Learning Event 3:
DESCRIBE REFLECTORS
1. Field productions have produced their own lighting problems.
Have you
noticed the deep shadows on the talent's face when sunlight comes from the side
or back?
How to fill in the shadows with appropriate light is a problem
generally solved by reflectors which will compensate for the extreme
differences in light level and lighten up the shadows.
Reflectors serve the
same purpose as fill lights in a studio situation. Tinfoil or aluminum foil is
used for homemade reflectors.
2. Reflectors, also called reflector boards, are an inexpensive and convenient
way of reducing shadows (fig 4-22).
They redirect light to the subject.
Reflectors bounce sunlight into areas of shadow that won't photograph well,
supplying light to an area that needs more light for detail. Artificial light
as well as sunlight can be reflected.
Figure 4-22.
Reflector boards
a. When talent is back lit using sunlight as the keylight or dominant
light, the amount of light reflected from the subject's face may be
insufficient. The face is in its own shadow. In closeups, facial detail is
more prominent than a long shot.
To compensate for the facial shadows and
define detail in the face in a closeup, use a reflector which will help balance
contrast.
b. Remember, as you increase the distance from the reflector to the
reflected area, any movement of the reflector is magnified.
The reflector
should be stable and steady. Movements due to wind or any kind of vibration
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