Flash Bracket, Lightsphere? In need of some lighting tips.

[AmberAtLoveAndInk]

I posted a thread about lenses to use when shooting a wedding which quickly turned into lighting and speedlight talk so now after doing some googling I am wondering, should I be investing in a flash bracket and TTL cord? Or, many are saying on other forums they have replaced their need for a flash bracket with the Gary Fong lightsphere (keep your booing down to a minimum, I too believe it's a bit much to pay for a piece of plastic) so can anyone tell me how the two products relate and what are their uses? I'm looking into these for a wedding I'm shooting and know just the bare minimum when it comes to speedlights. I would guess having it on a bracket will better direct the light and make the shadows less harsh? Then again, the lightsphere looks like a pretty good diffuser for pesky shadows on a speedlite. I am certainly not going to purchase both so between the two (I have a speedlight and a softbox diffuser I can use the bracket) which is the better choice for overall lighting scenarios indoors? Anyone use the Fong and love it? Or will everyone simply go on to say it is an overpriced piece of tupperware?

(and please do not suggest a DIY for a knock-off Fong because I do not think I could seriously shoot a wedding wielding a plastic bag on top of my speedlight)

 

[tirediron]

I would strongly recommend the bracket and cord over using the flash on-camera regardless of the type of diffuser used. This gallery is an event I shot last fall using a flash-bracket, and TTL cord (and one of the very rare times I've used a speedlight in TTL mode). It works very well, and also gives you the flexibility to get the flash off-camera and on a far off-axis angle (by hand-holding the speedlight) for MUCH better looking shots.

 

[AmberAtLoveAndInk]

I would strongly recommend the bracket and cord over using the flash on-camera regardless of the type of diffuser used. This gallery is an event I shot last fall using a flash-bracket, and TTL cord (and one of the very rare times I've used a speedlight in TTL mode). It works very well, and also gives you the flexibility to get the flash off-camera and on a far off-axis angle (by hand-holding the speedlight) for MUCH better looking shots.

The images from your gallery look like great flash photos. Thanks! Also, I'm trying to understand TTL, can you not put the flash in manual while on the bracket??

 

[tirediron]

I would strongly recommend the bracket and cord over using the flash on-camera regardless of the type of diffuser used. This gallery is an event I shot last fall using a flash-bracket, and TTL cord (and one of the very rare times I've used a speedlight in TTL mode). It works very well, and also gives you the flexibility to get the flash off-camera and on a far off-axis angle (by hand-holding the speedlight) for MUCH better looking shots.

The images from your gallery look like great flash photos. Thanks! Also, I'm trying to understand TTL, can you not put the flash in manual while on the bracket??

Thanks! Absolutely, however this sort of event work is what TTL is made for; no thinking about the exposure, so you don't have to worry if your camera-to-subject distance changes, you want to use a larger or smaller aperture for a particular DoF, or whatever. As big a fan as I am of manual flash, I will almost always use TTL for occasions such as this.

 

[pixmedic]

flash bracket and TTL cord. that cord was $100, but I wanted the one that had an AF assist beam.
I would also look at getting a small softbox for the flash, or a bounce card.
I use Rogue Flashbenders.

 

[Virgil]

Yes, if you're gonna shoot weddings you need a flash bracket. When shooting verticals you will see a big difference with shadows.. Stroboframe makes some nice ones. You'll also need an infrared focus assist if your current flash doesnt have one.

 

[tirediron]

+1 on Stroboframe and Flashbender!!!

 

[Robin Usagani]

The flashbender is nice especially for off camera flash to snoot your light. If you go ask a group of professional wedding photographers, I say 95% of them do not use a bracket.

 

[pixmedic]

The flashbender is nice especially for off camera flash to snoot your light. If you go ask a group of professional wedding photographers, I say 95% of them do not use a bracket.

95% of the wedding photographers we polled said they used flash brackets.

 

[Robin Usagani]

You must have polled the same photographers that use a tripod to document a wedding ceremony.

 

[Designer]

I would probably just bounce the flash off the ceiling. If you can visit the venue before the wedding, check out the ceiling. If it is white and low, then save your money and bounce it. Also walls. Also just about anything that is large and white.

 

[Designer]

The flashbender is nice especially for off camera flash to snoot your light. If you go ask a group of professional wedding photographers, I say 95% of them do not use a bracket.

95% of the wedding photographers we polled said they used flash brackets.

One of you needs to go 96% for the win!

 

[AmberAtLoveAndInk]

Ok then here's my next Q, my flash has 3 modes, slave1 slave2 & manual. Can I use a TTL cord with that? My flash is a Neewer TT560.

 

[Virgil]

The flashbender is nice especially for off camera flash to snoot your light. If you go ask a group of professional wedding photographers, I say 95% of them do not use a bracket.

I shot weddings for many years and i knew lots of wedding pros, and they ALL used a flash bracket.. There is no good reason not to.

 

[Robin Usagani]

The flashbender is nice especially for off camera flash to snoot your light. If you go ask a group of professional wedding photographers, I say 95% of them do not use a bracket.

I shot weddings for many years and i knew lots of wedding pros, and they ALL used a flash bracket.. There is no good reason not to.

Maybe in film days... not today.