I’ve been looking into portable lighting options using my existing Speedlite and was recommended the Lightsphere II system the other day by a very enthusiastic Canon representative during a mentoring session in the Nottingham Calumet store (I took even more notice as it’s not even a Canon product). He explained how an experienced tabloid photographer swore by it and recently managed to get the only great shot amongst the press pack in dreadful light conditions using his Diffuser. It’s a pretty well-known system pioneered by US photographer Gary Fong. They always show you the before and after shots with these products but, being a cynic, I never quite believe the results; so here’s my own test with direct flash, bounce and using the Diffuser. Aside from a tweak of the exposure (and the same applied to all three) these are completely untouched so you can judge for yourselves. For me , there’s no doubting that the Diffuser results in more even light across Katie’s face, more natural skin tones and a more even background.

There are many products out there on the market – the LumiQuest Softbox III for instance – so I’m sure it’s a case of experimentation and finding one that suits you in terms of both portability and end result. In the short term though, I’ll be sticking with my Cloud and Clear Diffusers…