They aren’t too expensive (around $35) but SO useful in learning about light behavior (important) and how to modify it (super important!!) So, in short, when you are ready to get more nuanced with light (which you will want to do!) I’d recommend getting your hands on a 5 in 1 reflector. I personally don’t use a reflector all that often (my style tends to be more candid) but understanding HOW to use one means I know how to mimic its effect with what I have around me, or lessen the effects that I don’t want. If you are more advanced, then a reflector can be a useful tool, even if you don’t go onto use it all the time! We recommend that all our Advanced Light & Composition students purchase one, because having a dedicated reflector can help you understand how light behaves and will react in certain situations that you find yourself in - in other words, how everything around you affects the light. We simply can’t “see” light in the beginning, so getting the foundations right first will make using a reflector so much easier! If you are just getting started in photography, learning how to use a reflector can be difficult, so it’s something that I would wait until you are confident shooting in manual mode, and you have an understanding of how light behaves. Should I get a reflector, and if so, which one should I get? This reduces the need to increase your exposure for your subject, and helps you retain the detail in the sky!Īnother example would be when you are struggling to get light into your subjects eyes - you can “bounce” the light back into them (see example below!)įinally, you can use a reflector with any type of light - so natural, artificial or studio! By placing a reflector opposite the light source, we can reflect the light back onto our subject, upping the amount of light on them. Although we can lift the shadows just by our exposure, this will often lead to a blown out background. When you have the light source behind your subject, often your subject can be in shadow. When might I use a reflector in photography?Įssentially, you use a reflector to lift the shadows on your subject - so if there are shadows on your subject in areas that you don’t want them, then you can use the reflector to “fill” the shadows in that area.Īlthough this can happen in many ways, a really common use for a reflector is when backlighting your subject. Reflectors, both natural and store bought, work in the same way: they reflect the light back onto your subject in order to lighten the shadows on any chosen area. Technically, a reflector is anything that reflects light, so it can be something that is already in your environment, such as a white wall, or you can purchase a dedicated reflector so that you don’t have to rely on finding a natural one. Got that? Great! Then let’s dive into the “meat” of the post! What is a reflector? So in this post, I’m going to cover what a reflector is, when you might want to use one, when the right time is to get one, and if you do, which one you should get.īefore we dive in, if you’re interested in learning more about light, be sure to download our Photography Lighting Starter Guide! You'll learn all about the building blocks of light - its colour, intensity and direction - along with some ideas for using each one to kickstart your creative juices. A reflector is simply a tool that will help you change or mould the light to suit your vision, and help you get your images to look the way you want them to. Knowing how to manipulate the light around you is crucial as you progress in your photography journey, because those subtle nuanced shifts in light can have a major impact on your images. Have you heard people talking about a reflector, wondered what it does, and whether you need one? Then good news, that’s exactly what I’m going to be answering in this post!
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