(Editor's note: Levi shows how to fold circular, triangular and oblong reflectors in this tutorial.) After a camera and a good tripod, I'd say a 5-in-1 reflector is a must have tool for every photographer. Whether you're photographing flowers, portraits, or products a 5-in-1 reflector can help you make great light. I got my hands on Impact's 42-inch 5-in-1 Collapsible Circular Reflector with Handles. Let me tell you what I think of it see if it's the right tool for you. The Basics As far as reflectors go, this is the smallest I recommend … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Impact 5-in-1 Reflector with Handles
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Portrait Tips: How To Use A Gold Reflector
I highly recommend a 5-in-1 reflector as a tool for helping you get terrific light under many circumstances. It should be the first lighting tool you buy, and you should learn to master it before buying more lighting. The good news is that a 5-in-1 reflector is relatively cheap. I recommend the oval shaped reflectors because they give you more room to work without covering the surface with your own shadow. The trouble is, one of the surfaces is a gold reflector and since it's included many photographers think it must be there to use for … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: How To Use A Gold Reflector
The Easy Way To Fold Reflectors & Backdrops
A collapsible reflector is a must-have tool for all kinds of photographers. I favor the 5-in-1 styles, and I favor a long oval style. The thing is, the toughest part about using a reflector has nothing to with lighting your subjects--the hardest thing is putting it away. This short video demonstrates how to fold several kinds of collapsible tools, including a circular reflector, a triangular reflector, an oval reflector, and an enormous collapsible backdrop. There's one simple way to do it: fold it in half, and tuck the ends together. Check … [Read more...] about The Easy Way To Fold Reflectors & Backdrops
How to Construct the Most Versatile Studio Gear: V-Flats
Flats are large rectangles of lightweight foam core. Theater set designers use them to create background scenery. Their lightweight design makes them easy to move around sets to be used as backgrounds, flagging light and as reflectors. Hinging two flats together—creating a letter V—creates what is know as a V-flat. Here’s how to construct your own V-flat. Different Size V-Flats You can build any size V-flat to meet your needs. A product photographer may not need an eight foot tall V-flat as much as a portrait photographer would. Building a … [Read more...] about How to Construct the Most Versatile Studio Gear: V-Flats
Portrait Tips: The Best Light For Portraits
Here's a classic geeky photography thing to say: "The only thing that alters how hard or soft the light is on your subject is the size of the light in relation to your subject." Said more simply, Big Light = Soft Light Small Light = Hard Light Let's consider the sun. It's huge, right? So it should be a soft light. But, even though it's 865,000 miles wide, you can completely cover it with your thumb held out at arm's length. So, in relation to us on Earth, it's very small, and that means it's a hard light. Hard or Soft? It's all in the … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: The Best Light For Portraits
Portrait Tips: Free Portrait Class For Limited Time
I'm excited to share some quality education with you. I've created several classes for LinkedInLearning.com, and now my most popular class on basic portrait photography is available at ThinkTapLearn.com for FREE for a limited time. I had a fun time making this class, and I know you'll find ideas and techniques to help you in all aspects of your portrait photography. Just follow this link and register with your email and you can watch the course for free. This class took two days of filming to create, plus a ton of scripting and writing and … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Free Portrait Class For Limited Time
Underwater Portraits with Directed Light
Underwater portraiture is a beautiful medium with many factors to consider that can't be addressed within a single post, so we'll start off here by focusing on one aspect: directing the light. Just like above water, the direction and quality of the light dramatically change the look of the portrait. Choosing a Lighting Source for Underwater Underwater strobes and lights get expensive and require special camera housings to truly be effective. I've seen ingenious ways to get strobes fired from above the pool to be reflected down into the pool, … [Read more...] about Underwater Portraits with Directed Light
How I Got the Shot: Controlling Natural Light with a Diffuser
Midday, with the sun at its highest point in the sky, has often been typecast as the worst time to take outdoor photos. With the light falling straight down, little to no light falls on the subject from the side producing dark shadows. The eyes on portrait often become very dark. Some say it's best to put the camera away for a few hours and wait it out. But what if that's not an option? What if that's the only time you have to get the shot? To solve this problem, we used a diffuser to control natural light. This is how I go the shot. Quick … [Read more...] about How I Got the Shot: Controlling Natural Light with a Diffuser
Professional Portrait Light from a Simple Tool
A little while ago I showed you how I used a translucent diffuser to create soft light with a speedlight and hot red hairdo in a hot red jeep. When you shine a little through a translucent material, it's spreads out that light and makes it bigger, and a bigger light is a softer light. I love soft light. But speedlights are expensive and calling them temperamental is an understatement. The diffuser can be had for well under US$50, however, and is the perfect complement to the largest, cheapest light source in the solar system: the sun. I'd go … [Read more...] about Professional Portrait Light from a Simple Tool
Photographers – The Secret Is Sometimes Just A Reflector
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 … [Read more...] about Photographers – The Secret Is Sometimes Just A Reflector
Reflections on Reflectors
Make sure you don't miss a single Photofocus post - point your feed reader to the free Photofocus RSS Feed here and subscribe. 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 its a electronic flash or continuous light source including daylight. Reflectors follow … [Read more...] about Reflections on Reflectors
Five Inexpensive, Go Anywhere Photo Reflectors
Post by Above: I photographed the model above using just natural light and an inexpensive silver auto windshield sun shade as a reflector. The other photo, taken a few seconds later, shows my assistant holding the sun shade a few feet away from the model. I'm a big fan and owner of quite a few commercially available reflectors (they are also commonly referred to as fill cards). Common photo reflectors are generally affordable and serve many creative lighting purposes. However, there are times when I am on a trip, or just walking around a … [Read more...] about Five Inexpensive, Go Anywhere Photo Reflectors
Lighting Basics – Reflectors
A reflector is any object used to reflect or bounce light. While we tend to think of round shiny circular objects we buy at the camera store as reflectors, a reflector can be anything that bounces light. It can be a plain piece of white cardboard or one covered in tin foil. A reflector could be something as simple as a wall, a white tshirt, or anything that is large enough and bright enough to move light. Reflectors have a several positive traits. They are generally less expensive than flash units, they aren't bothered by things like flash … [Read more...] about Lighting Basics – Reflectors
How to Use Defussion/Reflectors From ANPW
NOTE: Cross posted at ApertureNatureWorkshops.com. … [Read more...] about How to Use Defussion/Reflectors From ANPW
Quick Tip #7 – Do-It-Yourself Reflectors
Homemade reflectors can be just as effective as the expensive ones you buy at the camera store. Instead of paying $50 at CAMERA JOES, spend $5.00 on a piece of cardboard, styrofoam or plywood that is at least 30 x 30". Styrofoam works best because it is already white and very light. If you want a more reflective surface, use aluminum foil to cover the styrofoam. If you want a gold reflector, just add some gold spray paint on top of the aluminum foil. … [Read more...] about Quick Tip #7 – Do-It-Yourself Reflectors
