Off-camera flash photography with a Speedlite flash unit and an umbrella has flexibility for directing light not possible with a flash unit that's mounted to the camera. A clamp designed with a hot-shoe attachment and an umbrella mount can fit these accessories on a Century stand. Examples of clamps include the Photoflex Shoe Mount MultiClamp, the Photoflex Dual Flash Adapter Kit and the Lastolite Hotshoe Tilthead. These adapters raise and tilt the external flash and umbrella to modify the light's effect on the subject.
Instructions
1. Turn off the Speedlite flash unit.
2. Loosen the lower thumbscrew on the flash adapter or multiclamp device.
3. Fit the clamp over the C-stand.
4. Tighten the lower thumbscrew securely so the clamp is stable on the stand.
5. Loosen the upper thumbscrew if there is one, such as on the Photoflex MultiClamp, for example.
6. Insert the umbrella shaft through a mounting hole in the bracket. Some adapters -- including the Photoflex DualFlash Adapter kit, for example -- feature an umbrella shaft insert that screws onto the umbrella's lower shaft. For example, the .
7. Tighten the screw to secure the umbrella shaft.
8. Attach the Speedlite's mounting foot to the bracket's shoe mount. If the shoe mount is detached from the clamp, insert this adapter into the clamp and tighten the thumbscrew before attaching the Speedlite.
Tags: flash unit, umbrella shaft, lower thumbscrew, shoe mount, Speedlite flash