dandev Loc: Enumclaw, WA

I do a lot of event photography where I walk the crowd. I typically use a Canon 5D3 with Canon 600 EX flash mounted on camera with Gary Fong modifier, using a ceiling bounce when there is a ceiling. 90% of my shots are in landscape. I know on-camera flash is not the best, and while I have a ST-3 remote adapter, I can't steadily hold the camera in one hand and the flash in another.

I've seen people use flash brackets and am thinking about buying one from Really Right Stuff - a WPF-QR2 - since I have a RRS camera L bracket. (Yes - I know they are not the cheapest option.)
Questions: Is moving the flash up 3 inches with a flash bracket going to make a difference? And, does anyone have experience with the RRS WPF-QR2?
Thanks...

Dun1 Loc: Atlanta, GA

My first flash bracket purchase was a Stroboframe. It is not an expensive bracket, based on what you said you might need or use it. The main idea is to get flash off of the camera, if you are in a location where using bouncing the flash off of the ceiling is not an option take a look at the Stroboframe as an option

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

Check out brackets available from Acratech - similar/comparable to RRS, but not as expensive.

https://www.acratech.net/

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Answer: no.


The flash is still coming basically on axis with the camera.


You need to simulate that "45 deg" lighting that a softbox gets you which entails bouncing flash to a surface to the side/above.

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The parallelogram devices that flip the
camera 90 dgr, on the bracket without
tipping the bracket, are most de riguer.

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Lighting-wise, for the small gathered groups of 3 or 4
folks, dancing couples, etc, that you encounter in event
shooting, a single flash at about 45 dgr really sukkz. It
will always be exactly wrong for half the persons in the
shot. If you wanna try a crossed pair at that angle, you
better charge a whole shidtlode of sheckels for lugging
and using such a rig. Mainly, over-axis works quite well,
but you do want more than a paltry 3 in. lift, and most
brackets will provide more, so no problem.

Too much of the advice around here is too theoretical.
Suggesting that you can routinely find available bounce
flash surfaces is formula for doooom. Guests outside of
your shot get blasted in the eye, so they will absolutely
loooooooove you [not] when you approach to get them
into a later shot. IOW, side-bounced flash will make you
persona non grata really fast.

Back to the practical: If you can't handhold your camera
with one hand, your pwecious fast zoom is too heavy. A
28/2.8 will do 90% of walk-about shots, and no one will
ever know about the 10% you never shot. With modern
AF, you can skip the bracket and have your diffused flash
in your left hand, so you can hold it high and can choose
to move it left, right, or over-axis as the shots require.

The main reason I switched to AF, initially film era AF,
was cuz before AF I hadda focus with my flash-holding
hand, always crashing the flashand large diffuser onto
the lens/camera while I prefocused before approaching
each group or couple. At least those old MF lenses had
useful distance scales ... f:8.0, set footage, shoot :-)


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PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

Moving up 3 inches only has 2 effects.
One) better, but not great for red eye
Two) the shadow is down more

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rpavich Loc: West Virginia

It's a lot better than on-axis any day of the week.



It will work just fine.



No need for a pair, one bounced flash with a snoot will do just fine.



Not in my experience nor the experience of many others including Neil Van Niekerk.



that's why I'd use a snoot like a Black Foamie Thing.

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OOOOOOOooooh, celebrity photog endorsement .....

Oooohhhh .... end of discussion.

See ya in the funny papers !


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G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

Hold a white business card in front of the flash....with practice you can direct the light, or rather the less lighted area, as and where you wish. the white card reflects nearly all of the light as you direct.
or create a soft box using white opaic plastic that reduces the harshness.

an off camera flask then needs you to think twice as hard!

have fun

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

Manfrotto has a cheapy ($60), it lets you raise your flash up 2 feet and let is swing to the left or right about a foot and a half!

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Bounce, no Fong (only amateurs use them), hot shoe mounted flash, be happy. On camera flash is not a problem if you use it correctly.

See below. Flash on hotshoe, bounced over right shoulder off ceiling and nearby wall.

(Download)

turp77 Loc: Connecticut, Plainfield

02Nomad Loc: Catonsville, MD

If you are going with a flash bracket, I have had the best results and the least trouble with a Custom Bracket. They're not inexpensive, but they are worth every penny.