Outdoor Wedding / 580ex II On-Camera Flash

I'm shooting an outdoor wedding this summer and am wondering whether it would be OK to mount a 580ex II to my 5D body for fill light. I know that it is typically best to use the flash off-camera but will be shooting the wedding by myself; therefore, atleast during the procession, this will not be possible.

Do any of you mount the flash to your body for fill light when shooting outdoor weddings? Should I instead use a bracket? If so, which one (provide an Adorama link, please.) I'm guessing I'll want to have a defuser, too, so that the light isn't so hard. I'm not sure whether one comes with the 580ex II, which I will order later today, but, if not, could you also provide suggestions (with Adorama links) as to diffusers that would work well?

Thanks!

Oh, yeah, and for the bracket--it would have to fit on a 5D with the Canon battery gripped attached.

Okay, maybe this thread is becoming a running tally of my own answers for my own question. Maybe I can still use the 580ex II mounted to the camera without a bracket but, instead of pointing it straight at the subject, use a bounce card like these:

Pictures
http://www.kenrockwell​.com …/bounce-card-DSC_2314.jpg
http://www.blainekenda​ll.com/uploads/blog/IM​G_1366.jpg

Instructional video on how to make a bounce card
http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=RNCmuExlHvM


I will have to experiment with this, but it does seem like a great alternative to just pointing the flash directly at the subject.

Hello there Nein - you can certainly use a 580 in the camera's shoe outdoors for a wedding with little difficulty. Optimum use would be to combine it with a bracket, but you can still get nice results without one depending upon how you use it.

Regarding brackets, my preference and also that of a number of folks here is for the Newton:

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=338933

It may be the smallest, lightest most compact bracket of this type out there, but with all the little attachments it will run close to $300. You can instead get one of the Stroboframes for around $100 which will hold up quite well under moderate duty.

Are you familiar with the Lumiquest Promax system? See:

http://www.amazon.com …uest-Promax/dp/B00009XW5J

It's pretty inexpensive, folds flat into its own case, and gives you several lighting options for bounce flash. Works fine without a bracket...unless you're going to be switching back and forth between portrait and landscape orientations. Then you might want to consider a bracket as well. There are several that people here seem to like. I have this Newton camera rotating bracket and like it a lot:

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …mera_Rotator_Br​acket.html

Oh, and as far as bounce cards go, you can make your own out of cardboard, foam, lightweight plastic, or buy any of the fine Lumiquest Pocket Bounce products:

http://www.lumiquest.c​om/

I've been using one type of Pocket bounce or another for the past 20 years, on and off, when I'm not using the little white pull out card on the 580, or one of my own larger self-fabricated velcro cards. I think the Lumiquest products start at $19.95 and perform EXACTLY as advertised.

Stay away from "Tupperware" and Stoffens for outdoor venues where there is nothing for them to reflect off of. That's how they work, by bouncing light off nearby walls, ceilings, etc. If you don't have those elements to use, all they do is waste your flash light. Amazing how many people use them incorrectly.

yup, that's the one theat sdipirro shows the link for - beautiful little device, takes up very little room in the bag, and can be purchased to work with a grip.

sdipirro wrote in post #5582754
......Then you might want to consider a bracket as well. There are several that people here seem to like. I have this Newton camera rotating bracket and like it a lot:

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …mera_Rotator_Br​acket.html

580ex II comes with a built-in bounce card...

SurplusCorn wrote in post #5582895
580ex II comes with a built-in bounce card...

I didn't know that. The LumiQuest system looks like what I'm after, though. I may even forgo the use of a bracket in favor of on-camera flash with a bounce card, if only, for the time being, to save a little money. The next go 'round, I will have the Newton Bracket, as it appears to be just what I'm looking for.

SurplusCorn wrote in post #5582895
580ex II comes with a built-in bounce card...

A tiny one, sufficient for creating a catchlight and preventing to heavy shadows under the chin when using ceiling bounce, but *way* to small to be of use outdoors. And it will do nothing to soften the light.

René Damkot wrote in post #5583011
A tiny one, sufficient for creating a catchlight and preventing to heavy shadows under the chin when using ceiling bounce, but *way* to small to be of use outdoors. And it will do nothing to soften the light.

I figured as much. I will just purchase the LumiQuest Promax system.

before you move to far on this, it's best if you contact whoever is performing the ceremony and find out if you can even use flash... I know indoors many pastors/preachers/etc will not allow flash, and many pro's won't use it anyway because it's an annoyance to everyone.

While not the most subtle diffuser, I made this home made "beauty dish" for my 5D and 580 EX. It produces a very soft, flattering light.

Promax system is ok, but honestly given the subject distance and small sizes of the diffusers they pretty much act as point sources. Just use bare fill flash outside. If you use flash as main then use a diffuser, and use something large like an umbrella to diffuse.

I think that for outdoor use as fill only, I would just point the flash straight at them with FEC of -2 to -3 and use the sun as the main light. Fill light, in studio, is normally in line with the camera anyway. Only downside would be reflections in glasses, so you might want a bracket, or to hand hold the flash to the side with a sync cord.