How to Make Photographers Umbrellas

Select three black umbrellas of the same size; these will be your standard set of umbrellas for your studio lights. Once you have these, buy two or three larger colored umbrellas that you can shoot the lights through, creating a different colored effect in your pictures.

Extend the umbrellas and cut the handle off the umbrella right where the handle meets the neck of the umbrella using a hacksaw. Once the handle is cut off, file any jagged edges off the cut with a metal file, the wrap a strip of duct tape around the end to prevent possible cuts.

Paint the inside of the three black umbrellas with white gloss spray paint. Apply three or four thin coats of paint as opposed to one or two heavy coats. Let each coat of paint dry before you apply the next. Once the paint has dried these umbrellas should remain open all the time; if you close them the paint will crack and start to peel. Do not paint the colored umbrellas.

Extend a light stand and attach the studio light to the light stand by screwing it onto the top of the light stand. Studio lights have a threaded opening on the bottom of the light that is designed to attach the light to the stand. Depending on the model of studio light you are using, there will be a small hole on the front of the studio light where the umbrella can be inserted, or there may be hole on the light stand where the umbrella is inserted and held in place with a knob that is tightened. Insert the umbrella into its holder.

Angle the studio light so the flash is directed towards the painted umbrella, which then reflects a soft light onto your subject. When using the colored umbrellas, rotate the light 180 degrees so the light is flashing through the colored umbrella, creating a blanket of color.