Tangents

contest results: comparison between different flash modifiers

June 28, 2011

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contest results: comparison between different flash modifiers

There was a huge response to last week’s contest where the type of light modifier had to be matched up to the result. (Click on the images to make them appear as a slideshow.)

Here they are again at the top, but with the light modifiers in the correct order. I’ll discuss some of this in follow-up posts, where we’ll look at the light pattern and how it would or would not match certain light modifiers.

And of course, the winner is announced …

For more details about the light modifiers, here they are in the same correct sequence,
with links to B&H where applicable:

1. Direct Flash
2. Interfit 15.5″ beauty dish (B&H link)
3. Dome Diffuser – (in this case, supplied with Nikon SB-900)
4. Fong Dong, (also sometimes referred to as the Fong Lightsphere) (B&H link)
5. Rogue Flash Bender as a bounce card (B&H link)
6. Westcott Shoot Through Umbrella (B&H link)
7. Lastolite 15″ Softbox (B&H link)
8. Interfit Strobies 20 degree grid (B&H link)
9. Rogue Flash Bender as a Snoot (B&H link)
10. Black Foamie Thing (Tangents article)

There were 10 correct entries to the contest. Here is how I picked the winner – I wrote down each correct entry’s post number, and then repeatedly clicked through this random number generator, until it matched the post of one of the correct entries. And via this arbitrary (and therefore fair way), I got to number 74 after a few tries … which means that Duane Dale is the lucky winner of either an SB-700 or a 430 EX II speedlight. Thank you to everyone who participated!

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13 Comments »

Congratulations to Duane Dale! Good job!

Comment by Angelo Chiu — June 28, 2011 @ 4:46 am
I of course, got them all correct too. Just didn’t happen to submit an entry!

A really interesting and informative exercise Neil. As a BFT “convert”, I now have one strapped to my 580EX all the time. Had several queries about it from guests at recent weddings I’ve photographed. I always refer them to your Tangents blog and confirm that this is one the most effective and cost-effective lighting accessories available!

Comment by Ed Phillips — June 28, 2011 @ 8:28 am
Hmmm… good to know I got them right atleast. Maybe I’ve learned something after all. :-)

Comment by Mark Denman — June 28, 2011 @ 9:38 am
Thanks a lot for this contest ! I scored 3 out of 10 ! But it was really really instructive !!
Simone

Comment by Simone Paoletti — June 28, 2011 @ 12:34 pm
Hi Neil,
I think method 10 is the very best light bouncing with a black-foamie. The shadow is minimum. I tryed to test this method 10 at home. It is very great as another expensive methods. For the future I take only now black foamie.
Thank you Neil for your good technik and idea. YOur very great photgrapher mentor. :-)

Comment by Mary-Jane S. Hoehler — June 29, 2011 @ 2:03 pm
Been a long time fan of your blog.
I think that method 10 looks the best actually. BFT!

Comment by Christopher Barran — July 1, 2011 @ 12:33 am
Congratulations.

Maybe I would have better changes to win this flashlight if … I had a flashlight to practice :D

Comment by Michal Bakowski — July 1, 2011 @ 4:39 am
Hi Neil

Great example of the various light modifiers shown. It looks like all shots were off- camera flash. My question is did you use the same flash exposure settings on all the light modifiers?

Comment by Dan — July 3, 2011 @ 4:02 pm
Dan, inevitably, some light modifiers will be more efficient than others.

Neil vN

Comment by Neil vN — July 4, 2011 @ 4:44 am
[...] Neil Van Nickerk – contest: comparison between different flash modifiers [...]

Pingback by 8 Light Modifiers for Flash Photography Compared | Les Jones — July 6, 2011 @ 9:37 am
Wooo, 10/10! Congrats to the winner.

Comment by Paul R — July 7, 2011 @ 11:25 am
Hi Neil

One question regarding the use of the lightsphere and the stofen. It’s often recommended that you should aim either one of them straight up to achieve the best results. Did you use them in that way or did you place them the way you would as a softbox or umberella would be placed for your examples?

Comment by Dan R — July 27, 2011 @ 1:19 pm
Hi Dan,

I used the stofen and the lightsphere with on-camera flash and pointed them up.

I chose to create a vertical photograph since it would better show the benefits and limitations of on camera modifiers. As you can see, there is still a very visible shadow with the the stofen and lightsphere, though it is softened. They are a much better option than direct flash, but in my opinion (and I believe the photos prove it) the black foamie thing is a much better option for on-camera flash modifiers if you can bounce the light from your flash off of something.

Stephanie

Comment by Stephanie Zettl — July 27, 2011 @ 4:44 pm