Gary Fong WhaleTail or Flash Bracket

[Richard]

I was wondering if anyone has used the Gary Fong WhaleTail and does it really replace the need for a flash bracket? I am going to get into portrait/wedding photography next year.

 

[JerryPH]

Do both for best effect. What I do not like is the price of those "whale tale" thingies. You can make your own for a few pennies.

www.abetterbouncecard.com

 

[Garbz]

Replace a flash bracket? No and anyone who claims otherwise has no idea how to use their flash.

The flash is the lightsouce. Moving it is a big difference to diffusing it. Personally I don't like flash brackets because the flash never gets far enough away from the lens for my liking, and when I have to I just plain diffuse it.

That's not to say that any of the above products are bad, overpriced yes, but they still do their job rather well. But really what you want is a soft diffused light off axis, so both the above products (or make your own I hardly see the point in paying for a white sheet of paper), AND a flash bracket

 

[JIP]

I have version 2 of the Fong diffuser and I like it alot. Only one thing you have to remember is your flash will fire at a higher power so be prepared to use alot of battery power.