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Introduction
I recently shot Daniel using some new flash equipment from Rogue, including three of their Flash Bender Products. This was a test shoot of several Rogue products to see how they worked with a 2-, 3- and 4- speedlite setup. Rogue asked if I would try them out and provide them some feedback. I'm a small flash shooter, and already have a couple of Rouge products, so was excited to try out some of their new gear.
Typically, my gearbag includes the poles, diffusers and triggers to use two Canon speedlites and three large Vivitar 285's. Its usually pretty easy to find flash modifiers for the Canon gear, but the bulky design of the Vivitar flashes often leave me hunting for white foam core, DIY velcro flags, or shooting against walls.
Rogue Gear Tested
All links are to Amazon.com.
Rogue FlashBenders ROGUERESM Small Positionable Reflector - $34.95
Rogue FlashBenders ROGUERELG Large Positionable Reflector - $39.95
Rogue FlashBenders ROGUEFLAG Bounce Card / Flag - $29.95
Rogue FlashBender Large Flash Diffusion Panel - $19.95
Rogue ROGUEGRID 3-In-1 Stacking Honeycomb Grid System with Pouch - $49.95
I have been using "cheap" gobos and bounce reflectors, including some DIY gear. And my bag includes one Honl Snoot/Reflector (about $30 street).
The Setups
The two identical images with Daniel sitting in front of the green wall (one in color, other in B&W) are nearly bare-flash. The Flash Benders basically acted as flags (or gobos, or masks) to prevent flash spill into the lens.
I used the Small and Bounce Card / Flag to light up Daniel on extreme left and right. This created the dramatic lighting/shadow examples and extreme shallow fall off.
The background was list with a flash and the large reflector to soften the shadows slightly.
When shooting Daniel sitting in the Desk Chairs, I used the flash benders as a more traditional "bounce", creating softer light and virtually no shadows on the background. This is where I used the large flash diffusion panel. This basically covers the flash and turns it into a softbox about 9" square. The best results from this setup was achieved having the soft light source as close to the subject as possible.
About Rogue Flash Benders
Rogue uses a combination elastic and button system to secure the bounce flags on the flash. On other systems I use, the flags are either Velcroed to the flash, or held on with thick/heavy rubber bands. The benders have metal spines inside that hold the material in shape after you position it. The material is canvas, not flexible (or inflexible) plastic, and the edges are held together with nylon bias tape edgings that in most cases are double stitched. The "white" portion of the flash bounce material is made of a thick vinyl.
Pros and Cons
The two-snaps and elastic band system to secure the benders to the flash is rather unique. I was concerned it wouldn't be large enough since three of my flashes are 5 or 10-year old thick-headed Vivitars. But they held on perfectly just like with my two Canon flashes. The snaps make it really easy to position/reposition, unlike my velcro flags that have to be unzipped or the thick rubber bands that have to be pulled around. I have to use so much force to pull the rubber bands free to move my other flash bouncers around that I fear if my hand slips, my other hand holding the flash will fly causing the entire setup to topple. I hate bounce systems with those thick rubber bands and will never buy another.
The Rogue flash benders seem very well made as described above, and I expect them to last a very long time. But I'm curious if the elastic strap will last after many uses/years. If they don't, or God forbid if I lose them, the flash benders can still be held on using the typical rubber bands or velcro straps.
Based on the material, edging, and the construction of the spines, the Rogue Flash Benders are heavier than the Honl snoots, and certainly more heavier than simple on-flash diffusers (or cardboard). However they are really well-made. And they are easy to transport, packs flat, unlike my flash sphere from Fong (about the same weight).
The part of the flash bender that attaches to the flash isn't canvas, its a vinyl material. This helps hold the bender in place, but I wonder if a bit more tacky material would be better. As an outdoor shooter, a small bit of wind can turn a flag into a sail, causing it to spin or dislodge. I haven't tested this system outdoors yet, but wind is one of the reasons I turned to the thick rubber bands and direct-to-flash velcro systems.
The metal "spines" of the flash benders are what makes this system very unique. If you use the Honl snoot, you know that gravity is a problem for positioning ... and keeping it in shape over extended periods. Didn't have this problem with the Rouge benders. The metal bars that "shape" the benders are attached directly to the bender's outer canvas material with a double stitched material. Once "bent", they stay put.
Rogue's flash diffusion panel system attach directly to a Rouge Flash bender, creating a pocket light panel for small flash. NOTE: You have to buy both the Bender AND the correct sized Diffusion panel for this tool to work correctly. If I had bought this at a camera store, I might have missed the fact that I needed to buy both (even though it's clearly written on the box). LOL
I enjoyed using the flash diffusion panel the most and wish I had two. By far the diffusion panel is much easier to pack than my 14" and 12" flash soft boxes, and sets up in seconds rather than several minutes. Its much lighter too. Since I haven't had it very long, not sure how long the white diffusion panel will remain white, or if it will start to turn yellow like some other products. Since the size is limited to about 9", I had to get the flashes closer to the subject, and it will only accommodate one flash, unlike my Cheetah Qbox that I sometimes squeeze in a two-flash system for outdoor shoots. I'm wondering if Rogue will be up-sizing their bounce+diffusion panel system in the near future? (HINT) :)
I've been using the Rogue 3-In-1 Stacking Honeycomb Grid System for speedlites for a while. Many folks use it to "highlight" the face or create spotlights on a background. My typical use is a little different. Sometimes when taking shots of folks with dark clothing (such as a gentleman in a corporate headshot with a dark suite), its really easy to nail the exposure on the face, but end up with very dark exposure on the clothes. The Rogue Grid makes it easy to throw that extra light ONLY on the clothing and not over-expose the face. It also helps with hair lighting in a pinch, as with the photos of Daniel above.
The grid also uses the elastic bands with snaps, which makes installing the hood really easy. But attaching the honeycomb grid to the hood takes a bit of practice. I've considered riveting or maybe super-glueing the hood and grid, but that would make swapping out the different size grids a bit of a pain. Once you get used to setting it up a couple of times, you get the hang of it -- but still need to budget time to set it up. One thing's for sure, its a much more professional look than my original DIY grid.
Conclusion
I'll never abandon DIY or lower-priced gear options when appropriate. In fact, at HoustonPhotowalks.com I do DIY Lunch events several times a year (members get together and build various photography toys).
However, I'm a big fan of Rogue benders and their grid system. With Daniel's test shoot, I spent far less time fiddling with rubber bands and velcro ... and more time shooting. Figuring out how the diffusion panel went together required reading instructions, but other than that, everything worked with very little setup time.
And in the end, we want to shoot more, not fiddle with flashes, right? :)
This is the first of our daffodils to bloom this year so I decided to exploit it.
Lighting info: I wanted to emphasize the luminous qualities of the petals, so I backlit them by placing a Strobie130 in a Rogue grid behind the flower at camera right. Fill light came from a YN560-II in a 24 inch softbox at camera right and a small hand mirror at camera left. I decided on a blue background for contrast with the yellow in the flowers, so I put a blue gel over a YN560 and pointed it at a roll of gray background paper behind the flowers. All 3 strobes, in manual mode, were triggered by a Yongnuo RF-603N. In post, I applied paint filter to give a little bit of texture to the blue background.
Other plants, flowers, fruit or thingys that I've photographed using strobes can be seen in my Strobe Lit Plant album. In the description for that set, I list resources that I've used to learn how to light with off camera flash. www.flickr.com/photos/9422
Introduction
I recently shot Daniel using some new flash equipment from Rogue, including three of their Flash Bender Products. This was a test shoot of several Rogue products to see how they worked with a 2-, 3- and 4- speedlite setup. Rogue asked if I would try them out and provide them some feedback. I'm a small flash shooter, and already have a couple of Rouge products, so was excited to try out some of their new gear.
Typically, my gearbag includes the poles, diffusers and triggers to use two Canon speedlites and three large Vivitar 285's. Its usually pretty easy to find flash modifiers for the Canon gear, but the bulky design of the Vivitar flashes often leave me hunting for white foam core, DIY velcro flags, or shooting against walls.
Rogue Gear Tested
All links are to Amazon.com.
Rogue FlashBenders ROGUERESM Small Positionable Reflector - $34.95
Rogue FlashBenders ROGUERELG Large Positionable Reflector - $39.95
Rogue FlashBenders ROGUEFLAG Bounce Card / Flag - $29.95
Rogue FlashBender Large Flash Diffusion Panel - $19.95
Rogue ROGUEGRID 3-In-1 Stacking Honeycomb Grid System with Pouch - $49.95
I have been using "cheap" gobos and bounce reflectors, including some DIY gear. And my bag includes one Honl Snoot/Reflector (about $30 street).
The Setups
The two identical images with Daniel sitting in front of the green wall (one in color, other in B&W) are nearly bare-flash. The Flash Benders basically acted as flags (or gobos, or masks) to prevent flash spill into the lens.
I used the Small and Bounce Card / Flag to light up Daniel on extreme left and right. This created the dramatic lighting/shadow examples and extreme shallow fall off.
The background was list with a flash and the large reflector to soften the shadows slightly.
When shooting Daniel sitting in the Desk Chairs, I used the flash benders as a more traditional "bounce", creating softer light and virtually no shadows on the background. This is where I used the large flash diffusion panel. This basically covers the flash and turns it into a softbox about 9" square. The best results from this setup was achieved having the soft light source as close to the subject as possible.
About Rogue Flash Benders
Rogue uses a combination elastic and button system to secure the bounce flags on the flash. On other systems I use, the flags are either Velcroed to the flash, or held on with thick/heavy rubber bands. The benders have metal spines inside that hold the material in shape after you position it. The material is canvas, not flexible (or inflexible) plastic, and the edges are held together with nylon bias tape edgings that in most cases are double stitched. The "white" portion of the flash bounce material is made of a thick vinyl.
Pros and Cons
The two-snaps and elastic band system to secure the benders to the flash is rather unique. I was concerned it wouldn't be large enough since three of my flashes are 5 or 10-year old thick-headed Vivitars. But they held on perfectly just like with my two Canon flashes. The snaps make it really easy to position/reposition, unlike my velcro flags that have to be unzipped or the thick rubber bands that have to be pulled around. I have to use so much force to pull the rubber bands free to move my other flash bouncers around that I fear if my hand slips, my other hand holding the flash will fly causing the entire setup to topple. I hate bounce systems with those thick rubber bands and will never buy another.
The Rogue flash benders seem very well made as described above, and I expect them to last a very long time. But I'm curious if the elastic strap will last after many uses/years. If they don't, or God forbid if I lose them, the flash benders can still be held on using the typical rubber bands or velcro straps.
Based on the material, edging, and the construction of the spines, the Rogue Flash Benders are heavier than the Honl snoots, and certainly more heavier than simple on-flash diffusers (or cardboard). However they are really well-made. And they are easy to transport, packs flat, unlike my flash sphere from Fong (about the same weight).
The part of the flash bender that attaches to the flash isn't canvas, its a vinyl material. This helps hold the bender in place, but I wonder if a bit more tacky material would be better. As an outdoor shooter, a small bit of wind can turn a flag into a sail, causing it to spin or dislodge. I haven't tested this system outdoors yet, but wind is one of the reasons I turned to the thick rubber bands and direct-to-flash velcro systems.
The metal "spines" of the flash benders are what makes this system very unique. If you use the Honl snoot, you know that gravity is a problem for positioning ... and keeping it in shape over extended periods. Didn't have this problem with the Rouge benders. The metal bars that "shape" the benders are attached directly to the bender's outer canvas material with a double stitched material. Once "bent", they stay put.
Rogue's flash diffusion panel system attach directly to a Rouge Flash bender, creating a pocket light panel for small flash. NOTE: You have to buy both the Bender AND the correct sized Diffusion panel for this tool to work correctly. If I had bought this at a camera store, I might have missed the fact that I needed to buy both (even though it's clearly written on the box). LOL
I enjoyed using the flash diffusion panel the most and wish I had two. By far the diffusion panel is much easier to pack than my 14" and 12" flash soft boxes, and sets up in seconds rather than several minutes. Its much lighter too. Since I haven't had it very long, not sure how long the white diffusion panel will remain white, or if it will start to turn yellow like some other products. Since the size is limited to about 9", I had to get the flashes closer to the subject, and it will only accommodate one flash, unlike my Cheetah Qbox that I sometimes squeeze in a two-flash system for outdoor shoots. I'm wondering if Rogue will be up-sizing their bounce+diffusion panel system in the near future? (HINT) :)
I've been using the Rogue 3-In-1 Stacking Honeycomb Grid System for speedlites for a while. Many folks use it to "highlight" the face or create spotlights on a background. My typical use is a little different. Sometimes when taking shots of folks with dark clothing (such as a gentleman in a corporate headshot with a dark suite), its really easy to nail the exposure on the face, but end up with very dark exposure on the clothes. The Rogue Grid makes it easy to throw that extra light ONLY on the clothing and not over-expose the face. It also helps with hair lighting in a pinch, as with the photos of Daniel above.
The grid also uses the elastic bands with snaps, which makes installing the hood really easy. But attaching the honeycomb grid to the hood takes a bit of practice. I've considered riveting or maybe super-glueing the hood and grid, but that would make swapping out the different size grids a bit of a pain. Once you get used to setting it up a couple of times, you get the hang of it -- but still need to budget time to set it up. One thing's for sure, its a much more professional look than my original DIY grid.
Conclusion
I'll never abandon DIY or lower-priced gear options when appropriate. In fact, at HoustonPhotowalks.com I do DIY Lunch events several times a year (members get together and build various photography toys).
However, I'm a big fan of Rogue benders and their grid system. With Daniel's test shoot, I spent far less time fiddling with rubber bands and velcro ... and more time shooting. Figuring out how the diffusion panel went together required reading instructions, but other than that, everything worked with very little setup time.
And in the end, we want to shoot more, not fiddle with flashes, right? :)
Stacey
As a beta tester for Rogue Flashbenders, I decided to run a workshop in the 40's style of George Hurrell.
We used Veronica Lake as our muse.
Nikon D3, 70-200vr
Rogue Flashbenders: SB900 with snoot as main light, SB800 with snoot as hair light, SB800 with grid for background and gobo light.
Nikon FE on Manfrotto 190XPROB tripod with 322RC2 head.
Nikon D700 / Nikkor 50mm f1.4G / Nikon SB-28 @ 1/16 with Rogue Grid triggered via Cactus V5.
Off camera flash on a light stand, flash was fitted with a rogue grid 3 in 1, blue gel, set at 16 deg hence the tight light.. Standard 125.F8 Flash at 1/8th.
No vignette was added post.
Neutral base was thanks to the white bathroom roller blind!
This hibiscus blossom opened this morning, and I immediately brought it inside to photograph before it cooked in the heat that we've been having. The last two days were 106 degrees with very hight humidity. Not our typical weather.
I wanted a red background for it so I hung a piece of red fabric about four feet behind the flower, and then positioned a YN560-II with a red gel in it to light the fabric. Light on the flower was from a YN560 in a 24 inch soft box at camera left, and a Strobie 130 in a Rogue grid behind the flower on the right side for a little back lighting. All strobes and my tripod mounted camera were triggered by a Yongnuo RF-603N.
Other plants, flowers, fruit or thingys that I've photographed using strobes can be seen in my Strobe Lit Plant set. In the description for that set, I list resources that I've used to learn how to light with off camera flash, and the equipment that I use. www.flickr.com/photos/9422
This is the view from behind the fully open Amaryllis blossom.
I wanted the flower to glow so I backlit it by placing a YN560 in a Rogue grid behind the flower, and for fill light I placed a YN560-II in a 24 inch softbox in front and to camera right pointing at the center. Both strobes, in manual mode, were triggered by a Yongnuo RF-603N.
Other plants, flowers, fruit or thingys that I've photographed using strobes can be seen in my Strobe Lit Plant set. In the description for that set, I list resources that I've used to learn how to light with off camera flash, and the equipment that I use. www.flickr.com/photos/9422878@N08/sets/72157628079460544/
Oil/Water abstracts.
Strobist info - Handheld Canon 580EXII wearing a Rogue Grid fired with the Ninja flash trigger at 1/16 - 1/8 power.
Devin
From a Rogue Flashbender workshop.
Nikon D3
SB900 above with a large flashbender and diffusion panel
California Sunbouce Micro MIni for fill below
Devin
From a Rogue Flashbender workshop.
Nikon D3
SB900 main light with large flashbender into a snoot
SB800 hair light with small flashbender into a snoot
SB800 into a 45º rogue grid for backlight
But I have reached
my destination and,
kneeling at water's
edge, look and see
myself framed by
everything that goes
on - endlessly
beginning all around
ME.
~Robert Cording
I've been spending a lot of time practicing lighting and shadows on my most recent pictures. I debated for a while whether or not to post this picture since it is not my usual approach, but after considering it, I decided to post it because it has motivated me to push my boundaries in my photography.
Another Gerbera Daisy to exploit.
I wanted to back light this so that the petals would glow so i put a YN560 in a Rogue Grid behind and camera left at 11 o'clock and pointed it at the back of the flower. For fill, I put a YN560-Ii in a 24 inch softbox camera right at 5 o'clock. Both strobes, in manual mode, were triggered by a Yongnuo RF-603N. Down below in the comments I have included a setup picture. This is simple stuff to do.
Other plants, flowers, fruit or thingys that I've photographed using strobes can be seen in my Strobe Lit Plant set. In the description for that set, I list resources that I've used to learn how to light with off camera flash, and the equipment that I use. www.flickr.com/photos/9422878@N08/sets/72157628079460544/
Devin
From a Rogue Flashbender workshop.
Nikon D3
SB900 into a large flashbender with diffusion panel main light
SB800 into a small flashbender with diffusion panel back light on right
SB800 into 45º rogue grid for skimmed back light on left.
I found this little flower growing in our neighborhood on some bare land next to the road.
Strobist Info: I wanted the center of the flower to glow, and because the petals are white and fairly translucent, I placed a YN560-II in a Rogue grid, behind the flower and to the left at 1 o'clock. For fill light I used a YN560 in a 24 inch soft box, camera right and in front, at 4 o'clock. Both strobe, in manual mode, were triggered by a Yongnuo RF-603N.
Other plants, flowers, fruit or thingys that I've photographed using strobes can be seen in my Strobe Lit Plant set. In the description for that set, I list resources that I've used to learn how to light with off camera flash, and the equipment that I use. www.flickr.com/photos/9422878@N08/sets/72157628079460544/
Canon Wireless E-TTL. On camera master through a Hon Traveller 8 Softbox pulled back 2.5 stops as fill, slave through a Rogue Grid, camera left, as main.
Devin
From a Rogue Flashbender workshop.
Nikon D3
SB900 into a large flashbender with diffusion panel direct front light
We've been having unusually warm and dry weather in southern California, with no rain in sight. These dafys are loving it though since they get a bit of water from the drip irrigation system.
Lit with a Strobie 130 in a Rogue grid, behind and camera right, at 2 o'clock, and a YN560-II in a 24 inch softbox, camera left and in front at 8 o'clock.The strobes in manual mode were triggered by a Yongnuo RF-603N.
Other plants, flowers, fruit or thingys that I've photographed using strobes can be seen in my Strobe Lit Plant set. In the description for that set, I list resources that I've used to learn how to light with off camera flash, and the equipment that I use. www.flickr.com/photos/9422878@N08/sets/72157628079460544/
Stacey
As a beta tester for Rogue Flashbenders, I decided to run a workshop in the 40's style of George Hurrell.
We used Veronica Lake as our muse.
Nikon D3, 70-200vr
Rogue Flashbenders: SB900 with snoot as main light, SB800 with snoot as hair light, SB800 with grid for background and gobo light.
Oil/Water abstracts.
Strobist info - Handheld Canon 580EXII wearing a Rogue Grid fired with the Ninja flash trigger at 1/16 - 1/8 power.
Stacey
As a beta tester for Rogue Flashbenders, I decided to run a workshop in the 40's style of George Hurrell.
We used Veronica Lake as our muse.
Nikon D3, 70-200vr
Rogue Flashbenders: SB900 with snoot as main light, SB800 with snoot as hair light, SB800 with grid for background and gobo light.
Oil/Water abstracts.
Strobist info - Handheld Canon 580EXII wearing a Rogue Grid fired with the Ninja flash trigger at 1/16 - 1/8 power.
Lighting: Speedlight through a Rogue Grid, camera right, on camera speedlight through a Honl Traveller 8 softbox, about 1/32 power.
"Thou art the Great Cat, the avenger of the Gods, and the judge of words, and the president of the sovereign chiefs and the governor of the holy Circle; thou art indeed...the Great Cat." - Inscription on the Royal Tombs at Thebes
Nikon D700 / Nikkor 85mm f1.8D / Nikon SB-28 with Rogue Grid @ 1/64 placed 45 degrees high camera right / Cactus V5
This is the beginning of a set up for something more interesting, I hope.
Single Yongnuo YN-560 with Rogue grid mounted on a light stand directly above the subjects, which was triggered by an old Vivitar macro flash (full auto - output is controlled by subject to flash distance), which also provided a little bit of front light. Some adjustments with Lightroom 4 and Nik Viveza.
Oil/Water abstracts.
Strobist info - Handheld Canon 580EXII wearing a Rogue Grid fired with the Ninja flash trigger at 1/16 - 1/8 power.
Oil/Water abstracts.
Strobist info - Handheld Canon 580EXII wearing a Rogue Grid fired with the Ninja flash trigger at 1/16 - 1/8 power.
Oil/Water abstracts.
Strobist info - Handheld Canon 580EXII wearing a Rogue Grid fired with the Ninja flash trigger at 1/16 - 1/8 power.
Oil/Water abstracts.
Strobist info - Handheld Canon 580EXII wearing a Rogue Grid fired with the Ninja flash trigger at 1/16 - 1/8 power.
Oil/Water abstracts.
Strobist info - Handheld Canon 580EXII wearing a Rogue Grid fired with the Ninja flash trigger at 1/16 - 1/8 power.
Day 129 of 365
"The Famous Conjoined, Bearded Magnets of Sherman Oaks"
Today's image is my first portrait of twins. They are conjoined, bearded and proud.......and highly magnetic. I've had these magnets standing by for an image for months, but was not sure what to do with them. When my container of iron filings arrived, I knew something magical might happen. Well...at least something magnetical. I propped the magnets up (probably the most difficult part of the shoot), dusted the little guys with iron filings, and let them do their thing. As you can see, there are strip lights on both sides, providing the vertical highlights on the outer edges. There is also a snooted speedlight, up high, behind the magents, making sure we had some light on their shiny heads. I see additional magnet-related images in the future! Thanks for sticking around!!
#magnets #twins #ironfilings #beardedmagnets #canon5dmarkIII #tamron70200 #macrophotography #paulcbuffeinstein #paulcbuffinc #stripbanks #canon580exII #roguegrid
Day 210 of 365
"Two Lights"
Today's portrait was once again inspired by an image I recently viewed.......and once again, it went in a different direction. The trick would be how to get the background to go deep red. I stacked a few gels on my strobe, but was unable to get that quality of red. I then realized that I had my old red filter for my black and white work back in the days of film. I slapped the filter on my 50mm lens, and screwed that on to my Light Blaster. Boom.......a red spotlight!! Once that was addressed, I just had to snoot and grid a speedlight with a couple of CTB gels. The speedlight is just out of frame at camera-right, focused on our model's eyes. I had her put her hair up, as I wanted to accentuate her neck. We took seventeen exposures as I changed angles and focal lengths. We shot for maybe ten minutes, and this is the result. The vignette was not added in post...it was just the result of the focused lens. Thanks for focusing for a few minutes!!
#portrait #redandblue #woman #model #spotlight #contrast #profile #canon580exII #canon5dmarkIII #snoot #roguegrid #colors #vignette