Which diffuser/bounce device do you use when you don't have a ceiling or white walls?

Recently I've been shooting many more events and some weddings. I'm using a flash bracket and also avoiding direct flash at all cost. Bouncing off walls gives me beautiful soft light that really produces beautiful portraits rather than those classic 'flash' shots we see everywhere. I'm getting pretty good at creating this type of portrait but my question is one that I'm sure is asked often.

When you don't have walls or a ceiling to bounce from then which device do you turn to?

I've run into situations with rooms that have dark mahogany walls and ceiling, mirrors on the ceiling, red walls and a variety of other colors and materials that do not work well for bouncing.

I still want to avoid direct flash because to me, that always looks the worst, and can even look horrible.

SO.... do you use the Lumiquest ProMax? The Demb Flip-it? Another device. I already know I don't like the Fong tupperware.

For those that shoot professionally, what is your preferred bounce device, and why?

TMR Design wrote in post #8224574
Recently I've been shooting many more events and some weddings. I'm using a flash bracket and also avoiding direct flash at all cost. Bouncing off walls gives me beautiful soft light that really produces beautiful portraits rather than those classic 'flash' shots we see everywhere. I'm getting pretty good at creating this type of portrait but my question is one that I'm sure is asked often.

When you don't have walls or a ceiling to bounce from then which device do you turn to?

I've run into situations with rooms that have dark mahogany walls and ceiling, mirrors on the ceiling, red walls and a variety of other colors and materials that do not work well for bouncing.

I still want to avoid direct flash because to me, that always looks the worst, and can even look horrible.

SO.... do you use the Lumiquest ProMax? The Demb Flip-it? Another device. I already know I don't like the Fong tupperware.

For those that shoot professionally, what is your preferred bounce device, and why?

"Bouncing device" by definition means "bounce". If there is nothing to bounce from there is no bounce. So in order to still bounce you need to bring the "wall" with you. It can be a screen, umbrella, softbox. They work well but difficult to handle without an assistant.

vadim_c wrote in post #8224660
"Bouncing device" by definition means "bounce". If there is nothing to bounce from there is no bounce. So in order to still bounce you need to bring the "wall" with you. It can be a screen, umbrella, softbox. They work well but difficult to handle without an assistant.

Yes but that is why I asked about the Lumiquest Promax and Demb Flip-it. They both offer the ability to bounce into them. I understand what bounce means. The Promax has a 'ceiling' and the Flip-it has an adjustable bounce card of sorts.

Many pros work without assistants holding accessories. I'm interested in hearing from those that are shooting these events and what they do in these specific situations.

When there's nothing at all to bounce off of, I resort to either handheld umbrella or handheld softbox along the lines of this: http://cgi.ebay.com …1234%7C293%3A1%​7C294%3A50

If it's during the reception I will just grab a stand with umbrella and flash already attached and bring it over for whatever group shot is requested.

If there's something to bounce off but it's distant, sometimes upping ISO and opening up a fast lens will still get the shot.

I have seen things like this on some occasions, but as far as I'm concerned no flash diffuser that fits while the flash is on-camera does an adequate job of light diffusion: http://cgi.ebay.com …1234%7C293%3A1%​7C294%3A50

form wrote in post #8226578
When there's nothing at all to bounce off of, I resort to either handheld umbrella or handheld softbox along the lines of this: http://cgi.ebay.com …1234%7C293%3A1%​7C294%3A50

If it's during the reception I will just grab a stand with umbrella and flash already attached and bring it over for whatever group shot is requested.

If there's something to bounce off but it's distant, sometimes upping ISO and opening up a fast lens will still get the shot.

I have seen things like this on some occasions, but as far as I'm concerned no flash diffuser that fits while the flash is on-camera does an adequate job of light diffusion: http://cgi.ebay.com …1234%7C293%3A1%​7C294%3A50

Thanks for the response. What happens when you're shooting on-the-fly and there isn't time or perhaps no space to setup a light stand, softbox or umbrella and you're working alone. I'm sure situations like that come up and it's just not practical or possible to set any additional gear up.

I understand that none of those bounce card type devices are increasing the size of the light source and won't give you the same light as that of a softbox or umbrella but are you saying that no working pros are using them? Is it just amateurs or that people are buying into the hype and they don't work?

I work alone all the time. If I have no time or space for light stands/etc, my solutions are to look for any object to bounce off of, and step up ISO and open aperture if needed. Colored walls are acceptable, including and especially brown or orange - they bounce off a nice orange-cast light. I can, have and do open umbrellas in limited spaces, such as inside a limo. As a last resort, I also may use on or off-camera flash and bounce off a white reflector in such a tight space.

Plenty of working pros use on-flash diffusers (I've seen the stofen omnibounces most often, followed by mini-softboxes), but I do not. I used a lightsphere early in my wedding days, but I moved pretty quickly to using bounce and umbrella-diffused flash, because I don't like anything that will produce undesirable specular highlights on faces, or anything that produces distinct, constrasty shadows. Furthermore, I really like side lighting, loop lighting and backlighting, and those can't be created with on-camera flash diffusers.

Thanks again. That's good info.

It's the way I prefer it; others with more experience may prefer different things that work even better than what I do. I've only been doing weddings for just over a year.

I use my fong dong!! I have the Clear, Gary Fong Lightsphere. I have been doing weddings for years and have never brought extra lights / stands / softboxes.. Honestly if it doesn't fit in my tiny little lunch box turned camera bag, I don't take it.

http://flashdiffuser.c​om/

I use a flash in a small soft box held by my asssistant triggered with radio slaves. Or ambient.

Hi Tim,

I work by myself so whatever I end up doing has to be convenient enough for me to setup and move easily.

If you have nothing to bounce from then use direct flash if you must have flash. Diffusers work by increasing the size of the light source, and the difference between the size of the flash head and even five times the size of the flash head is insignificant unless your subject is really close.

Getting ready and reception are different situations from the ceremony. Ceremony needs a lighter setup, but reception and getting ready can easily stand a portable flash and softbox setup. For getting ready, I frequently put flashes around the room to get some directional light and ambient fill. When I do it right ( by my standards), it comes out something like this:

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Bounce off a person.

Have a friend/assistant wear a white shirt or hold a large white board.
That in my eyes, is just like a wall.

When ceilings were inefficient for me to bounce, I made a DIY bounce card, rubber banded it to flash, and had it tilt downwards towards subject. Worked pretty awesome.

Gary Fong! I have have the clouded diffuser. I've found it works great!
If you don't have the $$ attaching an index card to create a bounce is great!