a note to photographers using stofen and bounce card outdoors
- Thread starter Shizuma
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eleveninth
Senior Member
but i want too
when using stofen diffuser, 80% of the light is spread to all directions, 20% of the light will reach the subject directly, so when using it in a indoor situation, some of the lights will bounce back from walls and ceilings, reach the subject and light up the shadow area. so it still create a define shadow on your subject but only shadow areas are much lighter then without using it.
when using stofen at outdoor, there is noting to bounce, it won't give the effects like using it at indoor situation, the flash light is only 20% effective, if shooting very close up, flash still able to manage to emit enough light, but it is basically waste of flash power.
For using bounce cards in indoor, depends on size of bounce card and the angle of the bounce cards being use, when a large bounce card being use , about near to half of the light is directed to the front, since it create a larger light source, it will soften the edges of shadows slightly if subject is close enough.
when a tiny bounce card is being use, the effective way is the point the flash light towards ceiling, the subject will be lighted up with very soft lighting bounce down from ceiling, the tiny bounce card is the direct a small percentage of light directly toward the subject, it will give better colors and sharpness and a tiny catchlight on the subject (if subject is human or animals).
So when using bounce card at outdoor, there is noting to bounce too, bounce card will not able to give same effects as using it at indoor situations.
One thing I notice many photographers pointing their flash head at 45 degree when using bounce card, same like they are using stofen diffuser.
this is very wrong, the flash head is spilling light toward the subjects, if the photographer is shooting human, the direct flash light will spill on the upper part of body of the subject, resulting either overexposed of the face and underexposed on the lower part of the body.
hope this help.
when using stofen at outdoor, there is noting to bounce, it won't give the effects like using it at indoor situation, the flash light is only 20% effective, if shooting very close up, flash still able to manage to emit enough light, but it is basically waste of flash power.
For using bounce cards in indoor, depends on size of bounce card and the angle of the bounce cards being use, when a large bounce card being use , about near to half of the light is directed to the front, since it create a larger light source, it will soften the edges of shadows slightly if subject is close enough.
when a tiny bounce card is being use, the effective way is the point the flash light towards ceiling, the subject will be lighted up with very soft lighting bounce down from ceiling, the tiny bounce card is the direct a small percentage of light directly toward the subject, it will give better colors and sharpness and a tiny catchlight on the subject (if subject is human or animals).
So when using bounce card at outdoor, there is noting to bounce too, bounce card will not able to give same effects as using it at indoor situations.
One thing I notice many photographers pointing their flash head at 45 degree when using bounce card, same like they are using stofen diffuser.
this is very wrong, the flash head is spilling light toward the subjects, if the photographer is shooting human, the direct flash light will spill on the upper part of body of the subject, resulting either overexposed of the face and underexposed on the lower part of the body.
hope this help.
Edwin Francis
Senior Member
Sometimes (ok, most of the time) I just don't bother to remove it when in a mixed indoor/outdoor setting 
I think if you are close enough to the subject (for example in a macro setting) then it aint' a waste of flash output.
the worth of gear is not always equal to the knowledge of photography.
and there are no relationship between these two.
eleveninth
Senior Member
if you bounce to the sky it will give u softer light. ;3
the aliens will know how earth beings love photography.
Shizuma
Senior Member
i saw a shooter at Dragon Boat races using flash to light up the rowing team 300 meter away. 300 mm L lens can help him capture the light.
madmartian
Senior Member
One more flash upwards I'll fry you guys...................:bsmilie:the aliens will know how earth beings love photography.
what is happening last Saturday?
anyway, because you are giving away FREE advice, so nobody take you seriously.
all you need to do is charge them a fee, than tell them to remove stofen to get better flash photography when shooting at outdoor, after they pay you the money.
rhino123
Senior Member
Although you might mean well... but come on... unless you are some big shot photographer that people recognises or the authority there... no one is gonna listen to you. Quite common sense right? I mean... if some one that I don't recognised at all was shouting at me to remove my stofen (not that I have one on), I will,
1) Ignore that fella totally,
2) Shout back at him/she/ kitty.
So... wouldn't it be better if you really want to help people... approach the subject and talk to him/her/ kitty politely... that way, people will listen to you more... or just totally ignore those people as long as they are not getting in your way? I would do that... you cannot imagine how many people are doing strange stuff that I cannot understand when I was out shooting, but I always give them the benefit of doubt... they might know what they are doing and they might be good in what they are doing.
I think that is enough. TS already deleted his original post... Thread closed
For newbies to flash reading this, this is the actual theory for flash:
1. Flash can only be diffused by increasing the size of the light source.
2. When you use a stofen, it lights like a bulb, throwing the light all around. If used indoors, the light will bounce all over the walls and ceiling, making the light source big and coming from all directions, thereby softening the shadows. When used outdoors, there is nothing to bounce the light. So only the light from side of the stofen facing the subject will hit the subject, and since the stofen is about the same size as the flash head, the light will be just as harsh. But the rest of the light going elsewhere have nothing to bounce off on, and will be wasted.
3. When bouncing the flash, and a light colored ceiling is above, the flash light will light up the ceiling and bounce the light back down, creating a huge light source. Outdoors, the light travels upward with nothing to bounce from.
4. Flash light follows the inverse square law. Every time the distance to the subject doubles, the light decreases by 4 times. So flash light range is not very far. So when shooting a faraway landscape, flash does nothing for you.
For newbies to flash reading this, this is the actual theory for flash:
1. Flash can only be diffused by increasing the size of the light source.
2. When you use a stofen, it lights like a bulb, throwing the light all around. If used indoors, the light will bounce all over the walls and ceiling, making the light source big and coming from all directions, thereby softening the shadows. When used outdoors, there is nothing to bounce the light. So only the light from side of the stofen facing the subject will hit the subject, and since the stofen is about the same size as the flash head, the light will be just as harsh. But the rest of the light going elsewhere have nothing to bounce off on, and will be wasted.
3. When bouncing the flash, and a light colored ceiling is above, the flash light will light up the ceiling and bounce the light back down, creating a huge light source. Outdoors, the light travels upward with nothing to bounce from.
4. Flash light follows the inverse square law. Every time the distance to the subject doubles, the light decreases by 4 times. So flash light range is not very far. So when shooting a faraway landscape, flash does nothing for you.
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