Reflectors in Photography: Their Function and Various Types

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Reflectors in Photography
Reflectors in Photography

When photographing a model or a product and you feel like there are certain parts of the object that doesn’t seem to be well-lit by the main sources of light, you can use a reflector to (obviously) reflect light to fill in any shadowy areas.


There are two general types of reflectors:
– Natural reflectors.
Reflectors from the surrounding environment.
For example: White sand reflecting sunlight; sunlight reflected on sea water, ponds or lakes; white walls of a building.


-Artificial reflectors.
Man-made reflectors especially manufactured for use by photographers.
These artificial reflectors are categorized into 3 types or surface colors:


-Gold-colored Reflectors
Usually used to give a warmer glow on human skin tones.


-Silver-colored Reflectors
Usually for brightening shadowy areas of the model or object, making it appear whiter or a stronger brighter tone.


-White-colored Reflectors
Usually made out of Styrofoam material, giving a naturally lighter glow that’s softer and even.


Reflector Effect
Reflector Effect



In addition to outdoor photography use, reflectors have several advantages over external flashes or additional lighting.


Some of these advantages include:


1.Considerably cheaper than external flash or mobilight.


2.Saves energy, because it doesn’t need to consume any sort of electrical power.


3.Gives out a more natural tone that can easily be adjusted to the color ambiance of the shoot.


4.Gives a softer lighting effect to the object.


The only disadvantage of using a reflector is that if the light source that you’re using to reflect upon is not strong enough, the reflector won’t do its job properly. For instance, such a case arise when you’re photographing outdoor on a cloudy day.


How To Use A Reflector In Outdoor Photography by GregHeltonPhoto




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