I have the same problem of my ring flash (Halo HN100), sometimes it is too powerful, but most of the time they are not strong enough. If I use a normal flash with a bracket, it will be too heavy for me, what a struggle feeling excited 
Great shots Paul, love No.2
I see more and more spiders in my garden in the last week, though they are only the small ones. If they come and about, which means there are more bugs coming, otherwise they will have no dinner
As you say Paul, not your best ever shots but still good.
If I could be so bold as to suggest a way of diffusing your ring flash that I have found works really well. A couple of weeks ago I started on some intricate surgery photography for a client and the only practical way to light the subjects was with ring flash so here is what I did with quite a fair bit of success.
First I cut out two flat pieces of polystyrene from a throw away plate, the same shape and size as the two flash tubes and placed one piece over each of the tubes and secured them with a piece of white surgical tape. Next I cut two lengths of white foam packing material and once again attached one piece on top of the polystyrene and attached it in the same way.
Now the trick to this is Not To Use the foam packing material that comes with electrical appliances etc as it does not offer enough diffusion when used with a ring flash. It works very well when using a normal speedlight etc as the flash is further away and you can make up a secondary concave diffuser over the lens much like how Kurt does his.
The material to use is the packing material that shower screens come edged in, and because it comes already shaped to go round the edge of glass screens etc it is very easy to attach it to a ring flash. It is also thicker so only one layer is needed and because it is rounded so to speak it offers diffusion in all directions. I obtained some from my local B&Q store. I just went to the kitchen & bathroom section and asked if they had any to spare from their display units and they obliged with quite a bit without charge.
Hope this helps as it has certainly worked very well for me.
George.
As you say Paul, not your best ever shots but still good.
If I could be so bold as to suggest a way of diffusing your ring flash that I have found works really well. A couple of weeks ago I started on some intricate surgery photography for a client and the only practical way to light the subjects was with ring flash so here is what I did with quite a fair bit of success.
First I cut out two flat pieces of polystyrene from a throw away plate, the same shape and size as the two flash tubes and placed one piece over each of the tubes and secured them with a piece of white surgical tape. Next I cut two lengths of white foam packing material and once again attached one piece on top of the polystyrene and attached it in the same way.
Now the trick to this is Not To Use the foam packing material that comes with electrical appliances etc as it does not offer enough diffusion when used with a ring flash. It works very well when using a normal speedlight etc as the flash is further away and you can make up a secondary concave diffuser over the lens much like how Kurt does his.
The material to use is the packing material that shower screens come edged in, and because it comes already shaped to go round the edge of glass screens etc it is very easy to attach it to a ring flash. It is also thicker so only one layer is needed and because it is rounded so to speak it offers diffusion in all directions. I obtained some from my local B&Q store. I just went to the kitchen & bathroom section and asked if they had any to spare from their display units and they obliged with quite a bit without charge.
Hope this helps as it has certainly worked very well for me.
George.
Could you post a picture of this diffusion setup??? I would find it very handy indeed.
I will indeed post some shots of all my setups Bryn, just as soon as I get back from the USA as all of my macro kit is in the UK.
Not sure when I'll be back yet but I'm figuring it'll be next weekend ish. We've still got about a square mile of cotton to plant yet, which we should have done by Tuesday/ Wednesday. Then I need to spend a few more days here just to make sure there's no problems etc before I head on back.
George.
IMG_20150305_153902 by Paul Iddon (www.pauliddon.co.uk), on Flickr
IMG_20150305_153848 by Paul Iddon (www.pauliddon.co.uk), on Flickr
I just pushed 3 bits across the front and tried - result below.
Now, my Marumi ringflash has clear plastic on the inside centre tunnel (know where I mean?) so I may try sticking black tape around that surface to reduce any flash coming out centrally.
This stuff isn't precisely placed or shaped as yet around the outside or the front of the flash - and I think it may have caused, due to it's imprecise position, a bit of white vignetting or it may even be the very edge of the white stuff in the way, which I assume would improve if I stick the stuff carefully into place.
Paul.
@G.K.Jnr. @Tintin124 George - is this the stuff?
Paul.
Hmm. . I think we should send you the gear and you can do it, lmao!
Paul.
Happy to oblige Paul, perhaps you could also send me a short cut to improving my macro/close up photography technique.
'Cause I've gotta tell you, for me there has never been anything in photography that I have found more challenging than trying to get "Good" macro shots. But I'm hooked.
George.
Check out the catchlight in its eyes
Thanks Carl 
