The reflector lie.

[CuriousMike]

This is some Grade-A .

"How to take photos in nasty, mid-day sun."
You read some internet. You watch some internet.

The answer boils down to:
a) If you can find shade, go to shade.
b) If you have a reflector, have subject back to sun and use reflector as fill light
c) Have subject back to sun, and use fill-flash.

I've watched numerous videos on option #b.
It looks easy.


I pay my monies a month back, and I have my first reflector.

I even used it the other week at my sons graduation - well, the diffuser portion.

Today is my first chance to use the reflector.

Here's what the internet experts don't warn you about.



That was me trying the silver.
The gold was no better.

The white... that seemed to reflect very little light... almost not enough to be useful.

I positioned the reflector numerous ways... lower, higher, off to the side ( now we have shadow on half the face ) -- all of my subjects were telling me to eff off it was too bright.

So, Anandtech experts, did I just waste my $14 amazon dollars on a lie?

 

[Spoooon]

I used mine a few hours ago for some engagement photos. Mine has silver, gold, white, and black "reflectors." I used the white to reflect softer light, used the gold as the sun was setting and just had my wife move closer to the subjects as it got darker.

If you imagine a clock, my subject is in the center facing 6:00, the sun is hitting them from 3, and my wife is aiming the reflector at them from 9.

 

[CuriousMike]

OK, my subject is facing 6:00, the sun is hitting them at noon and my helper was aiming from 7:00... i.e., I was seemingly much more direct.

 

[carlton_fritz]

Unless she is beautiful and naked, I have no desire to photograph people.

 

[blastingcap]

This is some Grade-A bullshit.

"How to take photos in nasty, mid-day sun."
You read some internet. You watch some internet.

The answer boils down to:
a) If you can find shade, go to shade.
b) If you have a reflector, have subject back to sun and use reflector as fill light
c) Have subject back to sun, and use fill-flash.

I've watched numerous videos on option #b.
It looks easy.


I pay my monies a month back, and I have my first reflector.

I even used it the other week at my sons graduation - well, the diffuser portion.

Today is my first chance to use the reflector.

Here's what the internet experts don't warn you about.

YOU BLIND THE FUCK OUT OF YOUR SUBJECTS

That was me trying the silver.
The gold was no better.

The white... that seemed to reflect very little light... almost not enough to be useful.

I positioned the reflector numerous ways... lower, higher, off to the side ( now we have shadow on half the face ) -- all of my subjects were telling me to eff off it was too bright.

So, Anandtech experts, did I just waste my $14 amazon dollars on a lie?

A powerful flash is the best solution imho. I don't agree with some of what Tony has said about cameras, but this video is spot on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tin5q2-yPew

Unless she is beautiful and naked, I have no desire to photograph people.

And how good-looking are YOU?

 

[carlton_fritz]

A powerful flash is the best solution imho. I don't agree with some of what Tony has said about cameras, but this video is spot on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tin5q2-yPew



And how good-looking are YOU?

I don't want my photo taken either.

 

[Syborg1211]

You have a few options with a multi-reflector. Sounds like you were trying to use it as a key light so if you do that, treat it like you would an off-camera flash. Typically want it pretty high and at a 45 degree angle to the side of the subject aimed down at a 45 degree angle at the subject.

You're a bit at the mercy of the location of the sun here, and a reflector can't make midday sun good. Your best bet is a translucent reflector used as a diffuser for the sun, or you can shoot in the shade and use the reflector as your key light.

Third use of the reflector is as a fill. Fill should be at the perfect opposite direction of the key light, so with the sun behind and overhead, the fill should be lower and in front.

In general though, the reflector is a tool that helps in certain situations just like most other tools. I mainly consider them for fill, never as key, but I mostly use the white side.

 

[IronWing]

Try using the reflector as described but angle it to bounce an off camera flash onto the subject instead of bouncing the sun.

 

[CuriousMike]

Wow, that's cool ! I have seen no one suggesting bouncing a flash into the reflector on the youtubes...

 

[EOM]

This is some Grade-A .

"How to take photos in nasty, mid-day sun."
You read some internet. You watch some internet.

The answer boils down to:
a) If you can find shade, go to shade.
b) If you have a reflector, have subject back to sun and use reflector as fill light
c) Have subject back to sun, and use fill-flash.

I've watched numerous videos on option #b.
It looks easy.


I pay my monies a month back, and I have my first reflector.

I even used it the other week at my sons graduation - well, the diffuser portion.

Today is my first chance to use the reflector.

Here's what the internet experts don't warn you about.



That was me trying the silver.
The gold was no better.

The white... that seemed to reflect very little light... almost not enough to be useful.

I positioned the reflector numerous ways... lower, higher, off to the side ( now we have shadow on half the face ) -- all of my subjects were telling me to eff off it was too bright.

So, Anandtech experts, did I just waste my $14 amazon dollars on a lie?

How close were you standing?


We used the gold side of the reflector on an overcast day to add a bit of color. It was very subtle but somehow made it look better! We put the reflector low and bounced up from about hip level for the headshots and just out of frame for body shots.

 

[estarkey7]

No one said your subjects would be able to see. I have been in your position many a times and truth be told this is not comfortable for your subjects, but it will work.

When I used to shoot portraits, I really world just use off camera fill flash with the high speed sync feature. That way you can crank up the shutter speed with a wide open aperture and tame the sun. I really do recommend this way for it's speed and convenience, but of course it cost money. I can swear by getting a Youngnuo 500 ex flash as it has all the features of the very expensive flashes, but for around $125.00.

Now that I sold all my Canon gear and bought a Panasonic GH4 for independent film production, I am back to the reflectors and the problems they bring, the same as the problems your are having.

So what big budget productions do is 'fly' a large (20x40 feet) translucent panel, just like the diffuser material in your round reflector. Sometimes, they will fly a black 'flag' so that shadows are created on the subject. The intensity of the shadows depends on how far away the flag is from the talent.

 

[Paladin3]

Your reflector should be as close to the subject as possible, just out of frame. In the shot you posted it is way, way too far away. Since your sun is coming down on your subject, you will usually position the reflector low to reflect sunlight back up and fill the shadows on the face.

A huge piece of white cardboard is the cheapest way to fill portraits outdoors in bright sunlight, but it's only good for a person or two because it has to be so close to the subject and covers a relatively small area. You can't do groups or anything with it.

Fill-flash is great, but you still need the flash close to the subject. And a camera that syncs flash at a fast shutter speed is almost mandatory.

 

[Paladin3]

Wow, that's cool ! I have seen no one suggesting bouncing a flash into the reflector on the youtubes...

You can bounce flash off of almost anything...walls, ceilings, reflectors, umbrellas. My favorite is the spot where two walls and the ceiling meet in a small room. You pick up the color of the walls, but it's like a giant umbrella.

Remember that the size of the reflective surface relative to the subject is what makes for a soft, wrap-around light. A 36" umbrella place 4 feet from a subject will give nice wrap around light on a face. At 15' the same umbrella is basically a harsh spotlight, not to mention it will need a ton more power to produce the same amount of light.