Flash Diffusers - Which do you use?

Which one do you use, and why?

I shot my first wedding as a second shooter recently and learned that I NEED a diffuser. I had such harsh shadows, I won't use half my shots. Thank goodness I was just there to learn from my mistakes, because I made plenty of them.

However I learned, and THAT is the important thing!

My need... I need a diffuser for fill flash...

SoccerRef wrote in post #6059115
Which one do you use, and why?

I shot my first wedding as a second shooter recently and learned that I NEED a diffuser. I had such harsh shadows, I won't use half my shots. Thank goodness I was just there to learn from my mistakes, because I made plenty of them.

However I learned, and THAT is the important thing!

My need... I need a diffuser for fill flash...

Were you using direct flash? Did you try bounce or did the location prevent that?

I use a shoot thru umbrella.

Example ...
http://www.pellepiano.​com …obild/images/im​ageh23.jpg

i use the stofen omni-bounce for indoor shots and direct flash for outside fill. if the shadows are that bad outdoors you need to position your subjects differently.

Flash bracket to keep flash directly over the axis of the lens, so that shadows mostly fall behind the subject, out of view of the lens.

Small softbox (e.g Wescott Micro Apollo -- which is what I use -- or, Photoflex or Lumiqust mini softbox which is about the same size as my Wescott) to soften shadow edges for unavoidable shadows not hidden by the subject's body (such as an arm held across the body)

Above solution works equally in all situations, even when there is no ceiling (outdoors) or high ceiling or colored ceiling (unlike the tupperware 'modifiers' that rely upon ceilings and walls to work at all)

krb wrote in post #6059171
Were you using direct flash? Did you try bounce or did the location prevent that?

Direct. Bouncing was not possible. 60 foot ceiling in the sanctuary and clouds at about 14,000 feet outside!

Mind you, my subjects were well lit, a little overexposed, but that is due to my metering method... another lesson I learned. The shadows on walls behind and arm shadows had very sharp clean lines that were ugly as all get out. I have since looked at a ton of with/without diffuser shots and can see a huge difference, thus my desire to get one.

But when there are so many to choose from, I thought I'd get a little help here first. I believe that I will go with one of the on camera "light boxes" as they seem to blur the direct flash the best. I'll use a card and bounce when it is possible, as I have done that in the past with acceptable results, unless I really like the light box, maybe I'll just use it all the time.

Wilt wrote in post #6059374
Flash bracket to keep flash directly over the axis of the lens, so that shadows mostly fall behind the subject, out of view of the lens.

Small softbox (e.g Wescott Micro Apollo -- which is what I use -- or, Photoflex or Lumiqust mini softbox which is about the same size as my Wescott) to soften shadow edges for unavoidable shadows not hidden by the subject's body (such as an arm held across the body)

Above solution works equally in all situations, even when there is no ceiling (outdoors) or high ceiling or colored ceiling (unlike the tupperware 'modifiers' that rely upon ceilings and walls to work at all)

Thanks Wilt... I just bought a Flash Bracket that will allow me to change the orientation of my camera and keep the flash over the lens. (That was another lesson learned, DO NOT take photos in portrait mode with the flash mounted on the camera or you will ALWAYS get ugly shadows if there is a wall or anything else within 8-10 feet of the subject!)

I am probably going to go with one of the on flash box type diffusers. Thanks for the info.

I'm no expert but I've read all the experts. They say that the diffusers spread the light out but don't change the origin point the light comes from. That can only be done by bouncing light (with a diffuser or aiming a bare flash at a reflective surface) or a softbox or umbrella.

If you are going to be a wedding photog, image is everything. Go for the Gary Fong thing 'cause it looks impressive.

lefturn99 wrote in post #6063537
If you are going to be a wedding photog, image is everything. Go for the Gary Fong thing 'cause it looks impressive.

... I hope this was said in jest. The Gary Fong "thing" is useful in a only handful of situations, and personally, I wouldn't use one as they're huge power wasters. Looking impressive as a photographer shouldn't be a primary concern - lighting the image correctly and getting it in focus and composition should be.

Yes, it was said in jest. Should have used a

lefturn99 wrote in post #6063537
I'm no expert but I've read all the experts. They say that the diffusers spread the light out but don't change the origin point the light comes from. That can only be done by bouncing light (with a diffuser or aiming a bare flash at a reflective surface) or a softbox or umbrella.

If you are going to be a wedding photog, image is everything. Go for the Gary Fong thing 'cause it looks impressive.

Yes, it is very impressive to the guests (and quite hilarious) when the Fong falls off the flash and rolls around the floor and the photographer goes scampering after it with an embarrassed expression on his/her face! We hear about that not infrequently on POTN!

lefturn99 wrote in post #6063537
I'm no expert but I've read all the experts. They say that the diffusers spread the light out but don't change the origin point the light comes from. That can only be done by bouncing light (with a diffuser or aiming a bare flash at a reflective surface) or a softbox or umbrella.

If you are going to be a wedding photog, image is everything. Go for the Gary Fong thing 'cause it looks impressive.

I think you're correct, but you don't put things across very well. Diffusers for on-camera flash are mostly useless unless they help you bounce the light off a larger surface. Fong Things look silly and waste flash power but they're good for novices.

Something i've noticed is the old school photographers use a flash bracket as they often use on-camera flash as the main light. Photographers who started with digital tend to shoot high ISO more and so don't use the flash as the main light often, so rarely use a flash bracket. Also newer photographers tend to use off camera more, which negates the need for a flash bracket. I haven't used my bracket at a wedding in 2 years as I just don't need it.

tim wrote in post #6066158
I think you're correct, but you don't put things across very well. Diffusers for on-camera flash are mostly useless unless they help you bounce the light off a larger surface. Fong Things look silly and waste flash power but they're good for novices.

Something i've noticed is the old school photographers use a flash bracket as they often use on-camera flash as the main light. Photographers who started with digital tend to shoot high ISO more and so don't use the flash as the main light often, so rarely use a flash bracket. Also newer photographers tend to use off camera more, which negates the need for a flash bracket. I haven't used my bracket at a wedding in 2 years as I just don't need it.

I guess you should call me 'old school'. But I'd like to comment that even with ISO 1600 or ISO 3200, many churches simply are too dark, or the dance floor is kept so dark as to prevent any available light photos, so then you really do need a flash. I double light (one key light off camera, one fill light on camera) so the on-camera does need a bracket! The moody single off-camera light when the dance floor is dark is too shadow ridden! Softboxes on both lights, for me.

On camera: A Better Bounce Card Feather-Light
....why: cheap and nice diffused light--soft shadows
Off camera: shoot-through umbrellas and/or a soft box

Wilt wrote in post #6066213
I guess you should call me 'old school'. But I'd like to comment that even with ISO 1600 or ISO 3200, many churches simply are too dark, or the dance floor is kept so dark as to prevent any available light photos, so then you really do need a flash. I double light (one key light off camera, one fill light on camera) so the on-camera does need a bracket! The moody single off-camera light when the dance floor is dark is too shadow ridden! Softboxes on both lights, for me.

Yeah good points, things are different in different countries too. I can shoot ambient in any church, save for the darkest churches in the middle of winter, but I have few weddings then. And I don't usually use a single off camera light for reception, usually I have on-camera fill but I shoot landscape so I don't get side shadow.