How Would You Handle This?

[Steve Margulis]

I have an event coming up in the venue pictured below. It's going to be held in the late afternoon, so there will be a lot of light coming in from the windows. I'm considering bouncing flash off the windows, or using a Fong diffuser. Any suggestions? Thanks.

[revjvegas]

Looking for a real challenge weren't you?

If you have to shoot someone with all that window light facing you, perhaps go with the flash sync shutter speed, 1/200 or 1/250, and and ISO of 200, to help tame that blast of outdoor light. Then using f4 or 5.6 and maybe something like a lumiquest soft-box, or your Fong diffuser, on the flash to light the subject.

I'd also suggest getting out there and make a few test shots before the event if you can, so as to dial in the settings.

[ldelacruz]

Looks familiar! Is that in or near Angleton/Freeport? I think I shot a wedding there?

[shifter48]

What will you be shooting and will you only have one speed light???? Need more info. Is this the time and space??? You don't have enough info for us.

[Steve Margulis]

This is in Freeport. It's called Riverplace. I'm shooting a dinner event there this week. I'd prefer to keep the lighting simple. I usually shoot weddings with on camera bounce flash. I don't want to pull out the off camera lights for this. Thanks for the suggestions.

[CaptainTom]

Back to the light source (windows) fill flash and ambient light.
Watch out for squinters.

or

shoot facing the windows and overpower the light with flash.

or both.

[ngoduyviet]

Originally Posted by Steve Margulis

I have an event coming up in the venue pictured below. It's going to be held in the late afternoon, so there will be a lot of light coming in from the windows. I'm considering bouncing flash off the windows, or using a Fong diffuser. Any suggestions? Thanks.

You'll need all the flash power you can get. Why would you want to bounce the flash against the windows or use the Fong Dong, which wastes your flash power?

Looking at the picture you took of the venue, the ratio of lights from the windows to the opposite side is fairly big. If it were me, I'd get a couple of off camera flashes on the opposite wall and shoot it back at the windows to balance out the lighting ratio for an even light. I'd also have a speedlite on my camera in case I had to shoot against the windows light.

[Tom]

Remote monoblocks in the corners of the room that would light up the whole thing. Kinda how you light an NBA game.

[shifter48]

Originally Posted by Thomas Campbell

Remote monoblocks in the corners of the room that would light up the whole thing. Kinda how you light an NBA game.

WHAT?????? I don't think this guy knows how to light an NBA game that's why he's asking for some advise.....your sooo off the wall!!!!!!

[Tom]

Originally Posted by shifter48

WHAT?????? I don't think this guy knows how to light an NBA game that's why he's asking for some advise.....your sooo off the wall!!!!!!

Read the first sentence I wrote.

[kayumangi]

Using a fong dong for this will be no help, because there is no place to bounce the diffused light.

Using a bounce card is no help either because the lights from the windows will just negate whatever light is left (it's very inefficient like what Viet said because a majority of the flash power is fired into empty space).

With that said, I say you will have to use at least one OCF on a light stand or clamp.

Heck if it was me, I'd have two OCF (no diffusers) on opposite ends, shooting towards the windows, cross lighting the floor space, say 1/4th power, while I'll have another on-camera flash just to add punch (also without a diffuser).

If your speed lights support high speed syncing you may wanna try that too, because 1/250th may not be enough, unless you constantly shoot at f/8 and above.

[Steve Margulis]

Lonnie,

How did you deal with the wedding you shot at this location?

[Rson]

The location would be prime for a HDR setup shot before the people arrive.