Flash Bracket

eidian

Senior Member
I'm looking at getting a flash bracket and I have a question: do you bounce the light when it's mounted on the bracket or do you just keep the flash pointed straight?

Thanks.

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Always better to bounce. If you bounce you really don't need the bracket. The reason for the bracket would be when you shoot outside with nothing to bounce off of.

Why do you want a bracket?
 

eidian

Senior Member
Thank you for the replies.

Fish (oops...I meant Don): I suspect that my niece will ask me to take pictures at my father in - law's birthday dinner next month.

I have a friend who is a professional photographer and he suggested a bracket to help eliminate red eye and to help make the lighting look more natural. He said that it's only a suggestion but he thinks that I would like the result.

My in-laws have a LOT of these type of events so I know that I'll get good use out of it.

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FastGlass

Senior Member
One of the main reasons for a flash bracket is to keep the flash over the lense when shooting in portrait mode. If your flash is mounted on the hot shoe and you rotate to shoot in portrait then you will soon discover your subject has a harsh shadow to the right. Having a bracket alows you to rotate the camera and keep the flash over the lense. Also the further the flash is from the center line of the lense, the less chance for red eye and the less flat the photo will look.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Fish: I suspect that my niece will ask me to take pictures at my father in - law's birthday dinner next month.
Get one of those Omnibounce diffusers from Amazon or B&H. They're like $15. Not sure what flash unit you you have but I'm talking about something like one of these; just one that fits your particular flash. That or bounce your flash if you're indoors. The nice thing about the clip-on diffuser is it works indoors and out. They're not ideal but they will kill red-eye and diffuse the light so you don't get that nasty "washed out" look from direct flash.
 

eidian

Senior Member
Glass: Thanks for the info, that makes total sense. I did notice the shadow that you described in some portrait oriented pictures using my meager flash (SB-50DX). So now I see that I should get a bracket that flips the flash 90* also--not just raise the flash and/or move it to one side. There's a StroboFrame Quick Flip that looks good for my requirements.

Fish: I did do some comparison shots with/without the diffuser that's on my flash and you're right, it really does make a difference and the flash only comes with some cheap, opaque diffuser that slides out then flips over the front.

So...I just ordered the following:

  • StroboFrame Quick Flip 350 bracket
  • Vello TTL-Off Camera flash cord
  • Harbor Digital Bounce Diffuser (I like the domed shaping)

Thank you for the advice!
 

MrRamonG

Senior Member
I think it's situational. You cant "always" bounce. If there is no ceiling, wall, or structure you might need to shoot straight. If you're shooting in daylight and using the flash to fill, you should probably shoot straight flashed.
 
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