Well, I thought I'd do a little writeup on the Flip-it! Okay, before you continue to read, I'm not advertising the Flip-it! and giving it good ratings only because PPCP is selling it. It really is a good tool - I'm just laying out the cards so that anyone out there who's looking to buy something knows that there are other options out there other than the regular soft-boxes, dome diffusers, the Gary Fong Light Sphere, the stofen boxes and stuff. Okay, on to the story.
Some of you guys might be wondering what the big deal is about a flash tool that's supposed to be 'oh so good' - here's why... A long while ago, I was using the GFLS (no need to mention what it is right? hehehe) - the big bulb on top of my flashgun. It was actually pretty good - I swore by it until the Flip-it! arrived and burst my little "GFLS is the best" bubble. Even with the newer models of the GFLS, the LS could never do anything else than diffuse the light from the flash and even it out on the subjects that I was taking. At first I loved the effect of the LS, until someone close mentioned that the pictures, though very nicely lit, looked rather flat... I was rather annoyed that someone looked down on the LS and even said that my pictures looked "Flat".
I was introduced to the Flip-it! and it really did change my perspective of what flash photography could be! Here's a few examples...
Notice that there seems to be a light source coming from the top left? It's as if you had some strobe there that's directing light from that direction down on the little kittens. In fact, there is none! It's all the work of the Flip-it! If you used any other flash tool, what you'll get is a diffused light that basically lights up left and right of the frame without any nice shadow effects. Note that I just said 'nice shadow effects'. Shadows help bring pictures to life - be it paintings of Vermeer (who was excellent in using shadow and light in his paintings) or photographs from top photographers - they know how to use light from different angles, and the Flip-it! gives you the power to do that! I wouldnt really like this picture with light coming straight on, or from the top. Notice that it gives a very 3D like effect... when you look at the picture, you can almost 'feel' like they're there... wowza! Taken outside, at night.... in the open.
Okay, this was taken INDOORS in dim light and it is another picture with the light coming from the right... (yes I kinda like the right... it can be from the left as well, or the top... basically any angle that you fancy... except from the bottom... Hmm... maybe can also!) Notice how it looks as if there's a strobe again on the right side? It casts wonderful shadows on the subjects and makes it so realistic! Whee!! Also, no ugly shadows at the back! Oh yeah!
This time, I've got the light source coming from the left and it was taken in a building, but open-air... something like a void-deck. Notice that there are no harsh shadows and that the Flip-it!, while controlling the source of the light, helps to bring out the shape and depth in the photograph!
That's the Flip-it! for you! I know there are many other users out there who've purchased their Flip-it! already! If you haven't, you should really look into this product. Been using this for 2 years now and recently upgraded to the "Pro" version.
Cheers!
Some of you guys might be wondering what the big deal is about a flash tool that's supposed to be 'oh so good' - here's why... A long while ago, I was using the GFLS (no need to mention what it is right? hehehe) - the big bulb on top of my flashgun. It was actually pretty good - I swore by it until the Flip-it! arrived and burst my little "GFLS is the best" bubble. Even with the newer models of the GFLS, the LS could never do anything else than diffuse the light from the flash and even it out on the subjects that I was taking. At first I loved the effect of the LS, until someone close mentioned that the pictures, though very nicely lit, looked rather flat... I was rather annoyed that someone looked down on the LS and even said that my pictures looked "Flat".
I was introduced to the Flip-it! and it really did change my perspective of what flash photography could be! Here's a few examples...
Notice that there seems to be a light source coming from the top left? It's as if you had some strobe there that's directing light from that direction down on the little kittens. In fact, there is none! It's all the work of the Flip-it! If you used any other flash tool, what you'll get is a diffused light that basically lights up left and right of the frame without any nice shadow effects. Note that I just said 'nice shadow effects'. Shadows help bring pictures to life - be it paintings of Vermeer (who was excellent in using shadow and light in his paintings) or photographs from top photographers - they know how to use light from different angles, and the Flip-it! gives you the power to do that! I wouldnt really like this picture with light coming straight on, or from the top. Notice that it gives a very 3D like effect... when you look at the picture, you can almost 'feel' like they're there... wowza! Taken outside, at night.... in the open.
Okay, this was taken INDOORS in dim light and it is another picture with the light coming from the right... (yes I kinda like the right... it can be from the left as well, or the top... basically any angle that you fancy... except from the bottom... Hmm... maybe can also!) Notice how it looks as if there's a strobe again on the right side? It casts wonderful shadows on the subjects and makes it so realistic! Whee!! Also, no ugly shadows at the back! Oh yeah!
This time, I've got the light source coming from the left and it was taken in a building, but open-air... something like a void-deck. Notice that there are no harsh shadows and that the Flip-it!, while controlling the source of the light, helps to bring out the shape and depth in the photograph!
That's the Flip-it! for you! I know there are many other users out there who've purchased their Flip-it! already! If you haven't, you should really look into this product. Been using this for 2 years now and recently upgraded to the "Pro" version.
Cheers!