Demb Flash Products

I'm shooting some family portraits in a few weeks and need advice on the above mentioned product(s).

The even is at a restaurante with with tall ceilings and open rooms. I have no way of bouncing my flash.

I've looked at the Demb diffusers for a while but haven't pulled the trigger yet.
http://www.dembflashpr​oducts.com/diffuser/

The family photos will be 2-8 person groups.

Anyone have any feedback on these or photos taked with one?

Or, if anyone has something similar but effective that they use, please share.

Thanks!

The flip is a good and popular product. Hate to take a sale away from Joe but the Rogue Flashbender is pretty popular as well.


http://http …words=_Rogue_Fl​ashBenders

Here is a DIY

http://super.nova.org/​DPR/DIY01/

I've used all the options mentioned, although the flash bender I used was a DIY version.
The bottom line is you have to get a larger light source to really get soft light.
For medium sized groups, if bouncing is impractical then get the flash above your camera on a light stand. A couple of feet would be adequate, and shoot away.
The goal is to have the ambient light in the room within 2 stops, one is even better, then use the flash to clean up the faces.

Tripod is a good accessory here as well.

Use your 24-104 stop it down to 5/6, put it on a tripod, use about 35-50mm and shoot away.

If you are going to buy a demo, get the larger thingy (portrait dish) that goes on a flash. I have a couple of those and use them for groups.

dmward wrote in post #13786053
I've used all the options mentioned, although the flash bender I used was a DIY version.
The bottom line is you have to get a larger light source to really get soft light.
For medium sized groups, if bouncing is impractical then get the flash above your camera on a light stand. A couple of feet would be adequate, and shoot away.
The goal is to have the ambient light in the room within 2 stops, one is even better, then use the flash to clean up the faces.

Tripod is a good accessory here as well.

Use your 24-104 stop it down to 5/6, put it on a tripod, use about 35-50mm and shoot away.

If you are going to buy a demo, get the larger thingy (portrait dish) that goes on a flash. I have a couple of those and use them for groups.

The issue i'm running into is that the restaurant will not allow me to set up any stands. Even though it's a private party, they've made me sign a disclosure saying that I won't photography any food, waitstaff or interior views of the building except for the parts including the families.

So, I'm left with an on camera diffuser.

Which will cover my shots best, the Demb or the Flashbender??

I use the older generation flipit pro aswell as the newer plexiglass thing.

I actually prefer my older version more because I can tuck it in my small think tank bag that I put on my belt.

Does the restaurant have white walls??? if not you better get your xrite passport or grey cards so you can easily do white balance corrections in RAW.

Flashbenders are neat. I will say the larger versions have had complaints being too heavy tipping the heads of the nikon sb900 flash. If thats the case your 580exii will topple over too by tilting.

If it was me I'd ask a friend or pay an assistant in holding one AB400 (with vml battery pack or a long cord) on a paint pole with the kacey pole adapter. Put a 3 foot octadome on it and make your assistant stand directly behind you. You can get excellent soft even light to easily cover 2-8 people in a posed photo. Using the AB is more for the posed group shots.

Another suggestion is to get an assistant to hold a large reflector behind your back. Direct the flash behind your head. This will make your flash a much larger light source and create soft light as direct flash bounces the white reflector.

Or if you have triggers buy a cheap photoflex 5 foot shoot through umbrella and put that on a kacey adapter on a paint pole and shoot away as the 5 foot umbrella is behind your head. This is fill light so you can land the safe shots.

I love using the joe demb flipit. The new version is modular so you can put a very large white card on the plexi backing. YES it looks STUPID but it does increase the bounce card and will work BETTER than a rogue. It will still look a more "professional" than a DIY white card (if that matters to you).

Lumiquest ProMax:
http://www.lumiquest.c​om …iQuest-ProMax-System.html
(basically,it's a 80/20 with addons)

...or PressLite Vertex:
http://www.presslite.c​om/home.php

Only one flash needed...both gadgets are highly adaptable and versatile.
I have them both and I use them alternatively in a wide variety of situations.

Joe Demb is a great guy, but honestly if you can't bounce I can't see how a bounce modifier is going to help you

The point of the flip it is to alter the ratio of fill and bounce. If there is no bounce, it's just fill, in which case you may as well just use direct flash...

And yes technically the flip it is slightly softer than direct flash as it is slightly larger...in which case why not just use an even LARGER piece of cardboard?

Although I have and use a FlipIt, I'm not sure if it will work well for the situation you describe.

I may be more prone to use/make a 'better bounce card' with white art foam, and make it as big as possible to send as much light forward as I can.

With the Demb, you'll have to close it down to about 45 degrees and/or use the diffuser on the front.

Perhaps you can bounce your direct flash off a rear wall and make that your light source? It will depend upon the layout of the restaurant.

Good luck!

If you have to use on camera flash, there is really nothing that can be added to the flash that will be big enough to do much good.

Again, tripod, shutter speed to get sufficient ambient and then some flash to punch up the faces.

In this scenario, just about any of the items mentioned will work.

Hopefully go can get come bounce off the ceiling.

5DII high ISO performance is your friend.

Churches are a lot bigger than a restaurant, and this technique works.

+1 bounce flash
+1 Presslite VerteX

You really need a large light source to light up a group of people, and bounce flash is the ideal way to do this with the constraints of your situation.

Don’t discount the possibility of bouncing off a high ceiling. Your high ISO camera should have no problem registering the light bouncing off the ceiling.

No more excuses about high ceilings and bounced flash

If it were me, I would manually zoom the flash to 105mm to maximize the light output, and split the light left and right to get two light sources coming down from the ceiling. You can do this with the Vertex by tilting the flash head about 30 degrees to the right and tilting the Vertex mirrored panel perfectly vertical. Remove the second panel, as you won’t need it for this set up. This in effect will give you two light sources (left and right of your camera) coming down from the ceiling, spreading the light across the group of people below.

SFzip wrote in post #13795001
+1 bounce flash
+1 Presslite VerteX

You really need a large light source to light up a group of people, and bounce flash is the ideal way to do this with the constraints of your situation.

Don’t discount the possibility of bouncing off a high ceiling. Your high ISO camera should have no problem registering the light bouncing off the ceiling.

No more excuses about high ceilings and bounced flash

If it were me, I would manually zoom the flash to 105mm to maximize the light output, and split the light left and right to get two light sources coming down from the ceiling. You can do this with the Vertex by tilting the flash head about 30 degrees to the right and tilting the Vertex mirrored panel perfectly vertical. Remove the second panel, as you won’t need it for this set up. This in effect will give you two light sources (left and right of your camera) coming down from the ceiling, spreading the light across the group of people below.

Splitting lighting with the VerteX

Good luck.

Thank you!!

I didn't even think of this.......manually setting my speed light to 105 to max the output.

I think this + a diffuser will serve me well. I talked to the GM at the restaurant and they have no issues with on camera flash but would discourage me from bringing any other light sources/stands/umbrell​as.

I'm leaning towards the Lumiquest Pro 80/20. I think this will also help with outdoor fill. I shoot a ton of family/senior sessions.

Thanks again for everyone's input.

I will have to say the joe flipit can be tipped away so that you can get 100% bare flash in a matter of seconds. This way you can have full control. I use my flipit with the index card so that it acts as a gobo on shoe.