three balls. When you are taking fifteen or so shots, hand-holding a
diffuser is a pain.
Most often I use a little device called a “Flowerpod” designed by
nature photographer Les Saucier, which you can read about here:
http://www.appalachianjourney.com/flowerpod/ flowerpod.html This
device weighs about a pound, collapses to less then 12 inches and
works like a charm. I let the Flowerpod hold my diffuser and carry it
in my little over-the-shoulder kit bag along with two diffusers, one
translucent and the other screen-like. Diffused light can turn a
throw-away photo into one that is perfect. It is worth the effort. In
fact, a general rule I am finding is that good macro and close-up
photos take not only time and patience but also the proper
equipment to bring off.
Small Kit
I am not one who likes to drag a lot of stuff through the woods and
streams. I don’t use a backpack for the most part. The largest bag I