Finding a flash diffuser...my brain is about to explode.

[lindsaytblum]

:shock:Ok. As a favor to a friend, I've been asked to shoot a wedding in mid September. The wedding will be small, outdoors at a garden, and in the evening (6pm). My problem is finding a proper flash diffuser...

I have a Canon 430EX and have been searching the forum for the best types of diffusers for wedding photography. What is the best I can get (preferably under $40)? I'm doing this as a favor (free) so I don't want to spend a whole lot.

I've looked at the Gary Fong C3 Lightsphere II (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/435138-REG/Gary_Fong_LS2_C3_C3_Lightsphere_II_Inverted.html) . It seems to fit my budget and fits on my flash...

I would very much appreciate any help and/or comments on this diffuser. Thank you so much!

[H2Ohta]

http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/
This is a good resource for anything flash photography related.

[lindsaytblum]

Thank you for the link!

[bubba zanetti]

My problem is finding a proper flash diffuser...



Buy some cheapies from ebay...i have a few & they work very well.

http://shop.ebay.com.au/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38.l1313&_nkw=canon+flash+diffuser&_sacat=See-All-Categories

The one i use

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Flash-Dome-Diffuser-for-Canon-430EX-and-430EX-II_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhas hZitem4cea872f03QQitemZ330352242435QQptZAUQ5fCamer asQ5fPhotographicQ5fAccessoriesQQsalenotsupported



.

[Tiberius47]

Those kind of things really only work if there are surfaces nearby to bounce the light off.

True light diffusion can only occur if the light source is enlarged. For something like that, the Ezybox Hotshoe is good, from Lastolite. It is a bit expensive though...

If there are surfaces you can bounce off, try using those. If not, go to a $2 store and get yourself one of those car windscreen reflectors that keep the inside of your car cool on a hot day. They are silver on one side and whit eon the other. Just get someone to hold it for you and bounce your flash off that. They are nice and big. :)

[RobKirkwood]

A flash diffuser is the last thing I'd ever buy to shoot a wedding - way below one of those little bubble thingys that fit in the hotshoe!

Problem is, weddings usually involve decent sized groups of people, so any diffuser or softbox is still going to be like a point source of light relative to the size of the group - all it's really going to do is soak up flash power.

If you're looking to use the flash as a fill light, just use the bare flashgun.

Rob

[Hannya]

Hi. Have you looked at this
http://photosorcery.blogspot.com/2007/09/diy-photography-better-bounce-card.html
I made one of those (well, several) and they work well, you get a few funny looks, but who cares?

[lindsaytblum]

Wow, thanks so much to everyone for the advice and links. I got a variety of suggestions here, so I'm just going to try all of them prior to the big day to see which works best for me. Again, thank you all very, very much!

[form]

I don't use flash diffusers except umbrellas. I bounce flash. I bought a lightsphere early on, now I understand how it works and I don't like it or any other diffuser that puts a limited amount of light directly on the subjects. The flash position inevitably causes undesirable specular highlights on faces with any perspiration, oil, etc. The direction of the light (frontal) also produces uninteresting modeling shadows IMO, as well as fairly hard shadows directly behind the subject (though they can't be seen much in landscape mode because they're under the subjects). The only good thing I have to say about any flash diffusers for on-camera hot shoe flash use is that they provide the highlight in the eye (albeit a small one) that is often not present with bounced flash.

Outdoors, flash diffusion? I would use umbrellas/softboxes on stands or hand-held in one hand. Anything that sends any light upward into the great blue/black sky is wasting light, and the only on-flash diffusers that don't do that are of the mini-softbox type (I think the lumiquest promax also has that option). Still, I don't see any significant benefit from those, since your light source is inevitably near camera axis and still very small.

[shaggymatt]

Like Form, I never use a diffuser. Bounce! On rare occasion I'll use my Demb Flip it (http://www.dembflashproducts.com/flipit/) but most of the time I'll pull the bounce card on the 580exII.

I took an outdoor lighting class this spring and got into using reflectors/diffusers. When we can convince the bride to work with us in planning her day, she is going to be the one that you get the best pictures from.

[tim]

The only diffusers I use are umbrellas and soft boxes. I bounce the light off a large surface, it's more effective and easier.

[cdifoto]

Direct or bounced for me. I usually need all the oomph I can get.

[rathke]

Bounce indoors and direct flash outdoors as fill. You do not need a diffuser. You say in the garden at 6:00 mid-September. Sunset will be about 7:00. This tutorial http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/ will help tremendously. You should have some really nice light at that time to work with. Unless the weather is bad. What are the plans for that?

[jonwhite]

Direct outside for fill, bounce inside when theres something suitable to bounce off, umbrellas if were doing portraits inside, ombnibounces when we want to spread light in various directions for bounce of different things.

[coryparris]

Use bounce flash rather than a diffuser. I only use diffusers if it is only part of the light. I find that bouncing gives far better results.

How to bounce:
1) use a high ISO and wide aperture (faster flash recycle, which means you get more moments)
2) zoom your flash head
3) point the flash head in the direction you want the light to come from (left, right, above, behind you)
4) shoot raw because you will get some color casts from the bouncing surface

[kyen]

[quote=lindsaytblum;8487161]
I've looked at the Gary Fong C3 Lightsphere II (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/435138-REG/Gary_Fong_LS2_C3_C3_Lightsphere_II_Inverted.html) . It seems to fit my budget and fits on my flash...
quote]

The Gary Fong is great IF you can find one! I just got one and had to exchange it because it didn't fit my flash so double check on the size you need.

[angryhampster]

[quote=lindsaytblum;8487161]
I've looked at the Gary Fong C3 Lightsphere II (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/435138-REG/Gary_Fong_LS2_C3_C3_Lightsphere_II_Inverted.html) . It seems to fit my budget and fits on my flash...
quote]

The Gary Fong is great IF you can find one! I just got one and had to exchange it because it didn't fit my flash so double check on the size you need.


However, it's useless outdoors and only marginally better than a Flip-It or bounce card.

[tonytsang]

Do it yourself:
http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Gary-Fong-Lightsphere/

Total cost is less than 10$ CAD

I tried it... the result is amazing.

You can use it both indoor or outdoor

[Edbee]

My personal preference is the "Walmart Diffuser" and I line the inside with silver Reflectix Tape.
http://super.nova.org/DPR/DIY01/

[Peacefield]

My personal preference is the "Walmart Diffuser" and I line the inside with silver Reflectix Tape.
http://super.nova.org/DPR/DIY01/

Thanks, Ed; I always want to post this link when this question comes up and I never have it. Bouncing with a bounce card is the best simplest way to go (I also like using two flashes in a main/fill manner with the help of an assistant, but that's obviously more expensive and challenging). But churches are not very bounce friendly and two flashes are too cumbersome for the up-the-aisle shots so to this day, I still use one of these fun-foam light scoops that I made for $3 to capture these shots. Very happy with the results.

[dbrod1]

After years of laughing at other photographers who use the fong, I broke down and bought one. I love it with the combo of using a slave high up on a light stand. I still manage to get some creative shadows, without blasting the right side of peoples faces when I shoot vertical.