Need black drinking straws to make a 'black straw' snoot?

[Bachs]

Anyone who has made their own black straw snoot will know how difficult it can be to find black drinking straws, usually ending up blagging 20 at a time from pubs/restaurants.

I recently tracked down a UK company called 'Drinkstuff' that normally supply boxes of 500 black drinking straws for £4.99 plus £3.99 UK delivery.

They were intrigued as to why a photographer would want black straws.
As a result of some correspondence to and fro, they have kindly offered a 20% discount with a promotional code..

Here is the link to their black straws page

When you click buy and get to Stage One of the Checkout, scroll down to the bottom of that page and click the link 'I have a promotional code' and enter STEVEPERKS as the promotional code, and voila, you get 20% discount!

If you don't know what a black straw snoot is (I'm sure you do!) or would like to make one, here is a link to one of many instructional resources.

 

[NeilG40]

There's plenty on ebay, also somebody on here was selling black coroplast which is alot easier to make a grid out of than using straws.

 

[Bachs]

Thanks Neil, I'll try and track down who is selling the coroplast, much easier than gluing straws together!

 

[NeilG40]

Also wrapping the coroplast in "funky foam" rather than cardboard means it holds onto the flash much better, if I remember tomorrow I'll take a picture of the one I made.

 

[Bachs]

I'll take a picture of the one I made.

Please do Neil, I'd love to see that.

I've made 1 straw snoot already but need to make some variations in length and I've read that the straw ones can come apart if you don't use the right glue.

 

[newyorkaddict]

If you can get hold of Neoprene from a model or craft shop, that stuff is great for grids and snoots, just add sticky velcro and away you go, best bit is, it is a little stretchy so more resistant to tearing than card I got 5 sheets for £5 from our local card makers shop.

 

[JasonRS]

I use the foam for snoots and flags too after seeing this.

http://thomas-schwenger.de/index.php?ch=kh&sub=sub_tt&pg=lm

I've been looking for a UK supplier of plastic honeycomb cooling grids, which are used in electronics and should make nice grid spots after seeing these in the US.

http://www.saxonpc.com/flash-grid-in-foam-housing.html

 

[david1701]

I nick straws from weatherspoons but this is a good shout

 

[Flash In The Pan]

If you can get hold of Neoprene from a model or craft shop, that stuff is great for grids and snoots, just add sticky velcro and away you go, best bit is, it is a little stretchy so more resistant to tearing than card I got 5 sheets for £5 from our local card makers shop.

Or if you have a Poundland handy then you can get a neoprene laptop screen protector for a quid that works perfectly as a snoot

 

[NeilG40]

Please do Neil, I'd love to see that.

I've made 1 straw snoot already but need to make some variations in length and I've read that the straw ones can come apart if you don't use the right glue.

Here's the pics

 

[Shadow]

Bachs, I've sent you a pm regarding the coroplast seller.

 

[Bachs]

Here's the pics

Neil...thanks for posting, they look great and I'll bet a damned sight easier than gluing straws together!

Bachs, I've sent you a pm regarding the coroplast seller.

Thanks Brian, PM received and replied to

 

[leoleo]

How much better does the neoprene fit onto a flash versus card? - do you use an elastic band to hold it on there or does the stretchy neoprene provide enough friction?

- any construction tips to ensure the dimensions are perfect?

cheers,

Leo

 

[scottduffy]

I nick straws from weatherspoons but this is a good shout

Exactly what i was going to say. Not as if they're hard to come by. At least Wetherspoons are good for something.

 

[DelK]

I've ordered from Saxon before, no hassles and very easy to use

 

[cherryrig]

Weatherspoons uses black straws

Thats where I got all mine from

 

[strobemonkey]

Here's one I made last year:

The small one attaches to the front of the larger one. The large snoot ahs a slit in the middle allowing gels to be used.

Quick sample shot:

 

[ianmarsh]

I copied Neil's "coroplast plus funky foam" approach and it works a treat - way better than glueing straws. I was on a lighting course with Bert Stephani earlier this week and he said he used his home-made grids rather than shop bought (Honl, I think) versions as they worked better.

A quick eBay search throws up a couple of sources of black coroplast, and quite a few funky foam suppliers.

 

[Legacy]

Bachs, I've sent you a pm regarding the coroplast seller.

Don't suppose you could share the seller details ?

PM if prefered

Many thanks

Phil

 

[Flash In The Pan]

Don't suppose you could share the seller details ?

PM if prefered

Many thanks

Phil

Clicky

Clicky 2

 

[leoleo]

What's the difference between the length of the straws / coroplast vs the length of the snoot?

 

[strobemonkey]

What's the difference between the length of the straws / coroplast vs the length of the snoot?

The longer the snoot, the smaller the image circle will be. Snoot distance to the subject also plays a part.

 

[leoleo]

The longer the snoot, the smaller the image circle will be. Snoot distance to the subject also plays a part.

Thanks for the reply mate - I knew that part... I phrased my question badly I think...

What I want to know is how length of straws vs length of snoot affects things. I.e. would I get exactly the same size and quality / falloff etc if I had a 15cm snoot with no straws, as a 10cm snoot filled with 5cm of straws?

 

[strobemonkey]

Thanks for the reply mate - I knew that part... I phrased my question badly I think...

What I want to know is how length of straws vs length of snoot affects things. I.e. would I get exactly the same size and quality / falloff etc if I had a 15cm snoot with no straws, as a 10cm snoot filled with 5cm of straws?

Sorry my bad... I just skimmed thru the replies and was in a rush replying...

 

[Legacy]

Clicky

Clicky 2

Thanks !!

 

[Alladin121]

can i ask a silly question?? what does this do and what does it achieve?? sorry

 

[Legacy]

It helps channel the light to give more of a 'spot' effect (as shown in the pics) & (less diffused) and can be controlled by distance from the subject and length of snoot...

 

[Mick]

Try using a Stubby holder (not sure what you guys in the UK call them?). I havent dont htis yet but I'm going to for sure.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/picturesbysteve/3005299634/

Mick.

 

[mini_mad216]

Do a goole search for Aluminium honeycomb, try and contact a few of the companies that come up and ask for some off cuts

 

[sheridant]

thanks for the help all

 

[admirable]

If you buy a large enough prints (12x18) from DSCL they deliver them protected by black coroplast.

 

[Bachs]

If you buy a large enough prints (12x18) from DSCL they deliver them protected by black coroplast.

Which also serves as excellent barn doors/gobos to velcro to the side of your flashes!

I use DSCL regularly for 18x12's. It isn't always black coroplast they use but I never threw any of their packaging out.

I bucked the McGuyver trend this week and bought the Interfit Strobies Portrait Kit

 

[kiteninja]

Which also serves as excellent barn doors/gobos to velcro to the side of your flashes!

I use DSCL regularly for 18x12's. It isn't always black coroplast they use but I never threw any of their packaging out.

I bucked the McGuyver trend this week and bought the Interfit Strobies Portrait Kit

How much did you pay ?

 

[Bachs]

How much did you pay ?

£125 incl. delivery @Warehouse Express.
I have seen the individual items for sale seperately elsewhere, a quick google for 'interfit strobies portrait kit' will point you in the right direction.

The softbox isn't much use, a bit on the small side but the rest of the kit is quite useful and with the 'flexmount' adapters (purchased seperately from the kit, very easy to interchange, with no glue/velcro/elastic bands.)
You can still fit gels too.

The price above includes 3 flexmounts (not part of the kit)

 

[Duncan16]

Hi,
I was walking through the German markets the other day(Thursday) and saw some wonderful B&W photos that a photographer was selling. I was suprised to see how clean the B&W imagies were, the question is how do you get such clean B&W imagies?
I must admit, i dont take my camera out enough due to worry of the "Urchins" I guess I should just chill a little!! any help on the B&W would be welcome

 

[Dino f]

Black straws are available in the 99p shop.
200 straws for , um, 99p
Dean