Outdoor fill flash--how should I orient the flash?

I have another question about using outdoor fill flash. I learned A LOT from the last question I asked. Now I have one more.

I am going to be shooting a friends daughters outside for Christmas card photos. I am planning on doing them outside at around sunset. It will be near a large barn.

I am going to use my Speedlite 580ex for fill flash. Should I just point the flash at 90 degrees right at them?

When would you point it up and use the white reflector card?

Always point the flash directly at your subject if you have nothing to bounce the flash. The card built-in to the 580 is known as a catch light card. You use it to add a catch light to your subject when bouncing the flash indoor. This card will not throw enough light forward to use a fill in an outdoor shoot.

Thanks, that is what I thought. But someone in another thread recommended that I use it outdoors. I'll just point the flash right at the subject.

kerry0621 wrote in post #6321326
Thanks, that is what I thought. But someone in another thread recommended that I use it outdoors. I'll just point the flash right at the subject.

Sometimes you get uninformed suggestions. You got knowledgeable suggestions from In2Photos.

If you are not all that comfortable with Manual mode try a diffuser and set to camera to AV...Some of the more professional shooters would probably advise a better way but this has worked for me....

rooeey wrote in post #6321362
If you are not all that comfortable with Manual mode try a diffuser and set to camera to AV...Some of the more professional shooters would probably advise a better way but this has worked for me....

If you are not comfortable with Manual and you want to get better then you should learn to get comfortable with Manual.

In2Photos wrote in post #6321300
Always point the flash directly at your subject if you have nothing to bounce the flash. The card built-in to the 580 is known as a catch light card. You use it to add a catch light to your subject when bouncing the flash indoor. This card will not throw enough light forward to use a fill in an outdoor shoot.

I'll take this a step farther and suggest to the OP that, under certain conditions, the catch light card can indeed be used outdoors to throw some needed fill light onto the subject. These conditions would be in open shade or cloudy days or other low ambient light conditions and when the subject is close enough to the flash. Another suggestion is to take a white piece of foamcore or poster board and bounce the flash off of that instead of using the flash direct. You'll get a softer, prettier light.

All of these are good suggestion. remember you can adjust the strength of the flash in the photo with flash exposure compensation and you can adjust ambient exposure with regular exposure compensation (assuming you are not working in manual).

jdouglas003 wrote in post #6325812
If you are not comfortable with Manual and you want to get better then you should learn to get comfortable with Manual.

+1. I don't even use diffuser indoor.