Better photographs with flash.

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rayonline
rayonline

Hi, had this issue for sometime, I don't do much portraiture, mostly scenic. I like your advice on this.

I have a external flash and the stofen attachment. Doesn't work well. I am mostly concerned with outdoors. I figured that if one cannot used big strobes and cannot use reflectors (I am no pro so have no assistants). I might be left with only this

http://www.lastolite.com/ezybox-speedlite-softbox.php

Or maybe this with the handle
http://www.lastolite.com/ezybox-speedlite-kit.php

It is a 9x9" softbox. Anything larger cannot be used by myself. But I guess I need to be pretty close so only half body shots, or else I might be left with the bare flash with maybe a white pull out bounce card.

Might work better when the sun dims away or on a cloudy day. In a summers afternoon, maybe it's as best as I can do perhaps?

Many thanks for your help.

PS. Indoors I have my flash head with a light stand and a umbrella. That is so much better but just not usable outdoors.

Edited by: Rayonline

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joegoozey
joegoozey

start with one simple speed light ... you can work wonders with it.

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rayonline
rayonline

Edited. Found my info off that Neil guy photog in the US who is quite well known.

It seems like that have to use the bare flash to overpower the sky and underexpose the ambient or use big strobes with diffusion.

I have spent sometime with one flash inside works well with bounce but outdoors I guess it's just how it's like.i don't like the look. I want that outdoor studio look.

Edited by: Rayonline

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djkmann
djkmann

The StoFen Omni-bounce probably doesn't work well outside because that is not what it is designed for! As indicated by the name, it is designed as a bounce diffuser, and it is often difficult to bounce flash off the sky or a cloud :)

Don't use those types of diffusers outside, even if you see other people doing it - it just doesn't do anything in most outdoor situations other than make your flash work harder. What you need outside is flash power, so as suggested, just work with a bare Speedlite. Be sure to set your ISO appropriately and use your camera's flash sync speed for the shutter speed setting (typically 1/200 or 1/250) so that the flash is working most efficiently. Or use the High Speed Sync feature of your flash if you need to use a faster shutter speed in order to use a nice wide aperture and cool background blurring.

Adjust the flash power up or down until you get the amount of light you are looking for - using flash exposure compensation. For best results, also get the flash off-camera and higher up. Use the wireless flash capability of your camera if you have that, or some cheap radio poppers, or a TTL cord like the Interfit Strobies , which is much cheaper than the name brand cord and works almost as well

If all of this still isn't getting you want you want, try adding the portable softbox you mentioned.

If you still need more power, such as to " overpower the sun ," (which is a cool "effect") have a look at the Quantum QFlash.

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