Pixiq

Bouncing the light from a flash needs a reflector. From the small ones present on some flashes to those we attach them, there’s a lot to choose from. Then there is Rogue FlashBenders…

The name says it all. These light modifiers for shoe mount flash let you bend the light rays the way you want. Shapeable, the Rogue FlashBenders, still with a patent pending, are reflectors that let you be in control. More in control.

Expoimaging, the company that created the product, say that this is a new approach to controlling light… but I guess not even they know how true that is. Looking at their website I just found images of the three different sized models used on top of flashes, modelling the light from there.

That’s what they are used for, and from what I've tried since I got the kit with the three models, they work. Depending on your needs, you can use the smaller one, or one of the bigger sized reflectors. The big one can even be folded into a snoot, so you get light to the precise point you define. Great. Just love that.

I’ve been using other reflectors all my life, from different brands, almost buying a different one for different things. Now, here is something different that I can fold and shape according to my needs. I would say that the Rogue FlashBenders are a bit like the Ring in Tolkien’s saga: one rules them all. In fact, I can just use one reflector, especially the big one, to do a lot of things I would need a few others to do. The fun thing is that it gets even better…

Now, I must say that I’ve not used much the smaller of them Rogue FlashBenders, although I know it has some uses, like a flag to direct light way. But I could not resist trying something else, for my nature photography, so I went out with the bigger and medium sized FlashBenders.

When out in the field I usually use reflectors to get the light were I want. I’ve to carry a reflector – I’ve those round ones that open automatically… - with me that has a lot of other uses too, but that sometimes is a bit too big for my needs. Now, you see, I don’t take a pack mule along, like Ansel Adams Mistletoe, so I’ve to weight carefully what I put into my backpack. Now, two Rogue FlashBenders folded just fit in an external pocket of my bag. But, you may ask now, why do you take two if you usually just carry one flash? Please, bear with me a little more…

When I use flash outside I sometimes need a reflector on the other side of the subject. Now, if the bigger Rogue FlashBender could just do the trick and stay put in place… Well, because it has metallic rods inside that can be folded (that’s the trick) you can, easily, place it on the ground and keep it upright. I did use a piece of wood to help, but anything will do, I guess.

Now, with the medium sized Rogue FlashBender on top of the flash, to get the light directed at the subject, and the bigger RFB on the other side I got what I wanted: a nice image of Autumn. From there I went after mushrooms a.s.o., small things where this setup works fine.

For those technical enough to query everything, let me say that this was taken late afternoon, and the available light was flat and not letting me use a good exposure to get enough depth of field, color and volume.The second image on the page shows the conditions for the shot. Then I used a radio trigger Phottix Atlas on my flash and another on the camera to get some side lighting, to create something like the sun rays in the morning falling on the mushrooms and tree log. Because it was too dark on the log’s side opposite to the flash, I placed the large Rogue FlashBender reflector there. That was it! From there on I could just move around my flash and reflector and get my “portable sun” working for me. I wonder how many situations I'll solve with this solution from now on.

The Rogue FlashBenders have got a permanent place inside my backpack.  Nice idea!