92 PRACTICALPHOTOGRAPHY
B
OUNCINGTHEFLASHCREATES
a la rgerlightsourceto givesofter
il luminationandmoreflattering
results. You can maximise the
si ze of your light source by
zooming your flash head to its widest
setting using the controls on the flash. Also
pull out the built-in wide-angle diffuser
panel housed in the slot in the flash headand,
if you have one, attach your diffusion dometo
your flash. All three steps will give youa broader
spread of light hitting your bounce surface.It’salso
better to set the flash power manually ratherthanrelyingon TTL.
This is because when using TTL, the flashlightlevelis setto match
the distance of the subject from the camera, but the bounced light
will be travelling from a different distance, and so the TTL power
setting will be inaccurate.
SETTINGS SET UP YOUR FLASH
FOR BOUNCE LIGHTING
TIP
DON’TAIM
TOOHIGH
Forthebestresultsyou’llwant
yourbouncesurfaceto be no
morethana coupleof metres
fromyourflash.High
ceilingsaretoofarto
bounce.
Direct flash with no bounce
If you don’t bounce the flash at all –and
instead point the light directly at your
subject – the lighting will be very harsh.
This means you’ll cast strong shadows
behind your subject, which can often
be distracting and is best avoided.
Furthermore, the lighting in the image
will be flat and lacking in subtle shading,
as the light direction follows the same
axis as your lens.
45º forward-facing bounce
If you’re only a few metres away from
yo ur subject, avoid setting the flash to
the 45º forward-facing position. As you
can see in the example above, while the
lighting is softer than direct flash,
there’s still a rear shadow being cast.
There are further flaws with the light
brighter on the forehead than the chin,
and a strong shadow cast underneath
the model’s jawline.
90º upward-facing bounce
By facing the flash directly 90º to the
ceiling, you can create a different look.
While it’s an improvement on the
previous two flash positions, there are
still some areas that can be enhanced.
The eyes are now in shadow and there’s
also strong shadows under the nose
and jaw. The light lacks any horizontal
gradation as it’s still firing in the same
direction as the axis of the lens.
BOUNCE LIGHTING PROBLEMS THREE THINGS TO AVOID
