single flash

I ran into a big problem a the Autisport show, the drivers were doing autograph signings at a desk which had a glass top.
How would you cope with that, given that it's a public event and the drivers are signing for the fans rather than having a photo call for the press?

Getting close works of course, so that the flash doesn't illuminate the desktop and you don't get weird reflections and shadows in the background.

I tried just one experiement with bounce flash off the wall behind, and extending the catchlight panel to give a little bit more diffuse light.
Did it work?

More important though, what would you do with only a single flash in this situation?

No, I don't think t worked very well. The shadows are distracting, and the second shot is downright underexposed.

80 bucks gets you the off-camera shoe cord. You hold the flash wherever you need it. Having a sto-fen on it also helps. Just hold the flash above the camera or to the side that you want, and orient the body whichever way works best.

Flash cord means I'm going to run out of hands. I can just manage the 1D and 24-70 one handed, so perhaps some weights work to toughen up that right arm !

Sto-Fen diffuses the light, which is great for softening the shadows I agree.

But since the scattered light is going to come back off the glass tabletop, now from a wider angle than the flash's zoom, which already (unhelpfully, thanks Canon) zooms out when it goes off-body - how am I going to deal with the glass reflections?

I guess the only answer there is to get closer, with the camera and the flash.
A friend bought the sto-fen a few weeks ago, I'll try to borrow it and see how it helps.

Interesting there was about a 50-50 split of diffusers vs naked flash. Couple of guys working for LAT one Nikon, one Canon - no diffuser. Freelancer working for Kart (go-kart not the US KART) was using diffuser. No-one, not one photographer at the show, was using off-camera flash.

Since it's either a trade show, or a public show (depending on which day) it's hard to get in to get a shot and set up lighting with all the people about.
I've got to find something simple as a solution which will work reliably, is portable, and isn't restricting in the angles I shoot from.
I thought of a simple L-bracket, but that only puts the shadows lower and farther right (or left) which doesn't necessarily work with the wall so close behind - and it restricts me to shooting from one side or the other. As does holding the flash in the other hand I suppose.