Wedding Flash Modifier On Camera If Any

I would like to know what you folks are using if any for wedding shots, i.e the dress, inside the church, outside etc.

I have tried 2 types as shown below but one does not work any better than the other hence I was just thinking of getting a regular stofen, small and light on the flash bracket?

Any thoughts?

I haven't used an on-camera flash modifier in a couple years. I just bounce the light behind me or use off-camera flash.

The flashbender works well and can be used in a variety of ways, as a simple bounce card, or tilted more forward when the ceilings wont provide for a full bounce. Stofens are a waste of battery and flash power. Outside neither are much help, although the flashbender can make for a better catch light.

That second one that you posted looks similar to a Stofen. If you didn't like it, why go with the Stofen? I personally don't use any modifiers. Bounce it or direct flash when needed.

I have no clue why people buy stofens? If you believe it makes a difference, you might as well just glue a thick piece of tupperware to the top of your flash. All a stofen does it cut power, causing your flash to work harder. In order to get more elegant light, you need to make your light source larger... not more powerful. Bouncing is the best method at achieving this...

I use flashbender for flagging, but rarely as a flash modifier. If there is absolutely nothing to bounce off, I will put the flash head at a 45 degree angle and bounce it off the flashbender, but it really is about the same as directional flash.

Do your wallet and your photos a favor, and experiment with bounce flash.

picworx wrote in post #16445937
I have tried 2 types as shown below but one does not work any better than the other hence I was just thinking of getting a regular stofen, small and light on the flash bracket?

What brand is the 2nd one on the right that looks like a stofen?

I totally agree with the 'spirit' of the responses given above--stofens et al don't generally produce the kind of light you're looking for. Learning to bounce is generally the best approach.

That said, I think that any light modifier can be treated as a tool that has uses in certain situations. If I place my subject in front of a low stone archway, lighting them with a brolly from the front, an omni-directional light bulb effect is precisely what I would like to place behind them to not only back light the subject a little, but also light up the 'sides' and top of the doorway. Popping a stofen on that backlighting flash really is the most efficient and easy way to go about this.

Covered pretty extensively in the past week.

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1340296
https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1340636

I have an use the Rogue flash bender with the diffusion panel.....Outstanding product. But I also bounce and go bare OCF a ton. The Rogue bender does well when you want to really soften up the light.....Works great in the right light and takes about 2 seconds to slip it on so thats why I use it.

umphotography wrote in post #16449131
I have an use the Rogue flash bender with the diffusion panel.....Outstanding product. But I also bounce and go bare OCF a ton. The Rogue bender does well when you want to really soften up the light.....Works great in the right light and takes about 2 seconds to slip it on so thats why I use it.

Has anyone tested the diffusion panel's effectiveness at certain distances. I would think past 10 feet, it would have minimal effect on softening the light.

Trent Gillespie wrote in post #16449310
Has anyone tested the diffusion panel's effectiveness at certain distances. I would think past 10 feet, it would have minimal effect on softening the light.

I keep meaning to do that. But I suspect you are right. The only value I can really tell is that it evens the spread of light out a bit more.

Most often, my goal with regard to lighting is to have the light 'wrap around' my subject. Bouncing does this to some degree because the larger surface diffuses the light and his the subject from different angles.

When there is no surface to bounce from, the only solution that I found was to light the subject with multiple light sources. I typically use two speedlights - one on camera and one as the key light off camera. This creates a pattern of light that emulates the 'wrap' effect. So I use two Flip-It reflectors on the flashes to direct the light forward with the had zoomed to 105/200mm. The Demb reflector let me move the light source higher and the design was more efficient than the Flashbender and other products.

With this setup, your lights can be very far away and still get that soft light look. The "large light source" rule doesn't apply in this case.

I use the Demb Flip it - similar to the flashbender to fill in the eyes a little bit when I bounce.

gonzogolf wrote in post #16449317
I keep meaning to do that. But I suspect you are right. The only value I can really tell is that it evens the spread of light out a bit more.

10 ft would be my max distance, 6-8 ft is ideal for 4 or less people. Its very soft nice light and a heck of a lot quicker than setting up a softbox

umphotography wrote in post #16450061
10 ft would be my max distance, 6-8 ft is ideal for 4 or less people. Its very soft nice light and a heck of a lot quicker than setting up a softbox

Thats pretty much what I feel, but havent done any evaluation to confirm it.