Good Flash modifiers for MY applications?

[jcw122]

Hey everyone,

I notice tons of different flash modifiers/diffusers/etc names' being posted on the forums, and I've also seen tons of people mentioning that each has their own place and situation in flash photography. And I'd like to know which modifiers/systems/what-ever-they-are-called :lol:, are appropriate for what situations, since there are SO many different products out there. Reason I want to know all this, is because I see a bunch of modifiers like the Flip-It, and Promax system, and get excited about their results, but then go back to realizing it might not be applicable for, say, outdoor work.

Obviously, people flash photography falls into two big categories, Indoor, and Outdoor.

So here's the big question:

What products would be appropriate for those different places, indoor, and outdoor flash photography? Obviously something that is intended for bouncing light of walls/ceilings wouldn't be useful outdoor, so in that case, what would? Or the other way around.

Thanks in advance, I hope I stated my question and purpose of this thread clearly. :D

[Curtis N]

Two things about outdoor flash photography:
You're almost always using it as fill flash, to soften harsh shadows from the sun or just make your subject "pop" from the background by adding a bit of extra light. Shadows on backgrounds are usually less of an issue compared to indoors. The effects of flash modifiers are often hard to notice.

Secondly, there's nothing to bounce the light off, so that rules out a lot of light modifiers right away.

A third factor is that you need a lot of power to compete with the sun. If the scene meters at 1/250 and f/10, a flash with a guide number of 140 feet can provide full illumination only out to 14 feet, or a stop less light out to 20 feet. Flash modifiers reduce this effective range considerably. Direct, undiffused flash usually works just fine for outdoor fill.

Indoors, you have to remember the general principle. Most flash modifiers are designed to bounce some of the light off the ceiling or wall and shoot some of it directly at the subject. The versatility of any device depends on how easily you can control the ratio of bounced vs. direct. I don't own a flip-it, but from its design I think it could really shine in this category.

Then there is the unfortunate scenario of a large room with high ceilings, where bouncing just doesn't work. Here, there aren't a lot of viable options. A mini softbox might help, or a Lumiquest Pocket bouncer which creates a larger light source and moves it further from the lens.

Start with what's cheap and go from there. A 3x5 index card and rubber band won't set you back too much and can work wonders. The Sto-fen Omni-bounce costs less than $20 so that might be the next logical investment. Experiment with these, while thinking about where the light is going after it leaves your flash unit and how it's hitting your subject. You'll soon learn to apprise each situation and choose the right tool for the job.