First Flash: Which one? Metz 50 vs Oly 36r?

Ummm, no. That's not the reason! You're thinking of bouncing flash off the ceiling, and bouncing flash when it's on a flash bracket will still create the same unwanted shadows sometimes (raccoon eyes).

The reasons you move the flash away from the lens are:

1) to avoid red eye, and
2) to intentionally create some shadows which "model" the face. By moving the light source off camera, or as far away from the camera as you can with a flash bracket, you create shadows which then provide a 3D effect - they show the face as it really is, not flat and featureless like a straight-on flash would.

You can also model the face by bouncing flash off a white wall instead off the ceiling. This can be done even when the flash is in the hotshoe, and it creates the same sort of pleasing, flattering shadows that you want when shooting portraits.

 

Ha, ic ic..

Thanks for the correction :smile:

 

Thanks for the clarification, Rudi. But a picture would definitely be worth a thousand words here! Anyone with a pictorial demonstration?

 

Clearly the reason one uses a flash bracket is because it makes one look more professional. :tongue:

 

I don't usually shoot with one-camera flash, but this is a photo a friend of mine took, and asked me to fix the B&W conversion (didn't quite like the way it looked originally).

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Even with the contrast turned way up, see how flat their faces look? It's a great photo, but it has a "snap-quality" feel about it. Compare that with another snap, but here I used the large window that was off to the side of her to good advantage:

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See how her face looks more three-dimensional? You can do the same thing with flash, just move it off to the side and "fake" the window light:

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Even if it's off by just a little, it helps:

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If its off by a lot, it's more dramatic:

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If I took this with on-camera flash, it would look a lot less interesting:

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These are just a few examples that I have available online. There are probably much better examples that I have, but I'd have to go looking. Being the lazy type, this will have to do. :smile:

Hope it helps.

 

Rudi, thanks! I've been on so many forums in the past years as my interests have changed as I've gotten older, but I'm really always impressed by the willingness of the people on here to help and to teach. Rudi, again, thank you.

 

Focus assist beam doesn't work with Micro 4/3 cameras. Even on Olympus flashes.

 

Comparing the FL-36R to the Nikon SB-800

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FL-36R & E-P2

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Tilt and swivel capabilities of the FL-36R

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Full 180 degree swivel.

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I bought the same flash, too. Only problem is Amazon says it was delivered yesterday but I never got it. I was home all day yesterday, too. *Sigh.

 

When the RC mode menu is up, then hit the INFO button and it'll cycle you back to the Super Control Panel (or Live Control if that's what you have enabled).   Took me a while to figure that one out too, and I always disabled RC until I discovered it. Not that it matters to me as I don't use TTL anyways, lol.

 

I've never been disappointed by a Metz flash yet. They are real workhorses!