for the camera to hit the streets. So I really can’t form an opinion yet.
Thanks Neil,
I will continue to follow you know if you have news about it.
Thank you Thank you thank you
Edy Trigona Genoa Italy
I glued a white (WFT) to the back of mine to use as directional bounce card for when id rather direct than flag or direct and flag or…
Just another variety upon one of my most valued accessories
& Thanks again, Neil, for that and so much info – online and in your great books.
I had found very little useful info available to help me utilize my flash, then i found your site, your books and my flash is now a very vlauable asset to my photography.
Does the black foamy thing have to be black ?
would using different colors cause a color cast?
Yup, you don’t want to introduce a color cast.
Like Tad, I’ve made a BFT out of an old plain black mouse pad. One side is slick so the mouse will slide easily, this side goes against the flash so it’s easy to rotate the BFT around the flash as needed. The other side is grippy so it doesn’t slide around your desktop, this makes it easy to move the BFT to any position you need. Most mouse pads I’ve seen are fabric reinforced and would make very durable BFT’s.
Great idea, thanks for sharing. I’m getting and will try flagging soon as it arrives.