When you’re traveling and aiming to capture great photos with your flash, portability and effectiveness are key. Many photographers wonder about the best way to modify their on-camera flash for softer, more flattering light while on the move. Let’s explore some common options for your travel flash and their suitability for different situations.
Small, push-on diffusers, often plastic caps that come with flash units, are frequently questioned for their diffusion capabilities. In reality, these caps aren’t designed for significant diffusion due to their small size. Instead, they primarily serve to spread the light in all directions, creating a bare-bulb effect. This can be beneficial when you’re shooting indoors in small rooms with low, white ceilings and walls. In such environments, the light bounces off these surfaces, resulting in a softer, more diffused illumination. However, the effectiveness of these small diffusers diminishes greatly outdoors or in large spaces where there are no nearby surfaces to reflect the light. Therefore, relying solely on these for travel might be limiting unless you anticipate shooting mainly in small, white-walled interiors.
Another category of on-camera flash modifiers includes small softboxes that attach directly to your flash. While the photographic community generally agrees that these small softboxes are not ideal, they are often considered better than using no modifier at all. If you’re considering this route, options like the Honl Traveller8 Softbox are available. These can be useful for accent lighting in multi-light setups. However, for solo use and creating genuinely soft light, their small surface area is a limitation. If you’re seeking a more substantial soft light source on-camera, you might find these lacking, especially for travel photography where you want to maximize the quality of light with minimal gear.
For photographers willing to venture beyond on-camera flash, off-camera flash techniques open up significantly more possibilities for achieving beautiful lighting. However, this approach inherently involves carrying more equipment, such as light stands in addition to the modifiers themselves. Among portable off-camera modifiers, umbrellas stand out as potentially more travel-friendly than even the most compact softboxes due to their collapsibility and lightweight nature.
Alternatively, a less conventional but intriguing option for travel flash photography is the Westcott Luna Grip. This system allows you to handhold a remote flash unit in front of a diffusion disk, offering a degree of flexibility. The diffusion disks can range in size from 22″ to 40″ and can be collapsible for easier packing. Furthermore, opting for a 5-in-1 reflector disk adds versatility, providing reflector surfaces in addition to diffusion. This setup, while requiring an assistant (perhaps a travel companion!), can be packed relatively compactly and offers diverse lighting control for travel photographers who want to experiment with off-camera flash without the bulk of traditional stands and large modifiers.
In conclusion, for travel flash photography, the best modifier depends heavily on your shooting style and willingness to carry gear. Small on-camera diffusers are only marginally helpful, small softboxes offer a slight improvement, while off-camera options like umbrellas or reflector/diffusion disk systems provide significantly greater control and softer light at the cost of increased equipment and setup. Consider the balance between portability and lighting quality to choose the right travel flash solution for your needs.
