Beginners Guide

Utilizing A Flash Bounce In Real Estate Photography

Utilizing A Flash Bounce In Real Estate Photography

While using a off-camera flash provides control and flexibility, the directness of the light can result in harsh shadows and unflattering lighting.

Enter the bounce flash—a technique that allows real estate photographers to create soft, diffused, and natural-looking light that enhances the visual impact of interior spaces.

In this article, I’ll discuss the principles and techniques of the bounce flash which will help take your real estate photography to new heights.

Table of Contents

What Is A Bounce Flash Technique?

The bounce flash technique involves directing the light emitted from the flash to bounce off a surface, such as walls or ceilings.

By bouncing the light, we can achieve a softer, more diffused illumination that minimizes harsh shadows, provides even lighting, and creates a natural-looking ambiance in the space.

In practice, you basically point the flash at the ceiling/wall/corner and have the light bounce off of that area. The technique itself is that simple.

Experiment with different bounce angles to achieve the desired lighting effect. Bouncing the flash off the ceiling can create a soft, diffused overhead light, while bouncing off walls can provide a flattering sidelight or fill light.

Adjusting the angle and intensity of the flash to maintain a balance between ambient light and the flash output is the ultimate goal of the bounce technique.

If you’re considering adding a flash into your real estate photography technique, check out our article Best Flashes for Real Estate Photography.

What Is A Suitable Bounce Surface?

As stated above, walls and ceilings are the primary surfaces used for bounce flash in real estate photography.

When walking into a new room, you should analyze the room and determine which surface will provide the most pleasing and even illumination.

An example of this would be choosing a white ceiling right above a set of windows. This is a good surface to bounce a flash off and it will help accent the natural light entering the room.

Ideally, you want the surface to be white, but off white colors can work as well. I always bounce my flash off the corner where the wall and the ceiling meet. If the ceiling and walls are white, it creates incredible light on the other side of the room.

The bounce surface being some type of white or off-white is going to be important to keeping the colors in the room correct. I’ll touch on color casts later though.

Light Diffusers Can Be Helpful

Just bouncing the light off the ceiling or wall helps to diffuse the light a bit. But if you’re finding that the flash is producing light that’s way too harsh, you can consider using a light diffuser.

Even with a diffuser, the technique stays the same. This is just an added layer of softening of the light. With the diffuser on your flash, you’ll still direct the light off the ceiling to bounce it on to the rest of the frame.

Overcoming Color Casts

As I mentioned before, it’s important to keep in mind that the color and material of the bounce surface can affect the color temperature of the bounced light.

Some surfaces may introduce color casts to the scene. To compensate for this, consider adjusting the white balance settings on your camera or using color correction gels on the flash unit to match the color temperature of the ambient light.

For example, if the ceiling and wall are both yellow or orange, you’re going to have a very warm colored photo that will need to be corrected either in camera or in post.

Likewise, if the ceiling and walls are blue, you’re going to get a very cool colored photo. This is why white is the ideal color for the bounce technique.

Overall Benefits Of Using The Bounce Flash Technique

The biggest benefit of using the bounce flash technique for real estate photography is the ability to create soft, diffused, and natural-looking light that enhances the overall quality of the images.

A bounce flash helps minimize harsh shadows, reduce the appearance of unflattering highlights, and provide even illumination throughout the space as long as the technique is executed properly.

By bouncing the flash off reflective surfaces like walls or ceilings, real estate photographers can create a more pleasing and natural ambiance that showcases the property in its best light.

Additionally, a bounce flash enables us to have greater control over the direction and intensity of the light, allowing them to sculpt the lighting to highlight specific features and create depth in the images.

Overall, the bounce flash technique is an invaluable tool for real estate photographers that want to achieve high quality lighting that elevates their images to new level.

Additional Resources

If you’re considering getting a new flash to start using the bounce technique, check out our list of the best flashes for real estate photography.

If you’re just getting started in real estate photography, check out our Beginners Guide. It’s full of helpful articles and tips that will guide you in the right direction as you begin your real estate photography journey.

You can check out our Gear section as well to see reviews and recommendations on the latest real estate photography gear.

If you’re more interested in other resources that can help your real estate photography business, check out our Business Resources page.

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About author
Matthew Digati is a professional Real Estate and Architectural Photographer. Matthew has worked as a Real Estate and Architectural Photographer since 2015 and has photographed properties and projects all over the United States.
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