I have failed at flash photography

[Didereaux]

I have gone to numerous events and have struggled to use my flash properly. Is it me, or the camera body, the lens or the flash? When I'm outdoors the pics come out stunning.

The problems I face indoor events is:
1. Either the subject or the surroundings is underexposed. If I increase flash exposure then subject becomes over exposed.

2. At times half of the subject or pic is overexposed.

3. Just cannot get the white balance to work. I've tried all pre-configured settings.

4. Colors are either pale or too warm. I suppose related to point 3.

My gear
Canon 5D Mark II
Lenses
Canon 24-70mm f2.8
Sigma 35mm f1.4
Speedlite EX600
And I often use Gary Fong lightspehere flash diffuser. But I've tried without as well. Similar results. My flash is almost always having the ceiling.

I'm uploading some images. What am I doing wrong. Please help!View attachment 118593View attachment 118594View attachment 118595

1st one WB is waay off the next ones looks like you are using a med telephoto and the flash has zoomed to max ... notice how the light is almost a spotlight effect (you might try pulling out the little diffuser panel on the flash) or turning off the zoom function and setting it manually.

 

[map101]

What do you mean, "flash kept tilting down with its weight"? How are you using it? For event work, I just put the Flashbender on my speedlight and connect it with a TTL cable; flash in one hand, camera in the other; no issues with weight and since the flash is fully vertical, it can't bend.

Hi, I am using the Rogue Flashbender on the camera. I haven't gotten my flash off camera yet. I am attaching a pic how I am using it. Although I've just finished reading up on how to use camera in one hand and flash in the other but my question is isn't that difficult to do. Holding camera steady with one hand seems pretty daunting. Camera body with these lenses is pretty heavy. How to manage that?

 

[map101]

Wanted to thank everyone who had given tips. Since then I got the speedlite book by Syl Arena, bought Rogue Flashbender and have gotten rid of Garry Fong (not literally but on the verge of it). I must add that results have improved drastically. I will upload some pics for everyone to see.

Having said that I do need more advice which is what brings me here!

Rogue Flashbender was great for portrait shoots. But, at events, it first of all felt heavy and difficult to manoeuvre as flash kept tilting down with its weight. Secondly, for subjects a bit far off I felt it wasn't that effective. Comments?

So on the event I went back to bouncing flash off the ceiling with a bit of a tilt. Luckily I got low ceiling so it worked great. Only problem is that I needed to be far in order to bounce with flash towards the ceiling with a bit of a tilt 75 degrees I imagine (90 degree being straight up facing the ceiling). However, every time the subject was close to me I was stuck. Didn't know what to do as bouncing flash straight off the ceiling without tilt light would fall awkwardly on the subject and stronger on their head. Wanted to know how to we get around this when subjects are close? Where do we face our flash in this case? Secondly, what if the ceiling is high, which happens to be the case in some event locations? Ideas ...

Thanks in advance