tresap23 Loc: Texas

I ordered the soft box for my speedlite as well, and so far have gotten great results, especially outdoors. I think it was you who recommended it to me a while back and I took your advice! when photographing one or 2 people, and you can't carry a whole studio with you, it works!!T o the OP, great advice as always!

OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

(Insert happy dance here.)

Reinaldokool Loc: San Rafael, CA

I used Gary Fong Lightspheres for years, but recently bought Light Genius, aka Light Scoop. Does a great job and easier to carry.

kdogg Loc: Gallipolis Ferry WV

Years ago I bought a Vivitar 285 HV flash unit and it came with a universal soft box attachment. I've used it for years with great results. Just went on ebay and found one for $10.00. You might have to adapt it to your flash unit, but like I said it gives great results for me going on 40 yrs now!

jcboy3

The Fong diffuser is okay if you are indoors and close enough to ceiling or walls to bounce. It spreads light all over plus loses 1-2 stops in the process, so you will need high ISO and powerful flash. I've used it at receptions/parties. It doesn't look as silly as some state, in my opinion.

However, if you are in a large hall or outdoors, it's too inefficient. And, it is effectively a point source, so the light is not soft.

Bounce cards of all sorts are available, I use Rogue flash benders. They are all small, so light is not soft. The main advantage is that catch lights in the eyes are spread out more, and not point sources.

Your best efforts will be to get the flash away from the camera; above it with a flash bracket, or simply off it using wireless triggers. Then you can control the light better, avoid the flat, deer in the headlight look, add additional flash for fill.

Finally, learn to use ambient light. I set exposure for 1 stop low, and fill with flash; the subject gets some separation from the background but the background is neither dark nor affected by the flash.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

I use one too and love it.
Light and easy to mount and use. Easy to pack with you all the time too.

aggiedad Loc: Corona, ca

I have both the Sto-fen and Gary Fong lightsphere and have had success with both. For a really cheap solution, in a seminar a few years ago put on by Canon, They suggested getting an airline barf bag (white of course) and place it over your flash head secured by a rubber band. Darn it, the flights I've taken since then haven't had the white ones.

ronf78155 Loc: Seguin Texas

I'm guessing an unused one is preferred !

chevman Loc: Matthews, North Carolina

Thank you jcboy3, this is good information for me because as I stated earlier my goal is flexability for both indoors and outdoors and I have seen some great outdoor flash photos and would like to do some of the same, so I will be experimenting with some of this good advice as I am able.

Nutrastat

Gary Fong has created a MARVELLOUS piece of EXPENSIVE bit of plastic; which works great from a practical perspective.

I like the idea of the soft box shown in some of the other comments, but, they are not practical when used in bar/club busy environments where I shoot. Unlike a soft box, the light sphere can quickly go from landscape to portrait orientation. The quality of the result is good, therefore, I do not consider it EXPENSIVE, depending how much you use it.

Finally, the light cap can be used for white balance, see Gary's video of the product where he mentions this.

I have just changed camera [Canon 5D MK2 to Panasonic GH5] and the new flash head is smaller, and I shall purchase another light sphere, due to the excellent results that they give. Personally I cannot praise the Light Sphere enough due to its practical use, both portrait & landscape, plus white balance capabilities. Hope this helps.

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

Recommended youtube video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZstWIk2cTU

DI Seller Loc: Knoxville, TN

I bought a sunpak flash for my Nikon and it had the flip down diffuser on it

Big Tony Loc: Fort Myers, Florida

I have used Gary Fong Lightsphere for years. I have had amazing results. The only one I carry in my kit. I would highly recommend this product to any professional or amateur photographer.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

The first day I used my LightSphere, I was in a crowd at a meeting in a hotel ballroom, recording candids. A waiter knocked into the LightSphere with a HEAVY tray, as I was composing a photo, ripping the foot off of my flash. I've been a bit leery of it ever since.

I have a couple of different sizes of Sto-Fen accessories, (OmniBounce and Two-Way Bounce), the LightSphere, and a LumiQuest Big Bounce. They all work fine, for what they are. But, as I mentioned earlier, I use a letter-size sheet of 110-lb. Index paper, fashioned into a scoop, and Velcro-ed onto the back of my flash. When I'm working in a crowd, if it gets hit, it bends or tears, or gets knocked off. But I don't lose my flash foot!

About nine years ago, the company i did training for bought a business in Des Moines, Iowa. I went out there to train them on our underclass portrait systems, and learned that they also made tens of thousands of graduation handshake photos. A few seconds later, they also made a quick portrait of the grad, diploma in hand, just after he/she walked off stage. This was done against a repeating university logo canvas background. Their photographers used the same sheet-of-card-stock-light-scoop tool for all those portraits. At seven feet, the light was nice. Not umbrella nice, but way better than direct flash. Their operations guy told me they liked paper because it bends... and they could afford to carry spares.

When I got back to the lab after training them on our portrait systems, I pulled out my bounce accessories collection, made one of the sheet-of-card-stock-light-scoop tools, and tested all of them on the same subject, in an area similar to an auditorium with a black ceiling. They all worked better than direct flash and straight bounce flash (which did essentially nothing). The card was the best, followed by the Big Bounce, the Sto-Fen OmniBounce, the LightSphere, and then the Sto-Fen Two-Way Bounce. When I moved to a room with a 10' ceiling, the LightSphere came in second. With an 8' ceiling and nearby white walls, it was best.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind