Section II Shooting
270
Bounce flash
A softer and more pleasing lighting effect is
possible by using bounce flash. In this technique,
the light reaches the subject only after being
bounced off something else, such as a wall, a
ceiling, or even a piece of white plastic or card
stock. As shown in Figure 9-53, the light is
directed at a light-colored surface and reflected
to the subject, becoming much more diffused and
even. This can be done with an on-camera flash
that has a pivoting flash head, or by removing the
flash from the hot shoe and tilting it to direct the
light upward.
Two important considerations in using
bounce flash are the flash-to-subject distance and
the color of the reflecting surface. Dedicated or
automatic flashes will compensate for the greater
distance the bounced light must travel, but users
of manual flash units must take that factor into
account. In addition to calculating the f-stop
based on the increased distance, you must open
up one or two stops to account for the loss of light
due to scattering from the reflecting surface. The
actual increase in exposure for bounce flash will
be established through experience; for safety,
bracket exposures when using this technique.
Beware of reflecting a color cast onto your
subject by using a bounce surface that is strongly
colored. A wall painted sunny yellow might be
attractive on its own, but the yellow light that
it reflects onto your subject could be highly
unflattering to skin tones. Very dark surfaces,
especially those with a rough finish (such as
certain types of wood paneling), will absorb
much of the light striking them, rather than
reflecting light onto the subject.
When the benefits of bounce flash are desired
but suitable reflective surfaces are not available,
you can provide your own surfaces, Figure 9-54.
If an assistant or some form of stand is available,
a photographic umbrella (normally used in
studio photography) or a piece of stiff white card
several feet square can be used as a reflector.
The reflective surface is positioned above and to
one side of the camera and angled to reflect light
on the subject. The flash unit is then reversed
so it points at the reflective surface rather than
the subject. When using manual flash, exposure
adjustments must be made to compensate for
distance and light scattering.
Another method, which has the benefit of
simplicity and ease of use, is the bounce card. A
small piece of white card stock is cut the width
of the flash head and fastened in place with tape
or a rubber band. The flash unit’s tilt head is
pointed straight up, and the card bent to extend
over it at about a 45° angle. When the flash is
triggered, most of the light bounces off the card
in the direction of the subject. A version of the
bounce card, made of rigid plastic, is available
commercially.
A direct-flash technique with many of the
benefits of bounce flash is known as bare-bulb
flash. This method requires a special flash
head without a reflector (or one from which
the reflector can be removed), so that the light
can spread in all directions. The result is a soft,
even illumination that is a bit stronger than the
light from a diffused flash. Because the light is
emitted in a 360° circle from the flash, coverage
is adequate for even extreme wide-angle (fisheye)
lenses.
Figure 9-53. Bounce flash can help light your subject
evenly and avoid harsh shadows. When bouncing light
off a surface, choose an aiming point about midway
between your flash and the subject (remember the
old principle, “the angle of incidence equals the angle
of reflection”). If you are using a manually adjusted
flash, remember to add together the distance from
the flash unit to the ceiling and from the ceiling to the
subject when determining exposure. If you use only the
straight-line distance from the flash to the subject, you
will underexpose the shot.