Kickstarter: KOBRA Flash Modifier System

Jan 29, 2011
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SecureGSM said:
1. if they flagged the on-camera flash so that no direct light falls on the subject, how do you get 2 (two) catchlights in the subject eyes as it should not really be 2 off them if any at all knowing it reflects of the ceiling. it should not be any in my experience reflecting of the ceiling.
2. how do you get 2 catchlights positioned diagonally?
3. if the light reflects of the ceiling, do you detect any under chin shadows or raccoon eyes?
4. do you notice a highlight on the subject's right shoulder ( left side of the image) and rim light above the right shoulder and hairlight on the same side?

well, there are either 2 light sources or single light source and 2 reflectors involved left and right of the subject.

More specifically:
1. and 2. are the same, the flash was bounced of the wall/ceiling to get the main catchlight, a spurious catchlight was made by a reflective surface to picture right, probably the table shown on the edge of the pull back shot. Neither catchlight lines up with a reflection from the camera axis.
3. The bounce was not into the ceiling, so no chin shadow and no raccoon eyes. The bounce was into the wall at the height he would have put a soft box.
4. The rim light is the ambient coming through the window. Again look at the pullback shot, the sun is image top left and the shaft of light is hitting the floor bottom right, this is consistent with the subjects right shoulder having a rim light.
 
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SecureGSM

2 x 5D IV
Feb 26, 2017
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Private, all valid points, thanks for the clarification. I was not looking at the pullback shots. yes, can be achieved provided:

you have a decent wall to bounce off side of the subject, natural ambient light positioned appropriately, as you mentioned, etc. it all possible, but.. in my humble experience, in majority of situations, I do not have a luxury of bouncing of side walls as there are either none of them available or they are too far and/or they are not of neutral colour. Unfortunately, in run and gun situations you can not force your subject to move to an appropriate location and you have to use what is available. so yeah, bouncing is good when there are some neutrally coloured walls nearby. bouncing of ceiling is OK, I suppose if the ceiling is not too high.

my solution is though is absolutely universal and does not depend on walls, ceiling, weather, location or time of the day.

a speedilte into 40 cm square softbox on top of the Promediagear Boomerang flash bracket + on camera wireless trigger.


privatebydesign said:
Bounce, used effectively, is not a simple 'point it at the ceiling' it is playing pool or snooker, work out the angle to put your reflective surface where you would put a softbox, then you get beautiful interesting catchlights.
 
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Jan 29, 2011
10,675
6,121
SecureGSM said:
Private, all valid points, thanks for the clarification. I was not looking at the pullback shots. yes, can be achieved provided:

you have a decent wall to bounce off side of the subject, natural ambient light positioned appropriately, as you mentioned, etc. it all possible, but.. in my humble experience, in majority of situations, I do not have a luxury of bouncing of side walls as there are either none of them available or they are too far and/or they are not of neutral colour. Unfortunately, in run and gun situations you can not force your subject to move to an appropriate location and you have to use what is available. so yeah, bouncing is good when there are some neutrally coloured walls nearby. bouncing of ceiling is OK, I suppose if the ceiling is not too high.

my solution is though is absolutely universal and does not depend on walls, ceiling, weather, location or time of the day.

a speedilte into 40 cm square softbox on top of the Promediagear Boomerang flash bracket + on camera wireless trigger.


privatebydesign said:
Bounce, used effectively, is not a simple 'point it at the ceiling' it is playing pool or snooker, work out the angle to put your reflective surface where you would put a softbox, then you get beautiful interesting catchlights.

For me the forum is about spreading knowledge and trying to rein in the most poorly worded and misinformed posts. The site I linked to is a great resource for an unusual way of approaching on camera flash and he has a multitude of posts and images that well illustrate his point. Personally I do end up gravitating to his methodology mainly because I really don't get on with too much additional 'stuff', I rarely use my CP-E3's because it's just another thing!

The one thing that held me back with his technique for quite a while was the need to ride the ISO more than I was often comfortable with to get those balanced exposures. Now I have newer cameras it isn't an issue. For sure it takes a lot of on the fly understanding of how to get the image you want, which isn't ideal in fast moving situations, but with practice it is a technique I am comfortable with.

But of course it is only one technique we can use, assistants with sofboxes on booms, grouped lights on stands around the perimeter of the event space (made all the easier with reliable wireless control) massive on camera contraptions that tend to live short life cycles, an endless supply of kickstarter and de jour modifiers of various shapes sizes and effectiveness touted by the trendy photographer of the moment do all have their place. And the truth is we'd do well to try most of them to see what works best for each of us as we grow as photographers and our styles mature.
 
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Unless this Kobra system uses some sort of time-space-continuum warping thing, physics are still physics. There is only so much you can do with a small piece of material close to a small light source.

scotty1.jpg
 
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