Abstract:
A photographic light diffusing device for mounting to a photographic light source includes a base for attaching the photographic light diffusing device to the photographic light source, a semi-transparent hood extending from the base and defining a top edge, and a flap hinged to the top edge of the hood and rotatable with respect to the hood.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/999,498, filed on Oct. 17, 2007, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to photographic light diffusers. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Photographic light diffusers are commonly used to provide soft lighting effects in photographs. To achieve a diffuse lighting effect, light can be either directly or indirectly passed through a semi-transparent material, or it may be reflected off a material which will cause it to scatter somewhat. Such diffuse lighting is commonly produced by light sources which are remote from the camera. Typically, such light diffusers are provided by stationary screens, umbrellas, soft boxes, and the like. Such devices provide excellent lighting effects in fixed studio settings where there is no need to transport the lighting equipment, including the diffusers, from place to place. 
         [0004]    Each particular shot to be lighted dictates the type and intensity of light needed to properly illuminate the subject. In some situations, direct light from a light source without any alteration may be required. In other situations, direct lighting may be too strong or cast overly distinct shadows, in which case a more diffuse light is desirable. In still other cases, an even more indirect diffuse light may be needed to create the proper lighting effect. It is important to have a certain amount of uniformity in the lighting used to illuminate the subject. This uniformity may be achieved using typical stationary diffusers, provided that the equipment is of good quality and is employed in the proper fashion. 
         [0005]    While the equipment described above provides good lighting effects in a fixed studio setting, it can be inconvenient, if not impossible, to use such stationary lighting accessories outside of the photography studio. For shoots which require the photographer to be mobile, especially shoots where the photographer must capture action shots or cannot otherwise pose his subject, a small portable diffuser may be used which attaches directly to the camera itself. Such a light diffuser may be placed directly over an on-camera flash to provide a semi-transparent barrier to clear light transmission. Known diffusers exist which are small and portable with the camera and flash itself, and these diffusers are used by photographers in shoots where it is impractical to employ fixed lighting equipment. However, known portable diffusers for use with on-camera flashes are less than ideal in terms of the quality of lighting produced. These diffusers tend to create hotspots and may also leave noticeable, undesirable shadows. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    A photographic light diffusing device for mounting to a photographic light source includes a base for attaching the photographic light diffusing device to the photographic light source, a semi-transparent hood extending from the base and defining a top edge, and a flap hinged to the top edge of the hood and rotatable with respect to the hood. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment, the base further comprises a plurality of contact arms for attaching the hood to the photographic light source, and each contact arm including a loop for holding the strap. Additionally, the photographic light diffusing device may include a strap configured to extend around the contact arms and the photographic light source. 
         [0008]    In one embodiment, the flap is removable, and various flaps may be attachable to the device, each flap having a different size, shape, texture and/or color. Further, the flap may include a reflective surface. 
         [0009]    The hood may further comprise a front panel, that may be trapezoidal, and the flap may be configured to fold against the front panel such that the photographic light diffusing device may be folded into a generally flat position. Additionally, the hood and/or the flap may define a plurality of integral ribs. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a photographic light diffuser according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  shows a front view of the photographic light diffuser of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of the photographic light diffuser of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  shows a rear view of the photographic light diffuser of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  shows a top view of the photographic light diffuser of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  shows a bottom view of the photographic light diffuser of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of a photographic light diffuser according to one embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  shows a side view of a photographic light diffuser according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0018]    In the following detailed description, certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown and described, by way of illustration. As those skilled in the art would recognize, the described exemplary embodiments may be modified in various ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the figures and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, rather than restrictive. 
         [0019]    Embodiments of the present photographic flash diffuser provides high quality lighting effects when used with on-camera flashes, allowing photographers to achieve studio-quality lighting using electronic on-camera flashes without the need for separate lighting equipment. By doing so, embodiments of the present diffuser eliminate the need to transport and use cumbersome lighting equipment such as brackets, umbrellas, soft boxes, and the like, allowing for truly mobile, spontaneous photography. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a photographic light diffuser  100  according to one embodiment of the present invention. The general shape of the diffuser  100  may be described as that of a three-sided hood with an open top. The diffuser  100  may, in one embodiment, be formed from thermoplastic materials using well-known vacuum molding processes. The diffuser  100  may also be made from other well-known plastic forming processes, as well as being formed from other appropriate semi-transparent or translucent materials, as will be understood by one skilled in the art. The mold surface may be roughened to provide the diffuser  100  with a semi-transparent or translucent finish, allowing for greater dispersion of light through the diffuser  100 . Such a roughened surface may be created by treating the mold with a sand or bead blasting process. 
         [0021]    As shown in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-6 , the diffuser  100  is provided having two component parts; a hood  102  and a flap  140 . In one embodiment, the hood  102  is provided with a generally rectangular base comprising three contact arms  150 ,  152 , and  154  allowing the diffuser  100  to attach directly to the head of an on-camera flash. In one embodiment, the contact arms  150 ,  152 , and  154  may be friction fitted to the head of the on-camera flash. In alternative embodiments, the diffuser  100  may be mounted on the flash using a bracket permanently or removably attached to the flash, or it may be mounted using a threaded collar, a bayonet style mount, or hook-and-loop fasteners such as VELCRO. According to one embodiment, an elastic fastening band  155  further secures the diffuser to the flash. 
         [0022]    More specifically, as shows in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , an elastic fastening band  155  may be used to secure the diffuser  100  to a flash by stretching the fastening band  155  over the contact arms  150 ,  152 , and  154 . The elasticity of the fastening band  155  will press the flexible contact arms  150 ,  152 , and  154  against the faces of the flash, while the fastening band  155  stretches against the flash as well. Such an elastic fastening band may be made of an elastomeric compound such as rubber, or an elastic fabric band may be used. In still another embodiment, a fabric strap may be used as a fastening band that is fastened to itself using a buckle assembly, hook-and-loop fasteners, or various other assemblies well know for fastening belts or straps. 
         [0023]    In other embodiments shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the lower ends of the contact arms  150 ,  152 , and  154  may include ridges  156  which prevent the fastening band  155  from sliding off and/or one or more of the contact arms  150 ,  152 , and  154  may include a loop  157  through which the fastening band  155  can be inserted in order to more securely attach the diffuser  100  to a flash. 
         [0024]    Returning now to  FIGS. 1-6 , in an embodiment of the diffuser  100  is shown wherein the hood  102  includes a front panel  110  and left and right side panels  120  and  130 . 
         [0025]    An embodiment of the front panel  110  has a bottom edge  112  configured to be substantially equal in length to an edge of a photographic light source, a top edge  114  substantially parallel to the bottom edge, a left side edge  116 , and a right side edge  118 . As shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , an embodiment of the front panel  110  has a trapezoidal shape and an approximately uniform thickness. However, the front panel  110  may be formed in other shapes and varying thicknesses in order to achieve desired diffusivities of a light source, as would be understood by one skilled in the art. 
         [0026]    An embodiment of the left panel  120  includes a bottom edge  122  substantially coplanar and substantially perpendicular to the bottom edge  112  of the front panel  110 , and a side edge substantially colinear with the left side edge  116  of the front panel  110 . According to this embodiment, the left panel  120  is integrally attached to the front panel  110  at the left side edge  116 . Additionally, the left panel  120  has an upper edge  124  which tapers downward toward the bottom edge  122  in a direction moving away from the left side edge  116 . 
         [0027]    An embodiment of the right panel  130  includes a bottom edge  132  substantially coplanar and substantially perpendicular to the bottom edge  112  of the front panel  110 , and a side edge substantially colinear with the right side edge  118  of the front panel  110 . According to this embodiment, the right panel  130  is integrally attached to the front panel  110  at the right side edge  118 . Similar to the left panel  120 , the right panel  130  has an upper edge  134  which tapers downward toward the bottom edge  132  in a direction moving away from the right side edge  118 . 
         [0028]    The right panel  130  is substantially equal in size and substantially symmetric to the left panel  120 . The left and right panels  120 ,  130  are positioned opposite each other. 
         [0029]    To facilitate fabrication by a molding process and improve the strength of the hood  102 , the edges  116  and  118 , where the front panel  110  is attached to the left and right panels  120 ,  130 , respectively, may be rounded fillets, rather than true abrupt edges. 
         [0030]    The lighting properties of the diffuser  100  can be varied by varying the relative proportions of the diffuser  100 . Most importantly, the length of the top edge  114  of the front panel  110 , the angle of the front panel  110 , the lengths of the bottom edges  122 ,  132  of the left and right panels  120 ,  130 , and the angles of taper of the upper edges  124 ,  134  of the left and right panels  120 ,  130  will each affect the lighting properties of the diffuser  100 . 
         [0031]    While the purpose of the diffuser  100  is to ameliorate the harsh effects of direct lighting, some amount of direct light, or “key light” is desirable to provide an amount of specularity in an exposed image. The higher intensity gives a catchlight to the eyes of photographic subjects and prevents the image from appearing too soft. The geometry of the diffuser  100  is designed to strike a balance between an image that is too harsh and one that is too soft. 
         [0032]    Referring to the diffuser  100  of  FIGS. 1-6 , in an embodiment the contact arms  150 ,  152 , and  154  extend past a minimum length of about one inch to permit the diffuser  100  to fit over a flash. The contact arms  150 ,  152 , and  154  are attached to the front, left, and right panels  110 ,  120 , and  130 , at the bottom edges  112 ,  122 , and  132 , respectively. The contact arms  150 ,  152 , and  154  are positioned in an orientation so as to provide a generally rectangular base for the diffuser  100  to engage with a generally rectangular flash through which light from the flash travels. 
         [0033]      FIG. 6  shows a bottom view of the diffuser  100 .  FIG. 6  illustrates that a generally rectangular base may be provided with contact arms  150 ,  152 , and  154  to create a basal socket of specific interior dimensions in order to match the exterior dimensions of standard camera flashes. This particular embodiment of a basal socket is designed to be friction fit to a Canon 580EX flash. Because the contact arms  150 ,  152 , and  154  are flexible, other flashes of similar dimensions may be used with a fastening band  155 , as previously described in connection with  FIGS. 7-8 , to secure the contact arms  150 ,  152 , and  154  to the flash. In one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the contact arms each include a thin wall section  158  which acts as a spring to allow a larger flash to be used, while still maintaining a tight grip with a smaller flash. Such a thin wall section  158  may be formed in any or all of the contact arms  150 ,  152 , and  154 . Additionally, other basal sockets may be configured for a friction fit with other models of camera flashes. 
         [0034]    Referring to the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-6 , the diffuser  100  is provided with a hinged flap  140  which may be removably attached to the front panel  110 , and rotated with respect to the top edge  114  of the front panel  110 , so that the diffuser  100  can be used to provide a more or less diffuse lighting effect. The flap  140  is easily removable and interchangeable in order to substitute a flap  140  with a different diffusivity, reflectivity, or other varying properties. 
         [0035]    In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-6 , the flap  140  is connected to the top edge  114  of the front panel  110  using one or more hinge mechanisms  160 .  FIG. 1  shows a photographic light diffuser  100  with one embodiment of a snap-on hinge mechanism  160  for connecting the flap  140  to the hood  102 , wherein the flap  140  is provided with a bar  162  which fits over a snap ridge clip  164  on the front panel  110 . These bars  162  and clips  164  are molded into the flap  140  and front panel  110 , respectively, but the flap  140  may be attached using other methods known to those skilled in the art. Such a hinge assembly allows easy removal of the flap while still holding it securely to the hood. 
         [0036]    In one embodiment, the diffuser  100  is proportioned so that it is easy to pack and transport in that it may be placed over a camera lens when packed together with a camera in a standard camera bag, thus saving space. For example, the flap  140  may be rotated such that it is flat against the front panel  110 , and the front panel  110  may be placed flat, directly over the lens of the camera. 
         [0037]    When shooting in environments with high ceilings, the diffuser  100  may be employed with the flap  140  removed or in a position such that it does not interfere with the light exiting the top of the hood  102 . In one embodiment, the flap  140  may be folded flat against the front panel  110  or removed in order to allow light energy from the flash to shine upward and reflect off the ceiling. Due to the shape and orientation of the hood  102 , enough light strikes the front panel  110  and the left and right panels  120 ,  130  to cast some amount of light forward onto the subject even without employing the flap  140 . This gives a suitable lighting ratio for shots taken using the diffuser  100 , reducing shadows on the subject and giving a diffuse, soft light all around the room as well as on the subject. For large group shots, the lighting quality is soft, beautiful, and diffuse. The open top allows a great deal of light to bounce off the ceiling onto the subject yielding a natural lighting effect. 
         [0038]    The flap  140  may be used for indoor environments with low ceilings where reflected light from the ceiling would cast harsh shadows on the subject. In one embodiment, the flap  140  acts as a diffusion device to spread light evenly all around the room, lighting the subject as well as brightening dark backgrounds and ceilings. The flap  140  may snap directly onto the hood  102  of the diffuser  100  to accomplish this diffusion. Through the employment of the flap  140  with the diffuser  100  for use with low ceilings, studio-quality lighting using a flash can be achieved with a portable photography platform. 
         [0039]    In one embodiment, when it is desirable to directly light a subject, it is not necessary to remove the entire diffuser  100  from the flash of the camera. The flap  140  may be moved to a position flat against the front panel  110 , and the flash pointed directly at the subject through the open top of the hood  102 , while the diffuser  100  remains attached to the camera to easily and directly illuminate the subject. 
         [0040]    On occasion, photographers may want the reflected light in their shots to have a particular color quality. This can be provided with alternative embodiments of the present diffuser  100  wherein the material of the entire diffuser  100 , or specific portions of the diffuser  100 , such as the hood  102  or the flap  140  has a particular hue. For example, the flap  140  can be made amber for inside shots to provide warmer skin tones and for overall warming in flash-filled available light shots, or green for shots where there is much fluorescent lighting. In other embodiments, combinations of colors may be used, for example, a white hood may be combined with an amber flap. In still another embodiment, the flap  140  may include a reflective surface to bounce a portion of the light in various directions such as away from or toward the front panel of the hood. 
         [0041]    In one embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 6 , ribs  180  extend along an inner surface of the flap  140 . The ribs  180  can also extend along an outer surface of the flap  140 . Additionally, ribs  180  may be included on the front panel  110 , the left panel  120 , and/or the right panel  130 . The ribs  180  allow light to be more effectively diffused as it passes through the flap  140  or hood  102  and into the area in which a photograph is being taken. 
         [0042]    While this invention has been described in connection with what are considered to be exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, dimensions, and configurations, but, on the contrary, also extends to various modifications and equivalent arrangements.