Ring flashes fit around the barrel of a camera lens to provide an even and diffused light—and they often cost upwards of $200. Spare yourself the expense with a DIY model.

Ring flashes are great for macro photography, as the light comes from all sides of the lens and provides extremely even illumination on your subject—see the photo at right. They can also be used for interesting effects in portrait photography. Unfortunately the high price point makes it entirely uneconomical to pick one up just to mess around with photographing ants or casual portraits. Over the the website Fring—short for Fiber Optic Ring—there's a detailed tutorial for taking about $5 worth of parts from your local dollar store and turning them into a tool that channels your on-board flash's light onto the rim of your lens. If you're dabbling in macro shooting, it's a great way to try out ring-flash style lighting without breaking the bank.Fring - DIY Fiber Optic Ring Light [via Hacked Gadgets]

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