# On Camera Flash: Direct or Bounce, candid.



## eninja (Jun 20, 2013)

Hi,

When shooting candidly with 85mm or 50mm or below focal length lens, 

Do you tilt flash head direct to your subject or use bounce card?
or use a diffuser direct or diffuser upward?

How about for telephoto lens?


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## Zv (Jun 20, 2013)

If indoors then i always try and bounce. I sometimes use a omni bounce diffuser too if I want a bit more even lighting. 

Are you shooting full frame? 50 and 85 should be no problem bounced. At the telephoto end I might aim the flash up at a 45 degree angle and use a bounce card or flashbender. 

I never aim it direct. Even from far a away it looks nasty. 

For an even better look try the flash off camera and shot through a large diffuser.


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## FTb-n (Jun 20, 2013)

I rarely use flash for candids. That's one reason why I went FF with the 5D3 to avoid using flash, especially with candids. The flash tends to spoil the moment and one candid moment can often lead to several if the photographer's presence isn't felt.

But, if you must use flash. Bounce it or diffuse it or both and get it off camera if you can.


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## verysimplejason (Jun 20, 2013)

Bounce it if you can or if there's still light, use it only as a fill-in flash. There are lots of different diffuser if you really need to shoot it direct. Here's some list of diffusers and how to use them:

http://www.garyfongestore.com/

Oh and don't be afraid to use flash. Use it when and if you can. If you know how to use them, they can improve a lot your portrait photography. Together with reflectors, they can be used in a lot of multitude of ways not only to brighten up shadows but also to accentuate features in your photos and reduce noise.


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## Random Orbits (Jun 20, 2013)

Bounce when possible and typically angled so that the the flash is aimed at a spot halfway to the target. Ceilings are most often used, but walls can be used too.

For candids, flash is lifesaver when the subjects are strongly backlit. Without the flash, the subjects are either underexposed or the background is blown out. Learning how to use FEC and EC together to balance the subject brightness and background brightness will improve photos a lot, even if the flash is located on the camera and pointed directly at the subject.

Flashes have a zoom coverage range, and it is a consideration. The 430 covers up to 105mm while the 600 covers up to 200mm.


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## jdramirez (Jun 20, 2013)

I'll bounce.. trying to hit the side wall where most of the light will flow directly onto them. if there isn't a side wall, I'll bounce from above. if there aren't any walls, I'll bounce from below.


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## sunnyVan (Jun 20, 2013)

eninja said:


> Hi,
> 
> When shooting candidly with 85mm or 50mm or below focal length lens,
> 
> ...



Your subject's face will lack dimensionality if you use frontal flash. Try to take advantage of natural light as much as possible. If you must use flash, then see if you could bounce it off of a wall such that the light hits the face sideway to create both highlight and shadow.


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## RLPhoto (Jun 20, 2013)

Direct on camera flash is reserved for outdoor fill flash. I use bounce at any opportunity.


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## kennykodak (Jun 20, 2013)

Rogue Flashbender, takes up little space in kit (much less than photo tupperware) and easy to create soft direction light. i recommend using it with a higher iso and more open aperture though.


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## SwampYankee (Jun 20, 2013)

If I am anywhere near a wall I turn it backwards so it generally hits the spot where the wall meets the ceiling. you pick up some odd color casts but as I shoot in RAW it's fairly easy to correct. Only downside is the eyes don't pick up any catch lights so you might just want to aim it straight up and make sure and stick your hand right behind the light as a reflector instead of the little white plastic thing. You get more fill and it's a touch warmer than the white thing


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## bchernicoff (Jun 20, 2013)

Always bounce unless using a ringlight and intending to get that caught-in-the-headlights look.


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## AcutancePhotography (Jun 20, 2013)

jdramirez said:


> if there aren't any walls, I'll bounce from below.



Careful bouncing from below. It may not be the most flattering light.


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## sunnyVan (Jun 20, 2013)

jdramirez said:


> I'll bounce.. trying to hit the side wall where most of the light will flow directly onto them. if there isn't a side wall, I'll bounce from above. if there aren't any walls, I'll bounce from below.



I'm not sure if I misunderstood you. But did you mean pointing the flash to the ground? No flash lets you point down that far unless you use a cord or wireless trigger. More importantly you'll create a ghostly look if light comes from below instead of above.


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## Wildfire (Jun 20, 2013)

In places with low, light-colored ceilings I have found that pointing the flash straight up at the ceiling with a bounce card for fill has excellent results.

The light that hits the ceiling provides light from a natural direction above the subject and the bounce card provides the fill. I've used a business card/rubber band and the 600EX-RT's built-in bounce card and they both provide pleasing fill. I've also been thinking about getting the Demb Flip-it to make vertical orientation shots easier.

When no low ceilings are available, I try to bounce off a nearby wall if there are any. If there aren't, I use off-camera flash exclusively.

Even when I bounce I also use a couple of 600EX-RT's in slave mode off-camera to light up the background, get rid of the dark cave look, and provide a kicker light on subjects.


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## eninja (Jun 21, 2013)

sunnyVan said:


> jdramirez said:
> 
> 
> > I'll bounce.. trying to hit the side wall where most of the light will flow directly onto them. if there isn't a side wall, I'll bounce from above. if there aren't any walls, I'll bounce from below.
> ...



I believe what he's trying to say is bounce as much as possible.


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## eninja (Jun 21, 2013)

Thanks a lot, i need info just to get start with something.
I recently acquired 430ex for my 6D.

I will keep your tips in mind:
Bounce as possible, (creating bigger source of light)
ambient light still better,
catch light to subject's eye also is flattering (but i havent seen how pretty it can be)

off camera is a different story. =D


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## verysimplejason (Jun 21, 2013)

AcutancePhotography said:


> jdramirez said:
> 
> 
> > if there aren't any walls, I'll bounce from below.
> ...



+1. Bouncing from below seems like lighting from horror movies.


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## sunnyVan (Jun 21, 2013)

eninja said:


> sunnyVan said:
> 
> 
> > jdramirez said:
> ...




I see. I took it too literal then. How foolish am I.


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## sunnyVan (Jun 21, 2013)

eninja said:


> Thanks a lot, i need info just to get start with something.
> I recently acquired 430ex for my 6D.
> 
> I will keep your tips in mind:
> ...



Eyes without catchlight look like the person is demon possessed. There's no life in the person. It makes a huge difference especially when you're doing a head shot.


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## jdramirez (Jun 21, 2013)

sunnyVan said:


> jdramirez said:
> 
> 
> > I'll bounce.. trying to hit the side wall where most of the light will flow directly onto them. if there isn't a side wall, I'll bounce from above. if there aren't any walls, I'll bounce from below.
> ...



I tried to respond earlier, but my phone was acting screwy.

No... I bounce from the ground. Turn your camera 90 degrees and then adjust the speedlite to bounce midway between you and your subject. 

It was Halloween, so it did give a bit of a different look to the photos, but it worked considering the holiday.


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## jdramirez (Jun 21, 2013)

It was basically dark, so the focus is a little off, but I did like the outcome. Kids, all of which aren't mine which explains the black box, are lower to the ground, so shooting adults might be more of a challenge... and I tried to shoot off of a somewhat reflective surfaces like cement driveways...


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## jonathan7007 (Jun 21, 2013)

Look at the products offered by Joe Demb from the Boston area. 
[email protected]
www.dembflashproducts.com

He has developed these as a working pro. Explanations and guides about use, plus good testimonials. I like the gear and the care, thought, behind them. Reasonable cost. Durable.

jonathan7007


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## Zv (Jun 21, 2013)

Don't forget to gel your flash to match the ambient light if you're mixing flash. I always keep a 1/4, 1/2 and full CTO precut gel in a little plastic bag inside the speedlite case at all times. For more serious stuff I use the Honl gels filter set and speed strap.


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