There has been some new developments and the project is on hold. But worry not, dear reader, it will continue. As with many self funded ventures, getting the funding is difficult by yourself. Even though I wish to get this product hammered out and "on the shelves" as it were, I still need to pay bills.

I can give an update. The second prototype was a complete flop. The material used would work well for portability and ease of use, but the adaptability was lost. You can have 9 inch diffusion area, but not a 36 inch one. If I made to accomidate a 36 inch diffuser then it would not work for a 9 inch.

I have a new material in mind. This should address the adaptability issues. I am not sure about its portability. I am still shooting for using any size diffusion area yet still have the ability to fold it up to be placed in a pocket. If it meets these to considerations then it will fly off the shelves!

I will be buying a Gary Fong Lightsphere soon. It seems to be a great product and it has gotten some positive reviews. The Lightsphere will be my benchmark. If I can get mine to match or surpass Fong's product, I'll have succeded.

Alas, I have the second prototype nearly completed. I had planned on finishing it, but there is now a snag. The material I thought would have been perfect has some strength issues. I truly thought it would work first try. It seems the cardboard worked better than foam! That will not do. I can get the foam to work, but if I decide to use a larger diffuser the foam tends to collapse. When I use a smaller diffuser it fits too loosely and will not work in a practical environment.

This does not mean I will scrap the project. Nor does it mean I need to start over. There are ways to fix this, but I am not yet certain it will keep the price point where I wish.

During the creation of version two, I did stumble upon a clever usable way of attaching the diffuser more securely. Version one had a stability flaw. In high winds or quick movement the diffusion material flopped about. It did not have the professional or refined look. With a simple piece of plastic I can kill two stones with one bird. And I know where to get the part. At the local Five and Dime! I can probably sweet talk my way into getting a few for free!

I had a meeting with an associate/friend last night regarding a different project. I trust his opinion as he has successfully created many projects for himself and other companies. His room is fully of clever new inventions and designs. I trust his opinion and brought the first prototype along to show him. To my utter surprise he called it "genius."

Of course, he corrected my nomenclature. My first design is a proof of concept. Now I can confidently claim my proof of concept exceeded my expectations. As a prototype it did what I figured it would do, but just that.

As I was riding with someone else today I missed my chance to get the snap I spoke of eariler. As it is 5 pm now it does not look like I will be able to make it to the craft store. I have completed the "subject matter" scene. I have the same salt and pepper shakers and sake bottle. I have a few other surprises added in that should make for a challenging shoot. If I can get everything else completed this evening there should be more pictures up tonight.

I received some great design feedback last night. I showed the first prototype to a friend. My friend's past work involved product research and development. I knew I would get an educated take on the design. I also knew he would be brutally honest.

The material used was questioned. Specifically, the material used to make it adjustable. He liked the idea of using a snap to keep the top of the device a consistent size and to allow adjustment at the bottom to fit any flash head. He recommended the use of Spandex instead of Velcro. This way it would eliminate the extra step to fasten the Velcro. It would just slide on and hold tight.

I have an issue with elasticity. Will the Spandex eventually wear out? Velcro will not. I could do some testing of the material, but as I am not the most "fit" person, no one wants to see me in Spandex shorts! One advantage of the fabric- as opposed to Velcro- is its ability to remain clean. Velcro can pick up stray bits of fuzz, but it is easily cleaned.

Another disadvantage of Velcro (hook and loom) is the noise. During a wedding ceremony, a rriiiiip! of the hook and loom separating is extremely loud in a quiet church! Spandex or any other elastic material for that matter would be perfectly silent. However, how many wedding photographers carry only one camera/flash rig? And once the adjustment is set for a particular flash unit it can be slid off and on silently.

I will keep the initial plan to use a hook and loom system for the next prototype. If it does not work then I will have no problem exploring new materials.

As always, I welcome any and all comments or suggestions. Please comment here or use the forums to toss in your two cents.