reflector as a diffuser???

Hello,
I have finally saved my money to purchase a 580II flash for my 7d. Now I have my 430exII, as well. I really want to purchase a few umbrellas, however. . . Since I am broke, again, don't you think that I can still do quite a bit of outdoor portraits if I were to simply use my reflector as a diffuser? I could simply point my flashes away from my subject and then flash them into some reflectors to diffuse the light. Has anyone had luck with a cheap setup like this? I am not a professional. I just want to take some senior portraits of my nieces. I love taking photos, but I just don't have the money to spend on anymore equipment; and it's honestly just for my enjoyment.
I do have a nice, large 5-in-1 reflector that is also a translucent. Would anyone recommend using the translucent between the flash and the subject? Or how close should I typically have the flash from the reflector? I'm assuming I'll just have to play around. I know...experimenting usually works the best.
Any comments would be appreciated.
Good luck everyone!!!
Mike

Yes, both of your ideas will work. The trick will be getting the reflector in a good position for pleasant lighting for your subject.

Mike,

Both ideas will work, but you may have an easier time using the translucent method because it will be easier to aim. I have done this myself.

The advantage of the umbrella is the shape will collect and redistribute the light a little bit better than a reflector, also the ease of a stand mount. They are definitely a good investment for the shooter on a budget.

Do you have an assistant to help you? Without that is pain IMHO.

BrowsingMike wrote in post #13196968
Hello,
I have finally saved my money to purchase a 580II flash for my 7d. Now I have my 430exII, as well. I really want to purchase a few umbrellas, however. . . Since I am broke, again, don't you think that I can still do quite a bit of outdoor portraits if I were to simply use my reflector as a diffuser? I could simply point my flashes away from my subject and then flash them into some reflectors to diffuse the light. Has anyone had luck with a cheap setup like this? I am not a professional. I just want to take some senior portraits of my nieces. I love taking photos, but I just don't have the money to spend on anymore equipment; and it's honestly just for my enjoyment.
I do have a nice, large 5-in-1 reflector that is also a translucent. Would anyone recommend using the translucent between the flash and the subject? Or how close should I typically have the flash from the reflector? I'm assuming I'll just have to play around. I know...experimenting usually works the best.

Mike, the typical "diffuser" does little more than scatter the light from a flash unit (typically a hotshoe flash unit) in all directions. The Sto-Fen Omni-Bounce is a typical example of such a diffuser. The real problem with these is that they need a large reflective surface (hopefully a neutral white surface) to bounce the light back toward the subject in a way that it appears to be lit with a much larger light source.

Using a flash unit aimed at a large reflector to bounce the light back toward the subject does the same sort of thing without the "diffuser" being necessary.

A large translucent panel is much like what's in front of a softbox. Properly lit from the rear, the result is also a large light source. A shoot-through umbrella works in much the same way. Both have a potential problem, though, and that is the stray light that bounces off the back surface and never makes it directly to the subject. The stray light also can destroy one's intended lighting scheme by bouncing around the room and thus back toward the subject.