why do people buy these things?

[Ltdave]

a) the flash adapter thing is translucent so some (half?) of the light goes right on through
b) the flash adapter thing is translucent so only some of the light goes towards the subject
c) its OUTSIDE so where is the light supposed to bounce off of?
d) the photographer is pretty successful in her business

ive seen her use a rogue flash bender on a flash, bounced (wishfully) in a hockey arena. im sure she wasnt over powering any ambient light and from where she was shooting, she would need full power + for the flash to even hit where she was aiming

is she using it because shes a Nikon shooter? (JK! jeez..... this STARTED LIFE as a Canon centric website)

 

[Well Bonded]

a) the flash adapter thing is translucent so some (half?) of the light goes right on through
b) the flash adapter thing is translucent so only some of the light goes towards the subject
c) its OUTSIDE so where is the light supposed to bounce off of?
d) the photographer is pretty successful in her business

ive seen her use a rogue flash bender on a flash, bounced (wishfully) in a hockey arena. im sure she wasnt over powering any ambient light and from where she was shooting, she would need full power + for the flash to even hit where she was aiming

is she using it because shes a Nikon shooter? (JK! jeez..... this STARTED LIFE as a Canon centric website)


View attachment 110071

She doesn't know any better or thinks she is impressing the folks around her to get attention.

 

[ImageMaker]

Some folks don’t understand lighting or its effects of various modifiers. - or their requirements for lighting. This config looks like a way to burn through batteries faster than other ways…

 

[Anton Largiader]

Pretty sure some people use them for catchlights in flat lighting scenes.

 

[Archibald]

I saw a pro use a somewhat similar rig at an indoor event with an arena-height ceiling. Zero opportunity for reflections. Her speedlite was firing straight up into a mass of translucent plastic that was at least double the height of the pink lady's. The photos turned out great.

 

[Ltdave]

Pretty sure some people use them for catchlights in flat lighting scenes.

i use on camera flash for that too but i dont try bouncing it off the clouds...

i guess if the client likes the end product who am I to question it

 

[Ltdave]

I saw a pro use a somewhat similar rig at an indoor event with an arena-height ceiling. Zero opportunity for reflections. Her speedlite was firing straight up into a mass of translucent plastic that was at least double the height of the pink lady's. The photos turned out great.

were the images affected by the flash or other ambient light?

 

[Anton Largiader]

i use on camera flash for that too but i dont try bouncing it off the clouds...

i guess if the client likes the end product who am I to question it

It's not bouncing off the clouds. It's bouncing off whatever white thing is above it. Sometimes an index card, sometimes some widely-reviled "diffuser" but the result is the same: a bright light source that creates a catchlight.

I get it, some people think it should be done differently. Some of those people are probably right, but it doesn't change the fact that whatever these diffuser/bouncer people are doing works for them.

 

[gonzogolf]

It likely wouldn't appreciably soften the light, however it is big enough to improve the catchlights is the subject's eyes. I've never loved the catchlights from bare speedlights, you get hard little reflections.

 

[ImageMaker]

Catchlight from a 7 foot modifier…

 

[Archibald]

were the images affected by the flash or other ambient light?

Flash only.

 

[Wilt]

Comments by gonzo and Anton right on the mark.

The fact that a 'pro' uses it is reflective of the fact that 'pro' simply means 'hired' and not indication they understand the elements of their craft.

Yes, transluccency means that a lot of light is wasted by going thru the plastic and up into the sky, draining flash batteries much faster than necessary. That light is only used if there are adjacent walls and/or ceiling to bounce the light back to the subject by serving as very large apparent source of light. No bounce, no use.
The fact that it is 7"x7" (guess) reflects SOME light forward to serve as catchlights reflected in the subjects eyes...a 7x7 white piece of cardboard (free, no cost) could accomplish the same thing.

 

[mathews]

While the photographer may not be using the most efficient technique in the situations you've described, they’ve found a way to make it work for them, even if it involves some wishful thinking when bouncing light!

 

[Yno]

Reminds me of seeing all the flashes goin off in a football stadium. Wonder what the GN's are...

 

[Wilt]

Reminds me of seeing all the flashes goin off in a football stadium. Wonder what the GN's are...

I just tried to meter my smartphone flash output, but I could not get it to trigger my meter in non-corded mode!

 

[Cheers]

I noticed something else: with that kind of diffuser, she will get light directly going into her eyes.

 

[Capn Jack]

The fact that it is 7"x7" (guess) reflects SOME light forward to serve as catchlights reflected in the subjects eyes...a 7x7 white piece of cardboard (free, no cost) could accomplish the same thing.

On the other hand, a piece of cardboard looks like a piece of cardboard. There's something to be said for something being used looking like it is part of a kit rather than the box used for the kit.

 

[ShipleyNW]

On the other hand, a piece of cardboard looks like a piece of cardboard. There's something to be said for something being used looking like it is part of a kit rather than the box used for the kit.

I worked at newspapers for 10 years back in the 1900s. I used a cardboard bounce card almost exclusively that whole time. I still have one.

I used photo-paper box with a custom cut for the body, and the back of a piece of photo paper as the bounce medium. Back then newspapers came from the press bundled with a steel strap. It took tin snips to unbundle them. 6 or 8 inches of that strapping made a great spine for the bounce card. I had it angled to push the light forward from vertical. The steel spine held that angle. I put the whole thing together with a liberal coating of black gaffer tape. Mounted to a Vivitar 283 with a vacuum cleaner belt, I'd use it with a remote cord, out and above my head with a fully extended left arm.

I don't know if it was better or worse than anything else, but it was what I used. It was portable and it softened the light somewhat. If nothing else, I looked like I knew what I was doing, so no one ever questioned that rig. Don't underestimate that part. I've been a lot of places where I probably shouldn't have been just because I looked like I knew what I was doing. The gear was part of it, but the confidence in the handling of the gear is what sells it.

If that photographer figured out how to get the results she wants from that rig, and her customers are happy, she probably gives zero hoots about what we think.

Hockey arenas are bright at rink level. You get a lot of bounce for your buck. I've never shot hockey with flash, but I'd imagine that with reflections off the ice and the boards and the plexiglass would make additional light noticeable. If nothing else, it might add some fill. If she's successful at it, maybe she knows what she's doing.

 

[Capn Jack]

I worked at newspapers for 10 years back in the 1900s. I used a cardboard bounce card almost exclusively that whole time. I still have one.

Man, that's old! when did you see your first airplane? I read that as the beginning of the last century, but I recognize you probably meant the 1970's or another time when photopaper was being used.

I used photo-paper box with a custom cut for the body, and the back of a piece of photo paper as the bounce medium. Back then newspapers came from the press bundled with a steel strap. It took tin snips to unbundle them. 6 or 8 inches of that strapping made a great spine for the bounce card. I had it angled to push the light forward from vertical. The steel spine held that angle. I put the whole thing together with a liberal coating of black gaffer tape. Mounted to a Vivitar 283 with a vacuum cleaner belt, I'd use it with a remote cord, out and above my head with a fully extended left arm.

Working for a newspaper, you were recognized as part of that organization. Your customer was the newspaper who probably didn't see what you were using for equipment. You probably made it look reasonably neat. People looking for a wedding or family photographer may not have think that using something made of "random" parts looked like a professional, no matter how well it works. Unfortunately, appearances often count more than actual knowledge or skill.

If that photographer figured out how to get the results she wants from that rig, and her customers are happy, she probably gives zero hoots about what we think

Yes- I agree with this entirely!

 

[Helidoc]

I’ve used the rogue flash bender myself with great results, not transparent, so you can thro more light, in the direction of your subject.
But not at any great distances…I like it cause you can mold it as necessary…
I use magmod sphere, but I have preferred rogue bender if I needed to bend some light..