Photography question

[azhdragon]

I've been asked to do some portrait photography (and follow it up with wedding photography of the happy couple), and I've been playing around a bit with softening the effect of both the on-board flash and the bounce flash

Comments

[madshutterbug]

They are useful. I've not used a commercial one, I did improvise one for a project using a wrap-over sheet of paper. I know a couple two-three pros who do use them, regularly, particularly for location shoots. I would recommend should you get it, obtain it early enough to practice with a wee bit.

[azhdragon]

thanks, yes I intend to practice lots before the big day.

It will be my second wedding shoot, but the first time I've done one solo. The first time there was another photographer there who helped set up a lot of the shots. (I think my photos turned out nicer than hers, though :-))

I'm putting together a tick-list of shots to make sure I have all the bases covered, as well as capturing various random moments. I'm planning on having two cameras ready to go, one with a portrait lens, one with the zoom lens so I don't have to switch lenses in the middle and miss something.

[dancinglights]

I know pro-level photographers who use a bit of milk-carton plastic or tissue paper secured over the bounce flash with a rubber band and pros who use the same when they need something quick shooting casually and buy one of those just to look professional on a paid shoot. They're a very helpful tool, improvised or bought proper.

Also good luck!

[quen_elf]

assuming it's what I think it is (the picture isn't loading for me), my dad uses one sometimes, so I guess it works :)

Flash diffuser

[anonymous]

The down side is they eat effective flash power as they distribute the light over a larger area, have a smaller effect than the big soft boxes (because it is mounted on the camera it also has less effect the further away from the subject you are) and can give funny effects if you shoot portrait format with the flash mounted on the top of the camera. That said they can be effective. It's cheap and you hopefully have time to experiment before the shoot.

Oh and they make the camera a bit unwieldy and harder to handle.