Flash brackets


The weight of the light - Macro flash brackets Firstly published in Spanish in the Fall 2000 issue of the Revista Fotonatura online.
Field macrophotography poses technical problems due to the physical laws governing optics. Among them, one of the most stressing is the loss of light due to the extension, that in turn is needed to increase reproduction ratios.
Therefore, I am considering two very different cases in macrophotography. In the first one, it is possible to photograph static subjects using natural light and low reproduction ratios (generally not beyond 1:1). A good sturdy tripod is needed, because shutter speeds are in the low range. Dealing with medium to large insects, this is feasable at dusk and dawn, when they are inactive due to the cold. However, we often deal with the second situation: there is not enough light to allow for a higher reproduction ratio, and/or we also need a fast shutter speed because subject is moving. Both issues harm critical focus and sharpness; even worse, as a wide depth of field is always necessary, the lens must be stopped down, losing the remaining light. The only outdoors solution for this are the electronic flashes. However, the quality of their light needs to be improved, basically by mounting multiflash systems on special brackets. Thus, I will discuss here the models and strategies that I'm familiar with.

Actually, a single flash can provide a very nice lightning. However, to avoid strong shadows it must be located in a zenital position thus equally involving some sort of bracket. I basically know about three bracket types. The first type is used with one single flash and many photographers have built their own supports, like John Shaw (see his model in Fig. 1, illustration from Closeups in Nature, Amphoto, 1987). As the light source is placed above the optical axis at the tip of the lens, harsh shadows cannot be seen because they are in the opposite side of the subject. This light is a little bit flat, anyway, but the effect can be very pleasant if a diffuser is used; this would mimic a natural lightning when the sun is behind the photographer. Commercial models made by Kirk and others in the US are available. A compendium on prices and Internet addresses will be found below.
		The second bracket type allows lateral mounting of two flashes, which provides a better modelling, albeit still in the single horizontal camera plane. The best known seems to be the Manfrotto unit (Bogen in the US; see Fig. 2, besides). It can also be used (as previously seen) to place a single flash above the lens, putting at work the sliding movement of the compound camera base. Be careful, because the securing screws have a tendency to get loose by themselves -resulting in flash falloff against the lens. A similar model with some enhancements has been designed by George Lepp and marketed in the US by Stroboframe. The most noticeable tradeoff of these supports are the double shadows that can appear depending on the subject and surface, due to the identical lateral light sources (see Fig. 3 below). This can be partially solved by using two differently powered flashes, softening the light, or using an upper cardboard reflector (such as the 40-73 used with the Metz 40MZ series). In this case, additionally, being the reflector in a higher position than the flashhead, it gives a more natural effect.


The most versatile and expensive supports can be found in the third category. One of the most common is made by Novoflex (its German name being Blitzhaltesystem mit Schiebestangen). This is a modular set consisting in a camera base, plus 4 double, metal 30-cm shafts. The 2 primary shafts are mounted to the baseplate and get the secondary shafts connected to the opposite tip via a connector (one is horizontal while the other one is vertical). Secondary shafts only have tripod screws to their tips (check the Fig. 4 for an illustration without flashes and Fig. 5 with a whole set).
			The camera plate is large, sturdy and very well-designed. Additionally to the connectors for the shafts it also has screw sockets for flexible arms. All connectors can be rotated all 360 degrees and the shafts may be inserted to whatever depth is needed. Two excellent ballheads topped with flash hotshoes can be mounted in any point of every shaft and secured thanks to a friction system. Another mini ballhead from Kaiser is visible in the pictures and can be easily adapted to the set. More flashes could be mounted at the end of the secondary arms, as well as diffusers or other accessories. It has to be taken into account, however, that the primary weight is already 900 gr, and it is further increased (in our case) to appx. 4,100 gr when used with the equipment shown: camera (Nikon F90x), macro lens (105/2,8 AFD), one extension tube (PN-11), three flashes (2 Metz 30 TTL1 and one Metz 40MZ3), cables (SCA300), 16 batteries plus film. This system allows maximum flexibility in placing flashes in a 3-D volume around 60 centimeter depth and 40 wide in front of the camera. I usually place the large flash somewhere above the subject (like the real sun) and another one, less powerful, to the side of the subject to balance deep shadows and give some texture effect. Sometimes a third flash is focused to the background (to avoid black effects), or to the subject from behind, to emphasize profiles. In my opinion, this is one of the most versatile setups that can be bought nowadays.

	The "Kirk Flash Bracket" can be seen at http://www.kirkphoto.com. Its price in US varies between US$70 and US$170 depending on the mounting plate and ballhead used. The Manfrotto bracket can be seen at http://www.manfrotto.com (browse the "products" section as there is no direct link). Its cost seems to be decreasing with the vendor distance; it costs the equivalence of around 9,000 Spanish pesetas in the US, 6.750 in France (online shop from Chasseur d'Images, http://www.photim.com), and it is not uncommon in Spain where it has been tracked at 5,500 pesetas. The Stroboframe Lepp II website is http://www.saundersphoto.com/html/body_macro.htm. Could be purchased in NY's B&H. Probably worth in the US, but taking into account customs fees, shipping cost, and taxes, its US cost around $83 last time checked, turns into a small fortune in Spain, so I have not tested it. Finally, the cost for the Novoflex (I am of course not affiliated with them in any way) in Spain was around 33,950 pesetas by 1998.