Flash brackets?

PatrickO

PatrickO

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Patrick
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When adding adding fill light a flash mounted on the hotshoe gives nasty catchlights. Just wondering if a flash bracket would be the answer and if so which ones do people recommend?
 
gary996 said:
IMO just get it on a stand. Flash brackets seem so yesteryear.
If you want to keep on camera get a bounce card. Rogue flashbender etc
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I do quite a few location portrait shoots. I'm tired of light stands blowing over. Also if tog and subject are moving around light stands are not so good (unless you have one of those VALS ;)). A bounce card still gives still gives a catchlight smack in the middle of the pupil.
 
Patrick, you need to learn about sandbags! Never put a lightstand down without hanging something off it. If you're using stands outside and you're not bagging them, no wonder they keep going over!

Flash brackets are naff and the quality of light you get that way is s***e. If you still want to do portraits with on-camera light, I suggest a ringflash.
 
Lyope said:
Patrick, you need to learn about sandbags! Never put a lightstand down without hanging something off it. If you're using stands outside and you're not bagging them, no wonder they keep going over!

Flash brackets are naff and the quality of light you get that way is s***e. If you still want to do portraits with on-camera light, I suggest a ringflash.
Click to expand...

Good advice.

I find hanging my camera bag of the stand is usually enough to keep it in place. Although I brought the missus to a shoot recently and she proved invaluable on a windy day in keeping the stand upright and my fashguns safe.
 
Thanks for replies, but I dont't think that covers what I'm asking. If I'm out in the park/beach photographing kids or adults and encouraging them to move and be natural then I really don't want to be carrying sandbags with me.

Does anyone use a flash bracket in this sort of situation. Or do you just use the flash on the hot shoe for fill? Or just use natural light?
 
PatrickO said:
Thanks for replies, but I dont't think that covers what I'm asking. If I'm out in the park/beach photographing kids or adults and encouraging them to move and be natural then I really don't want to be carrying sandbags with me.

Does anyone use a flash bracket in this sort of situation. Or do you just use the flash on the hot shoe for fill? Or just use natural light?
Click to expand...
Flash brackets are designed to put the flash back above the lens when the camera is in portrait mode.

They are most use when using flash straight on, which we tend not to do nowadays, we favour bouncing, which leaves the flash bracket as an unwieldy bit of kit.

The answer to your problem isn't a flash bracket:
A camera mounted flash used as fill can make catch lights without causing nasty shadows, it's a matter of balance. Learn, practice, chimp, practice. Fill light should be just that; fill. Most people who use a camera mounted flash as fill treat it as the key light. Basically if you're creating shadows, the fill is too bright.
 
If you don't like the catch-light, change it in post processing. Easy.
 
Phil V said:
Flash brackets are designed to put the flash back above the lens when the camera is in portrait mode.

They are most use when using flash straight on, which we tend not to do nowadays, we favour bouncing, which leaves the flash bracket as an unwieldy bit of kit.

The answer to your problem isn't a flash bracket:
A camera mounted flash used as fill can make catch lights without causing nasty shadows, it's a matter of balance. Learn, practice, chimp, practice. Fill light should be just that; fill. Most people who use a camera mounted flash as fill treat it as the key light. Basically if you're creating shadows, the fill is too bright.
Click to expand...

Thanks Phil. Useful and to the point advice. Outdoor fill flash is something I have been working hard on to get right.
 
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