Use white slate to bounce light off strobe instead of using a 2nd strobe?

[DazedAndConfuzed]

Don't they have ring flash for UW applications? Seems to be the optimal solution for macro shots.

I did have on my trip a P&S attached to my strobe arm....It was for shooting HD video, but I thought it could be plan B for macro shots if it shooting macros got too cumbersome (removing wet lens, set to macro mode...which turns internal flash to be slave trigger, disabling TTL), but it never happened since the camera flooded the fist time I opened it up to charge the batteries. Damn those panasonic housings with single o-ring.

 

[3D diver]

In the Nikonos Film camera days one trick was to put a piece of white plexiglass onto the bottom framework of the close up framers used with the 35 and 20 mm lens. This was to bounce some light back up towards the object/critter in the framer and soften the shadows from a top mounted strobe.

Forgot about that.

This is the macro rig I used to use:

I actually used two strobes, but the second strobe arm broke the day I took that picture. It's a 3D macro rig using a partially silvered mirror. One camera looks through the mirror, the other looks at the reflection and is offset horizontally to get the 3D affect. The 3:1 framer shown is my spare. The one I actually used had a black piece of plastic attached to it to prevent reflections and keep the camera looking at the reflection from seeing anything through the mirror. This was inspired by the white reflector idea you mention.


Lwang, it may now be obvious why I encourage you to give the reflector a try...

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

I tested the white card method in above water setting and it seems to work pretty well with super macro subjects. Sometimes it is easier to stick a white slate in position instead of a whole strobe head. Of course, above water, the weight of the strobe head wants to pull everything down, but then when underwater, I would be trying to maintain my camera position down to the fraction of an inch.

Anyway, I also got a 2nd strobe, so I now have the option to try both ways.