Bounce vs Shoot Through Umbrella

lifeinfocus

I have been asked to take photos of Girl Scouts, one girl with one parent. This will be indoors. Most of my photography has been outdoors so some of this will be new to me. The event is in two weeks. I have two flashes available (Nikon 700 and old Vivitar); a set of transmitter/receivers; one umbrella and one dome and some very bright CFL to work with. I plan on using the flash for key and fill, with perhaps a CFL as background light.

The subjects will be seated. I have not seen the setting yet as I am out of town, but will see it about 5 days in advance.

My question is about umbrellas and whether to use shoot through or bounce and the pros and cons of using either.

Any comments are welcome and I thank you in advance for you ideas.

Phil

Moving Pictures

I'm hardly a vet in the umbrella biz - but I've particularly liked the results with a shoot-through concept. Bonus if there's a bit of a background wall to create a tiny touch of bounce with the twice-reflected burst.

lifeinfocus

Moving Pictures wrote: »

I'm hardly a vet in the umbrella biz - but I've particularly liked the results with a shoot-through concept. Bonus if there's a bit of a background wall to create a tiny touch of bounce with the twice-reflected burst.

Thanks. I will have enough time to order a shoot through umbrella.

Phil

divamum

Get a convertible, or even better, a Photek Softlighter, which offers the best of all worlds (softbox effect OR bounce OR shoothru depending on whether you use cover/diffuser and how you position the flash).

Bounce offers more control over lightspill; shoothru (IMO) is a softer, prettier light. The Photek as a softbox controls the spill out the back, but is softer than a bounced look.

lifeinfocus

divamum wrote: »

Get a convertible, or even better, a Photek Softlighter, which offers the best of all worlds (softbox effect OR bounce OR shoothru depending on whether you use cover/diffuser and how you position the flash).

Bounce offers more control over lightspill; shoothru (IMO) is a softer, prettier light. The Photek as a softbox controls the spill out the back, but is softer than a bounced look.

Thank you very much. I will investigate both.

Phil

lifeinfocus

divamum wrote: »

Get a convertible, or even better, a Photek Softlighter, which offers the best of all worlds (softbox effect OR bounce OR shoothru depending on whether you use cover/diffuser and how you position the flash).

Bounce offers more control over lightspill; shoothru (IMO) is a softer, prettier light. The Photek as a softbox controls the spill out the back, but is softer than a bounced look.

I checked out the Photek Softlighter at B&H and found this comment.
"For use with hot shoe flashes, the sock is not placed properly, it is dead center and should be offset. Using a standard umbrella bracket, the flash sits too high to get proper light fill (and the sock is way too tight, putting pressure on the flash). It is best to buy a Lowel Low-Link L Bracket ($6.92)or similar to get your flash perpendicular to the umbrella shaft. "

Do you agree with above?

Thanks much.

Phil

angevin1

lifeinfocus wrote: »

I checked out the Photek Softlighter at B&H and found this comment.
"For use with hot shoe flashes, the sock is not placed properly, it is dead center and should be offset. Using a standard umbrella bracket, the flash sits too high to get proper light fill (and the sock is way too tight, putting pressure on the flash). It is best to buy a Lowel Low-Link L Bracket ($6.92)or similar to get your flash perpendicular to the umbrella shaft. "

Do you agree with above?

Thanks much.

Phil

YES! If you use it as it appears designed. I originally bought my Softlighter for use with a Continuous light. I needed the nomex sock. and even that small 5.5 inch light was a tight fit.

When I chose to use flash I took some old brackets I had laying around and fashioned a bracket that allowed the Flash gun to lay down in-line axially and point into the umbrella. That works quite well. Keeping the light source close to the center.

Like so~



Without the transmitter the light can be turned and laid right against the Shaft.

angevin1

lifeinfocus wrote: »

I have been asked to take photos of Girl Scouts, one girl with one parent. This will be indoors. Most of my photography has been outdoors so some of this will be new to me. The event is in two weeks. I have two flashes available (Nikon 700 and old Vivitar); a set of transmitter/receivers; one umbrella and one dome and some very bright CFL to work with. I plan on using the flash for key and fill, with perhaps a CFL as background light.

The subjects will be seated. I have not seen the setting yet as I am out of town, but will see it about 5 days in advance.

My question is about umbrellas and whether to use shoot through or bounce and the pros and cons of using either.

Any comments are welcome and I thank you in advance for you ideas.

Phil

I also meant to ask: How bright are your CFL's? and how are they mounted?

lifeinfocus

angevin1 wrote: »

I also meant to ask: How bright are your CFL's? and how are they mounted?

Thanks much for your detailed response.

I will answer your question in detail when I get home next week. I have a device that holds up to three CFLs and can connect to old tripod.

Phil