5 Ideas for Supplementing your Speedlight

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Flash accessories are popular add-ons, coming in right behind the camera and flash themselves in popularity, and with everyone from Kickstarters to major manufacturers releasing new items, it might be enlightening to look at a few. So, once you've mastered the on-camera flash and taken all the family pictures everyone has requested, it's time for some fun. Here are a few items to help you do just that.

Manfrotto SpeedBox Compact

Everyone is familiar with the less-than-flattering effects of harsh, direct light from your on-camera flash. Instead of wincing at the results, you can change that with the Manfrotto SpeedBox Compact. The 8.7 x 8.7" softbox easily mounts on your flash with touch fasteners. It renders a soft quality of light with reduced shadows that is very kind to the complexion and facial features. The Speedbox folds down to a fraction of its open size.

Manfrotto SpeedBox Compact

ExpoImaging Rogue Gels Universal Lighting Filter Kit

Add creative or corrective color to your photos with the ExpoImaging Rogue Gels Universal Lighting Filter Kit. This kit includes eight color filters in the yellow/red spectrum, such as Dark Salmon and Follies Pink, along with seven colors like Deep Purple and Steel Green in the blue/green group. Use the colors to light a background, accent a product, or add a tinted hair light to a portrait. The kit also includes color-conversion and correction filters. Use one of the amber CTO filters to make outdoor photos pop and blend in seamlessly with the light balance from noon daylight to sunset. Or create your own late-afternoon look using your on-camera flash as a main light. There's also a CTB filter for a cool or neutral look, and a filter to reduce the green cast emitted by fluorescent bulbs.

ExpoImaging Rogue Gels Universal Lighting Filter Kit

RoundFlash Magnetic Ringflash Adapter

This ringflash adapter is an easy way turn your on-camera speedlight into a ringlight system, favored by many fashion photographers and macro shooters. The RoundFlash Magnetic Ringflash Adapter sets up in seconds using five magnetic rods. It works with lenses up to 100mm in diameter that fit into the center donut hole of the 17" outer diameter RoundFlash. Normal to telephoto lenses work best, and a zoom lens is ideal for varying portrait details. The signature look of this kind of light is a soft glow, since the ringlight is 100% on axis, basically “wrapped” around the camera’s lens. For this reason, used at reduced power, it's an ideal fill light. As a main light, it creates a soft, open-shadowed halo around the subject and exotic circular catchlights in the subject's eyes that add a creative flair. If your camera can use a wireless TTL system, you can take the flash off-camera for a more directional look that highlights facial features. But these are just two of the ways to use the RoundFlash. This quality of light is also well suited to macro work, because it will illuminate your subject from all angles and ensure that there will be no shadows cast by you or your lens being too close.

RoundFlash Magnetic Ringflash Adapter

Vello Off-Camera TTL Flash Cords

If you want a simple solution for some pretty dramatic results, you need to get your flash off-camera. Vello makes it easy with off-camera cords that allow you to maintain TTL automation while using a flash bracket or simply holding it in your hand. You can add more dimensionality by changing the angle of light and shadows on products and people. It's like buying a completely different light source for a few dollars. Coiled cords come in 1.5, 3, and 6.5' lengths and there’s also a 33' straight cord.

Vello Off-Camera TTL Flash Cord

Lumedyne X Flash Recycle Accelerator

There's nothing worse than a running out of battery power when you're shooting a job or at a once-in-a lifetime event. But who wants to lug around a battery pack? Lumedyne has all bases covered with the X Flash Recycling Accelerator for Nikon or Canon cameras. Nothing comes close to the Accelerator for its size. The rechargeable 2.7-oz Lithium battery measures just 0.6 x 1.7 x 2.8", and provides hundreds of flash pops for your Nikon or Canon speedlight while simultaneously halving your recycling time. Since it plugs directly into the HV input on your flash without straps or touch fasteners, it doesn't get in the way when rotating the camera for a vertical shot with or without a flash bracket.

Lumedyne X Flash Recycle Accelerator

Vello FreeWave Aviator Wireless Flash Trigger Transceiver & Receiver Kit

As we noted above, one sure way to enhance your on-camera flash’s performance is to take it off camera. The Vello FreeWave Avaitor Wireless Kit does just that while using your camera/flash TTL automation. Available for Nikon or Canon, the kit comprises a transceiver with 4 channels and a receiver that can accept 2.4GHz radio signals at distances up to 300'. The transceiver can control several flash units, providing TTL exposure compensation of +/- 3 stops. Each additional flash requires a separate receiver. Once the flash is off-camera, you can further improve the quality of light with a light stand and a softbox or umbrella.

Vello FreeWave Aviator Wireless Flash Trigger Transceiver & Receiver Kit

Flash Brackets

Ever get a perfect shot, except for your subject's gleaming red eyes, right out of a horror movie? How about that sharp, distracting shadow tracing their form? Chances are that you're using on-camera flash and need a flash bracket. The sole purpose of this accessory is to keep the flash over your lens—not aligned with it—to create a flattering, natural drawing of the subject's features by keeping the flash off-axis. The relatively small change of angle also handily defeats red-eye, which is particularly in evidence at night or in low light.

Vello Speedy Camera Rotating Flash Bracket

Flash brackets offer two solutions. In one, the camera rotates and, in the other, the flash rotates. Of course, since you're now separating the flash from its TTL command center—the camera—you'll need the off-camera cord mentioned earlier. These are dedicated to the camera and flash brand that you own.

Back to the methodology employed by bracket manufacturers: both designs have advantages and disadvantages. The camera-turning design is generally more compact, but leaves little room for accessories like radio receivers and quick releases. There's also a great deal of variance in the smoothness of action between brands. The moving flash design is simplicity itself. The bracket is basically shaped like the letter “C,” with hard angles. The base end accepts the camera and optional quick release. The other end is hinged to the vertical portion of the bracket. As mentioned before, a TTL cable is needed, but there's plenty of room for it. The jury is still out regarding which type is faster to use, but there are a lot of proponents for the moving-camera models—and I think they have the edge.

With a clean form-follows-function design, the Vello TTL Rod is an alternative to the bracket. Available for Nikon or Canon, this 13.5" flexible gooseneck is bent into position by the user to keep the flash over the camera and accommodate vertical or horizontal shooting while maintaining TTL automation without an off-camera cable. Like a bracket, the TTL Rod defeats red-eye while dropping the subject’s shadow at a less distracting angle behind them, instead of a halo. It’s also great for precise placement of the flash for macro photography. The rod also has the benefit of space-saving storage and transport and weighs just 1/2 pound.

Vello Flexible TTL Rod

What are some of your favorite off-camera flash accessories? Tell us about them in the Comments section, below.

1 Comment

Cool article. I checked out the Vello flash brackets -- under $20 for a rotating flash bracket is fantastic. Plus it looks compact enough for my camera bag -- bonus! I also liked the TTL flash cords that are only 1.5' long, and won't get in the way like longer cords do.