Video University: Video University Forums: Digital Photography for Videographers: Effect of ceiling color and height on bounce flash?

VideoUniversity.com
Home	Free Library	Store
Free Catalog Please support VU by making your B&H purchases and links through this B&H ad. Doesn't cost a penny more.

See The New VU Postcard Catalog

To post in the forums see the Forum Guidelines.

Join or Renew Today.
New Benefits for all VU Members

Forum Guidelines and FAQ
Main Index	Search Posts
Who's Online	Log In

Home: Video University Forums: Digital Photography for Videographers:
Effect of ceiling color and height on bounce flash?

Brackish
Veteran

Aug 12, 2007, 7:29 PM

Post #1 of 10 (778 views)
Shortcut

Effect of ceiling color and height on bounce flash?	Can't Post

Recently I shot some video in a couple ballrooms.
Now that I'm into photo I've been paying more
attention to the ceilings, thinking about
bounce flash.

One ceiling was about 16' up and was white.
The other was 16' up and was black.
Will there be a big difference in bounce
flash between the two? Do you even
bounce off the ceiling if it's black?

Also, how high does the ceiling get before you
rule out bounce flash? Is 16' too high?

----------------------------------------------
"We'll always show up at the wedding with a gift bag for the bride. Inside we have these incredible fuzzy slippers in the teal of our branding."

Shadow
Veteran

Aug 12, 2007, 10:55 PM

Post #2 of 10 (773 views)
Shortcut

Re: [Brackish] Effect of ceiling color and height on bounce flash? [In reply to]	Can't Post

It would depend on how powerful your flash is and how dark the room is if you can bounce.
Black tends to suck the light in instead of reflect it, so you won't have the same effect if you bounce off of a black ceiling.

What about using a lightsphere or flip it or something, then you don't have to worry about bouncing.

__________________________
My boring blog: www.pawspun.blogspot.com

Brackish
Veteran

Aug 12, 2007, 11:18 PM

Post #3 of 10 (770 views)
Shortcut

Re: [Shadow] Effect of ceiling color and height on bounce flash? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Well ... I was just wondering if you can even bounce
off a black ceiling.

----------------------------------------------
"We'll always show up at the wedding with a gift bag for the bride. Inside we have these incredible fuzzy slippers in the teal of our branding."

Shadow
Veteran

Aug 12, 2007, 11:29 PM

Post #4 of 10 (768 views)
Shortcut

Re: [Brackish] Effect of ceiling color and height on bounce flash? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I don't think you'd get much, but if you try it let me know.
I took some refresher photography courses last summer and we would use a black reflector to take away light.

__________________________
My boring blog: www.pawspun.blogspot.com

videochicke
Veteran

Aug 14, 2007, 8:50 AM

Post #5 of 10 (744 views)
Shortcut

Re: [Brackish] Effect of ceiling color and height on bounce flash? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Ceilings make a huge difference. My favorite are the ones with the shiny silver gridwork holding up the ceiling tiles. A deadly bounce! Nice stripes of light on the people if the flash hits the gridwork just right.
Julie

DarrenS
Veteran

Aug 14, 2007, 9:38 AM

Post #6 of 10 (741 views)
Shortcut

Re: [Shadow] Effect of ceiling color and height on bounce flash? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Did you ever notice how the LS diffuser is demonstrated in a small, mostly white room with low white ceilings?

Things that make ma go hmmmm.

DarrenS
Veteran

Aug 14, 2007, 9:40 AM

Post #7 of 10 (739 views)
Shortcut

Re: [Brackish] Effect of ceiling color and height on bounce flash? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Yes you can. Just not very efficiently. Kills your batteries and recycle times, too.

Shadow
Veteran

Aug 14, 2007, 1:30 PM

Post #8 of 10 (722 views)
Shortcut

Re: [DarrenS] Effect of ceiling color and height on bounce flash? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I'm not sure if I saw that demonstration but I think the purpose of the ls with the removable dome is so that you can bounce off ceilings, or if the ceilings are low and it creates nasty racoon eyes you can pop the dome on top so that it shoots more light out the sphere instead.
As dorky as the lightsphere looks I do like it.

__________________________
My boring blog: www.pawspun.blogspot.com

DarrenS
Veteran

Aug 14, 2007, 1:34 PM

Post #9 of 10 (719 views)
Shortcut

Re: [Shadow] Effect of ceiling color and height on bounce flash? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Here's the clip.

I'd like to see what a plain Nikon SB-800 would look like bounced around in that same room. Bet the same.

Postal Boy
Veteran

Aug 14, 2007, 5:30 PM

Post #10 of 10 (709 views)
Shortcut

Re: [DarrenS] Effect of ceiling color and height on bounce flash? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I'll bet the "better bounce card" would do as well, also.
-Postal