Help getting the speedlight off camera

I haven't done much of any thing with my camera in a couple years. I started learning my speedlight ( I prefer natural lighting) but then I put everything away and took a break. I'm ready to continue to learn. My next step is getting the light off the camera, using a bracket.
Would anyone be so kind as to share a photo of their set up and guide me with what I need to buy for my 7D and 580ex?
Thanks in advance.

Your 7D works as a flash commander. You can put your 580 EX anywhere within about 30' of the camera and it will work just fine. No wires, no radio, no nothing required.

GeoKras1989 wrote in post #17232712
Your 7D works as a flash commander. You can put your 580 EX anywhere within about 30' of the camera and it will work just fine. No wires, no radio, no nothing required.

That's very helpful, thank you. I was going to buy a sync cord. So I only need to buy a bracket? Do you have a recommendation on a rotating bracket?

I don't use brackets. I have a 2-foot cord, but that requires one hand on the camera and one on the flash, which is difficult. I don't recommend it. If you are doing photojournalism stuff, you may want a bracket. I do a lot of flash stuff with the reflector card and diffuser panel built into the 580EX II. That is very versatile.

If I am doing studio stuff, I use my 60D as a flash commander and mount the flashes on stands with reflector umbrellas attached. The beauty of the Canon optically fired flash commander is the you can use as many flashes as you want. I usually go with a key light, fill and background. Background is tricky with the 60D; it only does two groups. Your 7D will master 3 groups, which makes background a lot easier. Sometimes I do use my 580 as a master, just so I can have access to group C.

Thanks. I don't think I am ready to attempt to hold the flash and the camera. I don't have a studio so I am not ready just yet for the stands.
I don't have a studio so I am not ready for stands etc.
I really appreciate you taking the time to respond and help!

What is your goal in getting the flash off the camera? Brackets can help a small amount for event wor, but have little effect for portraits. . If you do go with a bracket get an ETTL cord. The wireless master is great for distant use but its awkward havjng the popup flash up while on a bracket plus using the popup as a commander drains the camera battery quicker.

gonzogolf wrote in post #17232780
What is your goal in getting the flash off the camera? Brackets can help a small amount for event wor, but have little effect for portraits. . If you do go with a bracket get an ETTL cord. The wireless master is great for distant use but its awkward havjng the popup flash up while on a bracket plus using the popup as a commander drains the camera battery quicker.

I was going to use it for outdoor portrait when a light is needed. Mostly chasing toddlers around. I'm very new to the lighting, do you have another suggestion? Thank you.

caroleigh wrote in post #17232792
I was going to use it for outdoor portrait when a light is needed. Mostly chasing toddlers around. I'm very new to the lighting, do you have another suggestion? Thank you.

Moving it 6 inches does you no good. The only reason for brackets is to change the orientation of shadowing for the equivalent on camera flash. Outside it gets more complicated, To improve over on camera flash you need to do a few things. The first is to make your light source bigger via a softbox or umbrella. In turn that requires a stand, and possibly a bracket. You will also want to consider radio triggers as the master control via popup flash is spotty outside. I csn anticipate your response that thats a lot of gear and bother and there is some merit there, but incremental measures gain you very little.

I don't have a real studio. What I have is a dining room table and windows on two adjacent walls I can cover or not. Hey, it came with the house!

Looks like I have a lot more homework to do! Thanks again.

May help the OP:
http://www.learn.usa.c​anon.com …ite_tip_pt3_art​icle.shtml
&
http://www.learn.usa.c​anon.com …eedlite_transmi​tter.shtml
(v similar to the 7D)

I use a Stroboflash Camera Flit (better than flash flip bracket) and modify my flash using a Joe Demb Flash Diffuser Pro www.dembflashproducts.​com. I trigger the flash with a Canon Off-Camera Sync Cord.

Although the Canon 7D built-in flash will trigger an off camera flash, it is not particularly reliable when shooting outdoors in the bright sun. Whether the 7D will actually fire the flash or not depends on the distance from flash to subject as well as the angle of the sun. Since triggering is not certain with the built-in flash; I prefer to use the sync cord which IS 100% CERTAIN TO TRIGGER THE REMOTE FLASH.

I use my flash in the bounce position and position the FlipIt portion of the Flash Diffuser Pro at a 45 degree angle forward when shooting outdoors or indoors when the ceiling is too high or too dark off which to bounce. Indoors with standard height white ceilings, I position the FlipIt just about vertically.

Outdoors at night

IMAGE LINK: http://rpcrowe.smugmug​.com …/Beauty-Shoot/i-kjH47pZ/A

IMAGE LINK: http://rpcrowe.smugmug​.com …ional/n-LPGK4/i-cgTBM9t/A

caroleigh wrote in post #17232694
... My next step is getting the light off the camera, using a bracket. ...

Just to echo what gonzogolf's been saying, a bracket really isn't that useful for the situation you're thinking of. I'd recommend reading this blog posting by Neil van Niekerk on flash brackets, and then compare that to his articles on bouncing with directional light, and using the BFT to flag off (block) direct light from the flash to the subject.

caroleigh wrote in post #17232778
...I don't have a studio so I am not ready just yet for the stands.

Actually, a lot of us don't have studios and yet we use lightstands. It saves you having to get someone ELSE to hold the flash where you need it. We've all been reading the Strobist blog. But I'd really recommend mastering on-camera flash and eTTL and bumping your head up against their limitations before heading into off-camera flash, because the gear requirements are fewer and the learning curve is easier, and nearly everything you learn will still apply when you get the flash off-camera. Having both on-camera/TTL and off-camera techniques under your belt is a good thing.

I would recomend just getting a flash stand and umbrella, I sadly had to move back in with my parents. So my 2 flash stands take up almost no room, and my umbrellas are the same. I just tuck them in a little corner in my childhood bedroom.

caroleigh wrote in post #17232840
Looks like I have a lot more homework to do! Thanks again.

Read this:

http://strobist.blogsp​ot.nl/2006/03/lighting​-101.html


I started my journey with off-camera flash with:
a PBL 9 ft. light stand
Flash Zebra flash bracket
42" umbrella
a pair of YN-622C RF triggers

It's a fairly small investment and works great.