Toronto Photography Meetup Group

I would really appreciate your feed-back on this one.

1. I plan the use a Gary-Fong diffuser on a on camera flash. The intention is to use ambient light mostly and the flash as fill light only.
What's your best recommendation to do that?

2. Would a flash bracket be better, as opposed to shooting with the flash vertical with the GF diffuser on?

3. If I use ambient light as main source, let's say fluorescent.
Do you agree with this camera setting:
WB: fluorescent
Flash: green gell on
I plan to shoot RAW anyway, but I realise that the picture needs to be perfect when you take it, not after 2 hours of PS at home.

Thanks again for all your help!

Don't watse your time or money with the Fong Dong.

Expose for ambient or just under if shutter speed is a problme. Bounce your flash off the ceiling or a wall. Play with the power to balance it so you are not "over flashing" unless you like that look.

I was actually going to create a new thread about the Gary Fong diffuser and in similar context to the OP's question 1. I was debating on whether to get one or not. The only reason I'm thinking of getting one is when you're dealing with indoor/poor lighting conditions and the ceiling is too high for a bounce. Wouldn't a GF diffuser such as a lightsphere help create ambient light when there is no surface to bounce off?

I like the Gary Fong diffuser for events, or the StoFen too.

Some diffusion is always good and if the ceilings and walls are usable, it helps bounce light all around. Fong actually has some tips on video you can find online as well as a tip-sheet card you can print off giving recommended settings, angle of flash, etc. I've used this for a couple events and found it helps. It's a bit heavy though, which is why i have the Stofen normally on now.

1/3 of a stop of bracketing (on the flash, not the body) is usually enough to net me good results. The Fong is nice in the right circumstances but you do need to dial up some FEC if you're going to use it outside of its element.

The Sto-fen is a good all-purpose solution but again, some FEC is required.

As for a bracket, I've used two in the past and love them. The Newton I've got right now is great!

For the record, I don't use on camera flash.

The little bounce card built into your flash (assuming you use Nikon) is more than enough.

I am a big fan of Gary's Dong!
It has its uses and to me it's 100x better than stofen.
If there's nothing to bounce your flash off, stofen is ABSOLUTELY useless.
Gary's Dong on the other hand,due to it's size, is still capable of softening the light. Large light source=softer light.

While I totally understand some people's opinion that a Gary Fong diffuser is a rip-off I have to say that I do use it.

I'm not a pro with using a flash, especially when trying to bounce off a ceiling, wall etc. With a Gary Fong I can usually just shoot without having to do much in the way of adjustment. When I try to bounce off a ceiling or wall I'm constantly going back to my LCD to see if things were lit well. If not then I'd increase or decrease the flash power.

In a wedding setting I simply don't have time to be second guessing the results. Perhaps if I forced myself to not shoot with a Fong then I may eventually become better at shooting without an aid and thus be able to pull off great shots without much fine tuning.

Just my thoughts

is it like a snoot? lol

if your using gimmicks like a diffuser, you most likely do not know exposure and how to use your flash.

it's simple, expose for ambient light and shoot direct on with a flash.

here is a simple way to start:

ISO100
Flash on Auto
Manual mode
f 5.6
shutter at 1/60 to start, adjust up or down shutter speed to capture ambient light... this method will work for almost all situations and keeps it simple.

most people adjust several things, cannot get a nice exposure, run out and buy a light diffuser!

heh heh, the only system i've ever used in the past 20 years (my only trick: i'd fool the flash to think it's ISO 200)

This is pretty much how I shoot events etc. with flash. I will admit, I sometimes use a "gimmick" to help diffuse the light so it's not as harsh ie Lumiquest and I do own a Fong but don't really use it that much but it has it's moments.

This statement is EXTREMELY ignorant.
I am not even going to comment on your "tip"...

But hey, as long as your "system" work for you,right...

Yeah... that wouldn't work.

I set my camera in maual and auto-iso and custom WB without a flash.
If flash, manual flash + all above.

Lol lets just end this terrible advice thread right now.

I set my camera on P mode. Someone told me its professional, and the camera figures itself out and the flash happens perfectly