DIY Bounce Flash Card

ok so in a thread titled indoor shooting- help needed, Willie46 was trying to figure out low indoor shooting to which you know lead to a flash needed... many discussions... as seen here... Click Here

anywho it got side tracked a bit with flash when OP was trying to figure out lenses and the sort.. im still a noob and have a YN flash and a diffuser from ebay...
someone mentioned shooting straight up but i said it was a cathedral ceiling..then was told a bounce flash... so a link was brought up... so i made a template...
then i googled and found a different one...

below are my results of what I made.... now it isnt finished.. the originator of the bounce flash used velcro circles in 2 spots... to hold the top..

now my question to you... i could do that.. but does it make sense to be able to adjust the angle of even the top edge? im contemplating putting a short velcro strip on each side vs circles.... but not sure..

looking for that person that knows better.... this is for a on camera hotshoe flash where you are say at your kids play and they are just feet away....


so tell me what you think.. be nice, be mean, smack me around.. i dont mind.. looking for a constructive criticism thread...


and the link to give credit where credit is due.... http://super.nova.org/​DPR/DIY01/

i basically printed that out on a fullsize paper and traced it.. so i in no way constructed that template..


1. Inside DIY Bounce Flash

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/56197228@N05/6​392038715/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/56197228@N05/6​392038615/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/56197228@N05/6​392038663/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/56197228@N05/6​392038753/

update.. just final pics... my turkey day gear...

pics resized and auto done in PSE...
Front

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/56197228@N05/6​392539611/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/56197228@N05/6​392539949/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/56197228@N05/6​392553533/

Well the first shot is just plain overexposed so you really can't compare those two to each other. If the shots were equally exposed you will see the difference the DIY makes along the shadow line under the chin. Softer edge. It is a highly recommended product. It took no time to make but I don't use maine that often.

Have fun on turkey day. Post some shots.

so going to most likely run some kind of black fabric behind where the velcro is as right now it is only self stickied in there for tomorrow... and use a sewing machine to get it permanently in there...

digital paradise wrote in post #13443416
Well the first shot is just plain overexposed so you really can't compare those two each other. If the shots were equally exposed you will see the difference the DIY makes along the shadow line under the chin. Softer edge. It is a highly recommended product. It took no time to make but I don't use maine that
often.

understood.. it was a quick pic... direct flash.. no settings change....
figured straight flash... then the bounce flash is supposed to deflect the flash straight at the person... so kinda just showing the diffused look that it gave...

appreciate your response though...

im $7.50 in and that is with a $4.99 can of glue plus 7% tax... each sheet was $.49...

No problem. The DIY also gets light coming from above with that lip at the top which makes it look more natural. It is how we see our world every day. Well most of it aside from table lamps and stuff like that.

It will also help reduce/eliminate shadows from glasses, and other facial obstructions like noses, etc. Sometimes they just get in the way

The first shot is certainly over exposed, but the neck shadow is definitely softer in the second. The problem with these modifiers is that to take advantage of there relative size, you have to be so close to the subject that you get perspective distortion.

windpig wrote in post #13443528
The first shot is certainly over exposed, but the neck shadow is definitely softer in the second. The problem with these modifiers is that to take advantage of there relative size, you have to be so close to the subject that you get perspective distortion.

i agree.. i picked up my camera and fired it off without bothering.. now i used to do that all the time... without looking at the histogram... and have been bummed on so many pics....
so this would have been the same result.. pick it up and take pic.. i would have gotten home with that pic and been well happy with it...

im in class (not till next thursday as turkey day tomorrow)... and we havent covered, exposure, histogram or grey card.. so im trying to learn.. and will do better.. but im finding the lcd screen is very fooling.... i have many over exposed pics and found i can only do so much with over exposed...

Chuck Gardeners site has some great stuff.

With your flash, are you shooting in AV, TV or manual?

BTW, beautiful kitty cat.

Go by the whites on the histogram if there are any and then adjust FEC as required. Heck you are with family so if no one has anything white in the image get them to hold a piece of white paper or towel for the set up during key family shots. For any shots. Why not?

Scroll down and look at the gent holding the towel. This is from the same fellow who came up with your DIY project.

http://super.nova.org/​DPR/Histogram/

I carry a white towel with me. I used it last Sunday as a double check. I used my incedent meter to meter the ambient, then to meter ambient/flash together. Then I took a shot with the towel in the frame.

I shoot with a neutral picture style so that I get a fairly unbiased histogram and by checking the histogram and highlight alert I was able to expose about 1/3 of a stop more than what my meter was reading. If I increase the exposure in DPP by 1/6 of a stop, I get blinkies on part of the towel.

It was getting dark and I was shooting at ISO800 with a 40D. Being able to get the maximum exposure helps limit the noise by an amazing amount. Shooting higher ISO's is where it really, really pays to maximize your exposure.

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Works weIl doesn't it. It is a lifesaver at a wedding. Lot of white there so it makes shooting images when the bride is in them.

digital paradise wrote in post #13443800
Works weIl doesn't it. It is a lifesaver at a wedding. Lot of white there so it makes shooting images when the bride is in them.

It does work well and I generally trust my Sekonic meter, but there are times when being sure you've maximized that extra pays off. The other thing is that my 40D under exposes by about 1/6 of a stop and my 5DII is on the button.

Do you use the histogram in DPP to make adjustments? I tend not to as it is my converter and then I use PS for everything else. I must admit if I have something blown out I was use ACR. Better highlight recovery. That of course is if DPP can't handle.

I used DPP in this instance for the example screen shot.
I opend the file in DPP, noted how far I would have to go to clip any of the towel, then make the basic changes to picture style, contrast, WB, sharpening. I shoot in neutral, -4 contrast, 0 sharpening, custom WB or as close to what I think it is.

I set up DPP a number of years ago so the highlight alerts are on 251 and 0. This matches the what the in camera generated highlight alerts will show. All these settings give me in camera data that is very close to what shows up in DPP when I open the image.

Otherwise I always use LR or ACR out of Bride.
Once I was comfortable that the in camera highlight alerts and histogram were getting me what I needed I stopped using DPP pretty much. I may use it as for quick vetting though.