Hi there Mark,

You’re right .. that piece of black foam is only useful in directing and flagging the light from the flash. You need to do something else when you have no surface to bounce off.

However, you’d be surprised to see what you can actually bounce your flash off.
– So here I think some photographers just aren’t imaginative enough, or are too scared to try out bouncing off unusual or far-away surfaces.
– Conversely though, I think some photographers (out of inexperience maybe?), are too ambitious in what they think they can bounce flash off.
Therefore my advice here would be to make sure you can get the results you want. It needs testing and trying out though to figure this out.

When I am stuck in a situation where I can’t bounce flash at all, I have to use something else. Ideally, off-camera lighting. If I can only use on-camera flash, then I have to settle for a plastic light diffuser such as the Stofen, or the better bounce card.

Neil vN

When you have nothing good to bounce off of, like colored walls far away, you wont use your black foamie thing for on camera flash modifier correct?

You would use some form of white bounce card to throw light forward (like at processionals) correct?

Do you use the white bounce card (like the BBC) often in these types of situations?

And when do you prefer the black striped white card over the no stripe white card?

Thanks much,
Mark

Hi there Bob ..

That question is answered in this post about The Black Foamie Thing, with some examples.

Neil vN

I have a questions for your black foam. Do you think it would do a better job if the inner part of the foam is white in color? maybe by using a white color card, just like the ultimate bounce card.

Or perhaps, you didn’t want too much light to be bounced off?

Regards
Bob

Mike, I suspect (without having done tests), that the use of a light modifier like that with wireless TTL is going to prove problematic in two ways:

The pre-flash sequence might very well be cut down to the point where the camera can’t meter the TTL flash output properly.

And then of course, the signal train could be lost which fires the slaved flashes.

I’m not sure that using a light modifier over your master slave when outdoors in bright light, is going to be useful.

best of luck

Neil vN

I love your blog, there’s so much good information.

I was wondering if you’ve had experience using a modifier such as stofen or gary fong outdoors on the master unit in order to trigger wireless ttl. As you mention it would not soften the light at all, but it would send the light in all directions. I was thinking that it would help when multiple slave units are placed in different locations (ie camera left/right or camera back left and a kicker light). Each slave has to “see” the light from the master in order to trigger which would be tough to do if you have to send the light in more than one direction.

So do you know if the benefit gained by spreading the light in all directions would outweigh the loss of light caused by the modifier? Any suggestions to optically trigger slaves that are in different directions relative to the master when shooting outdoors?

Thanks.

Hi there Mike ..

The details about the stofen-with-a-hole-in-it appears on the page about The Black Foamie Thing ™

Neil vN

I have been using the black foam modifier for a few weeks.

It works like a charm as long as there are walls or a ceiling to bounce off.

When do you use the stofen with the hole cut in it?

I have a family reception coming up and the room we will be in has 60 foot ceilings with dark walls.

The only equipment I have is my 580 ex II – 50mm f/1.4 and my kit lens of 28-135 on my 40D.

I have read and re-read all of your posts. Just amazing.
Thank you for adding so much to world of photography.

Much appreciated.

Mike

I am sure the book will do well. Thanks again.

As mentioned above, I pretty much just use the Black Foamie Thing when I’m indoors. It’s a piece of black foam that I cut myself.

But .. you need to adapt and improvise depending on the situation you find yourself in, and the type of lighting that would be most pleasing (and accessible).

Neil vN