reflectors

All posts tagged reflectors

Photographers – The Secret Is Sometimes Just A Reflector

Posted by scottbourne on August 1, 2011
Posted in: Technique & Tutorials. Tagged: , , .

Listen. Do you want to know a secret? If you want to make better photographs bring a reflector.

This is just one of the messages of master wedding photographer Jerry Ghionis.

I listened to Jerry give a talk last night at Skip’s Summer School in Vegas, and while his program was packed full of valuable information, one of the best messages he shared was how he turns mundane places and situations into pure, absolute magic. In fact he’s known for this. I often describe Jerry like this. Anyone can make a stunning photograph at the Taj Mahal. But Jerry can make stunning photographs in the boiler room or the bathroom at the Taj Mahal. And many times all it takes is his super human ability to SEE potential in a location and a reflector.

Jerry talked about capturing the natural moments but not stopping there. He creates the “natural” moments by directing his subjects into the best light, with the best poses and he works damn hard to do it.

He gave numerous examples of finding great backdrops throughout his native Australia and then going back to these places with wedding couples and setting up shots that sell.

He often achieves magic – and I am not exaggerating when I say he does much of it with simple reflectors.

In addition to the basic reflectors you can buy at a camera store like Adorama, Jerry will use anything as a reflector. He’ll often find a wall that is soaked in sunlight and then stand in front of that wall and shoot opposite it with the bride and groom. He once asked his assistant to use her FACE as a reflector. I kid you not! He took his flash off camera. He sat his wedding couple in the back of a Rolls Royce. He had his assistant sit in the front seat, close her eyes, point the flash directly at her face, point her face at the couple, and the result was some of the prettiest light I’ve ever seen.

Jerry will use a reflective painting from inside a house outside of the house. He’ll use mirrors as reflectors. He’ll use people’s bright clothing as a reflector. It is shocking to find out that in many cases his “secret” is nothing more than carrying a reflector.

So now, you have to ask yourself. How many times have you left that reflector you bought out in the car? I’m guilty. But never again.

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Reflections on Reflectors

Posted by scottbourne on July 13, 2011
Posted in: Technique & Tutorials, Tips. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

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Post & Photo by Joe Farace – Follow Joe on Twitter

The difference between a portrait and a mere picture of somebody often boils down to one thing: Lighting. And one of the simplest and easiest light tools to understand and use is a reflector. A reflector is simply a flat surface that “reflects” light from any light source whether it’s a electronic flash or continuous light source including daylight. Reflectors follow the same rules as all lighting devices: Bigger sources close to the subject produce soft light; smaller sources further away produce harder light. Collapsible reflectors come in many shapes, sizes, and variations on a theme.

In the above image (at left) the window light portrait was captured with available light only using a Canon EOS 50D and 85mm f/1.8 lens in Program mode at ISO 400. The photo at right was made by placing a reflector at camera left. Because of the additional light added by the reflector, the camera adjusted the Program mode exposure from 1/500 sec at f/5.0 (no reflector) to 1/400 sec at f/4.5 (reflector.)

Reflectors are usually made of some kind of reflective fabric and are available in different colors to change the color of the reflected light and, more often than not, these reflectors collapse into a portable format for travel. My favorite reflector is Adorama’s Flashpoint 32-inch 5-in-1 Collapsible Disc Reflector that lets you switch the surface material to suite the photographic situation. The basic reflector is covered in diffusion material that’s useful for removing hot spots from a portrait subject’s face while softening the overall lighting. You can cover the reflector with a reversible skin that includes black to block light, gold to warm light, silver for strong fill-in light or white for softer fill light. The 5-in-1 Collapsible Disc Reflector is available in a 22-inch version that folds into a package small enough to fit in your camera bag. There’s also a 42-inch version that works great if you have an assistant or a light stand and adapter.

When photographing models that bring their husbands or boyfriends to a shoot, I always get them to hold a reflector. It gives them something to do and keeps them out of my hair and from disrupting the session. If you shoot alone or don’t have an assistant to hold that reflector at just the right angle, you’re going to need a way to mount the reflector on a light stand. Tip: You can never have too many light stands.

Reflectors can also be where you find them. When testing a digital SLR for Shutterbug magazine last year I handed the camera to photojournalist Barry Staver to photograph me using the light coming through the window at the diner where we were having breakfast. To add light to my eyes, Barry grabbed a menu and placed it on the table in front of me just out of camera range. It worked!

Joe Farace is the author of “Studio Lighting Anywhere” the second book in a planned trilogy from Amherst Media. It’s available in all the best bookstores as well as Amazon.com.

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