Read the online version at http://www.cathayphoto.com.sg/viewfinder/read/2007,12,6

It all started with the Lightsphere, an innovative diffuser for on-camera flashes that effectively softens the light and eliminates distracting shadows behind the subject. The Lightsphere and its many subsequent variants were eagerly adopted by many wedding and event photographers who found it so invaluable that they never left home without it.

Gary is one who is never content to bask in the success of his product. Ever the innovator, he has now come up with two more diffusers to suit the needs of different users.

The PUFFER is for users of digital cameras with pop-up flash. It mounts in the hot-shoe slot of the camera, greatly softening the quality of light. It is great for portraits, grab-shots of people and close-ups of objects (great for eBay photos!). The PUFFER packs completely flat for convenient storage in your camera bag or even your pocket! Eight different mounting positions ensure a perfect fit for any popup flash camera.

If you use your pop-up flash with a wide angle lens and lens shade, you've probably seen a really weird semicircular shadow at the bottom of your image. That's the shadow from your lens shade. With the PUFFER diffuser, the shadow is nearly eliminated.

The PUFFER is compatible with most pop-up flash digital cameras and it’s a terrific investment because although its price is small, the improvement it brings to your flash photos is really big.

The second product, the WhaleTail is the largest, most secure and most versatile flash diffuser on the market. This is a real “gee-whiz” product that is crammed with so many innovative features. We all know that when it comes to diffusers, the bigger the diffuser is the better it is. The main constraint to having a large diffuser is that they tend to fall off. The WhaleTail has this bugbear licked – its mounting system is so secure that you can even lift the entire camera.

It is the only diffuser that can bounce light off the rear wall for maximum softness. This is easily achieved by flipping up the rear panel to reveal an open back to bounce light backwards. If rear bounce is not desired, you simply lower the flap to close the opening.

The WhaleTail is also the first flash diffuser with two sides. Point the curved side forward for more power and reverse it for more softness. The features don’t end here. For the creative or those who love to experiment, the WhaleTail is the first flash diffuser with gel trays. To cool or warm up a scene, add a touch of color or to experiment, all you need do is to slot a colored gel into the interchangeable Gel Tray Drawer. The optional Gel Kit contains red, blue, green and amber gels for matching the white balance of different lighting situations or for special effects.

The WhaleTail is the most compact, most versatile and most creative on-camera flash diffuser system ever. It comes in two sizes - the WhaleTail Reporter for photojournalists who need a diffuser that will not fall off and WhaleTail Studio for portrait photographers who want the largest on-camera flash diffuser anywhere available.