I hate the harshness of direct flash but have to use it...

DDCSD wrote in post #5924160
You could try wearing a white t-shirt and bounce the flash off of yourself.

If he's duct taped to the ceiling, who's taking the photos? Sorry, couldn't resist.

troypiggo wrote in post #5924279
If he's duct taped to the ceiling, who's taking the photos? Sorry, couldn't resist.

That would certainly make for a unique perspective!

I shoot plenty of assignments with bare-bulb flash - if you take the time to position the heads carefully the lighting won't be harsh or unflattering. As has been said, get the flashes high up and above all anticipate where your subjects will be and adjust the lights accordingly beforehand.

/www.planetneil.com/

There is some real mind altering ideas for flash skeptics at the above web site.....

I personally like the flash, (which is why I posted that link to the thread regarding nightclub photos). I use a basic defuser (thinking about a fong but they are rather large) and I rubber band a white index card (bounce card) to the back to reflect light forward (using different color index cards adds a nice effect too) as I aim the flash at the ceiling.

Wilt,
I'm just guessing, but I thought that one might be bounce with the small reflector pulled up on the 550EX. I could be wrong, though. Like I said, the bounce wasn't working to my satisfaction, but my point was that you still you should try it and not rule it out offhand. Even with the direct flash, I may have been a bit heavy handed and perhaps could have used a ratio with more ambient and less flash.
I would think a direct flash off camera from the side might work nicely in his situation, but that's really beyond my personal experience.

Bearmann wrote in post #5925300
Wilt,
I'm just guessing, but I thought that one might be bounce with the small reflector pulled up on the 550EX. I could be wrong, though. Like I said, the bounce wasn't working to my satisfaction, but my point was that you still you should try it and not rule it out offhand. Even with the direct flash, I may have been a bit heavy handed and perhaps could have used a ratio with more ambient and less flash.
I would think a direct flash off camera from the side might work nicely in his situation, but that's really beyond my personal experience.

It is certainly worth an experiment (and even a bit of chimping!), since 'digital is free' and instantaneous, unlike film.

You cold try a Gary Fong Cloud Lightsphere, making the strobe act like a bare bulb, as much as they are poked fun of on POTN they do work.
You might try clamping multiple strobes to what ever you can so they overlap in the shooting area triggering them with PW's or other radio triggers.

Jack

Bearmann wrote in post #5925300
my point was that you still you should try it and not rule it out offhand.

Agree.
I do bounce of (black) walls in a club.
It does suck in light, but things like smoke in the air do help diffuse / reflect the flash as well.
Be subtle about the use of things like an omnibounce or reflector card; they will start acting like the main light very quickly, since little light is reflected off the wall.