Taking photos in the evening or dark

[moroccangirl]

I see people taking photos of events at sundown. They have what looks like a bounce flash with a white thing covering it. What is that?

[omega lambda]

Does it look like this?

[moroccangirl]

Yes! That's it.

[omega lambda]

That's a flash diffuser.  They really don't work well, but people like to think they do.  They're supposed to make the light of the flash softer so that your subjects don't look flashed, but in reality, they just make the light of the flash dimmer.  If you're interested in making the flash softer, you have to bounce the flash off something (a wall, for instance), or you can make one.  If you're interested, I'll give you a link to make your own with white craft foam.

[moroccangirl]

That's a flash diffuser.  They really don't work well, but people like to think they do.  They're supposed to make the light of the flash softer so that your subjects don't look flashed, but in reality, they just make the light of the flash dimmer.  If you're interested in making the flash softer, you have to bounce the flash off something (a wall, for instance), or you can make one.  If you're interested, I'll give you a link to make your own with white craft foam.

Thanks. That makes sense. I do have a bounce flash for my camera. Are you talking about making a bounce flash of making something for the flash to bounce off of while outside?

[omega lambda]

Thanks. That makes sense. I do have a bounce flash for my camera. Are you talking about making a bounce flash of making something for the flash to bounce off of while outside?

Making something to bounce your flash, whether you're inside or out.  Mine looks a lot like this:



You point the flash head up, and the white foamy thing bounces some of that light forward.  It works really well because the main flash bounces off the ceiling, and the reflected light from the foamy thing prevents raccoon eyes resulting from overhead light only.  If I'm outside, I tilt the flash head a little more forward, but unless you're near a wall, there's no light bouncing off anything.

[Mrtambourineman]

That's cool - I've never seen that before.  So what is a soft box for then?  Just a bigger diffuser? 

[omega lambda]

Do you mean a soft box to put on a flash?  Or soft boxes for studio lights?  The answer is yes, but the ones for studio lights work much better than the ones for flash, and the ones for flash are an annoyance if you need to remove them or use them differently.  The foamy thing (I made my own and it attaches to the flash with velcro) is super cheap, I can make more than I lose (I rip 'em off, put 'em down and then can't fine them again!), and they work better than anything else I've used.  Mine are a little smaller than the one shown, and the top doesn't attach to the sides to make a sort of cup at the top, but I'm going to modify mine to look more like the one above.  A sheet of white foam at the craft store is less than 50 cents, add a pair of scissors and velcro and voila!  You're good to go.

Most plastic diffusers don't work well, all they do is attenuate the flash output, and they do nothing to actually soften the light.  The best diffusers are walls and ceilings, but like I mentioned, if you bounce off the ceiling, you often get raccoon eyes.  Walls are best, but they aren't always where you need them, and for what I do, I can't stop the moment and move people to a more convenient location.  I have to make the best light I can all the time. 

[Mrtambourineman]

Do you mean a soft box to put on a flash?  Or soft boxes for studio lights?  The answer is yes, but the ones for studio lights work much better than the ones for flash, and the ones for flash are an annoyance if you need to remove them or use them differently.  The foamy thing (I made my own and it attaches to the flash with velcro) is super cheap, I can make more than I lose (I rip 'em off, put 'em down and then can't fine them again!), and they work better than anything else I've used.  Mine are a little smaller than the one shown, and the top doesn't attach to the sides to make a sort of cup at the top, but I'm going to modify mine to look more like the one above.  A sheet of white foam at the craft store is less than 50 cents, add a pair of scissors and velcro and voila!  You're good to go.

Most plastic diffusers don't work well, all they do is attenuate the flash output, and they do nothing to actually soften the light.  The best diffusers are walls and ceilings, but like I mentioned, if you bounce off the ceiling, you often get raccoon eyes.  Walls are best, but they aren't always where you need them, and for what I do, I can't stop the moment and move people to a more convenient location.  I have to make the best light I can all the time. 

I meant the ones you put on the flash.  I've seen a number of DIY projects for them and wanted to try one out.  I agree, they do look like a bit of a PITA due to their size, but I like what they do to soften the flash.  Yours looks much more practical and deals with the issue of high ceilings as well (I've been struggling with flash photography in gymnasiums).

[moroccangirl]

Thanks OL!