Photo Potpourri: Better luck on 2nd try with Graslon

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Better luck on 2nd try with Graslon

In my last post, I went into great detail to recall the experience I had with my inaugural use of recently purchased Graslon Prodigy on-camera light diffusers. Since then, I had a second chance to shoot the Garfield Shakespeare Company at another rehearsal for its spring production of Thornton Wilder's "The Matchmaker," and I again turned to the Graslon Prodigy -- the flat attachment (Graslon also makes a rounded, dome attachment for the Prodigy) -- for my lighting help.

This time, it was a good-news, good-news experience. Not only was I again pleased with the lighting the Prodigy gave me, but I made a point to be deliberate in the way I attached the diffuser to the flash head, a Canon 580EX II. This time, it attached firmly, and remained so for the duration of the shoot; it was snug, and at no time did I ever feel as if the device would not stay secure.

Curiously, after the second shoot, I received an email from a representative of Graslon, who had seen my previous blog post. It was a very impressive reach-out; the rep expressed disappointment that the modifier didn't attach properly for me, acknowledged that perhaps Graslon should have done a better job explaining how the mounting process should be handled, then explained that proper process to me.

As I told the Graslon rep in my email reply, I'm certain I had tried the "proper" mounting sequence -- albeit by dumb luck on my part -- in my inaugural outing. But I also admitted that in my frustration, it's very likely I slopped through it and moved on to -- and settled upon -- another method. Ironically, on the second shoot (again, before hearing from the Graslon rep), the process I used successfully was different from the one the rep described to me as the proper one.

In any event, I salute Graslon for reaching out, and I do feel better about that aspect of the device. Most importantly, I really do like the light it delivers. My camera settings for the second shoot of play rehearsal were the same as the first -- Canon 7D manual mode, 1/160, f/3.2, ISO-800; and the 580EX II in manual, 24mm zoom and 1/32 intensity.

I neglected to mention in my first post that in addition to the white-colored attachments, Graslon sells amber-tinted domes and flats for photographers to use when they want their light source to match tungsten ambient light.

In the photo leading off the post, "The Matchmaker" cast members Chris Burton (left) and Tony Van Pelt. For a full gallery of images from my shoot of the the play's dress rehearsal, visit my site at SmugMug.com.