About BOUNCEFLASH

BOUNCEFLASH is a rebellion.

A rebellion against Strobist.

David Hobby, over at Strobist, loudly sings the praises of multiple off-camera small flashes for photography.  He has a devout following, primarily made up of folks who make really good photos utilizing the techniques he teaches.  As a result of this, Vivitar 285HVs, Nikon SB-24s, and ebay Radio Triggers have rapidly increased in price and became unaffordable for most of us.  Mpex has “Strobist kits”, with light stands, umbrellas, Vivitars, and radio triggers or long PC cords.

Mr. Hobby, talented man that he is, proclaims this as the simple way to make good photos.

I call bullcrap.

The more I read of what he teaches, the more I think he misses the point.

When my semi-pro wife sets up a photoshoot of a family with 35 members, the use of small flashes, off-camera, rapidly becomes complicated, expensive, or both.  Light ratios go to pieces.  There’s sunlight.  There’s shadow.  There are radio triggers which don’t seem to behave.  When she goes to shoot a wedding, the off-camera flash theory just DOESN’T WORK!  That stuff has got to move.  It has to work RIGHT every time.  There are no second and third shots.  Or twentieth, as Mr. Hobby seems to think is reasonable.

In addition to all that, it has become more and more obvious to me that I just don’t like the results I see on a lot of “strobist” pics.  Color shifts that are never fixed in post – largely because the idea is to eliminate post processing.

Let me get one thing out there on the table – it makes a lot more sense to carry ONE flash and then do some post processing than it does to carry five and wind up with a picture that LOOKS like it was flashed.

I don’t say this to insult Mr. Hobby.  He is a tremendous photographer, and I greatly appreciate what he has done to advance the use of small flashes in location photography.  His skills far exceed mine.

Thus, the purpose for this site is simple – I want to document my study of single flash photography, with some possible forays into multiple flashes from time to time.  A secondary intention will be documenting ways to SIMPLY light photos so that a photographer can travel with as little equipment as possible and still produce stunning photos.

I may discuss software, and I will definitely discuss “do-it-yourself” items.

As is probably clear, this site is intended for the serious amateur photographer, but hopefully we can learn some things that will help budding professionals as well.

I don’t claim to have all the answers.  As a matter of fact, I do NOT have most of the answers.

Here’s to the journey….