should be minimized. Mount reflector on a stand or have it secured by yourself
or another person, just as you would do with a camera.
c. Monitor the position of reflectors because as the sun moves, it may
make the reflector ineffectual.
3. Many varieties can be purchased.
It may be easier or cheaper to make your
own reflectors.
a. Use polystyrene for one side and put crumpled tin foil on the other
side. The polystyrene will give you hard light reflectance and crumpled tin
foil will give you soft light reflectance.
b. If you do not have polystyrene, use a piece of a cardboard or plywood
for backing material. Glue smooth foil to one side and crumpled foil to the
other.
c. Use white paper or possibly newspaper if you do not have tin foil.
d. Use a piece of cardboard or plywood or something similar for backing.
Crumple foil and partially smooth it, then glue to backing. Smooth foils give
hard light, crumpled foils produce diffused light. A crumpled foil reflector
is preferred to avoid hotspots.
4. Types of reflection. One type of reflector has two sides, one with smooth
silver paper and the other silver leaf.
The two sides offer specular and
diffuse reflection. With specular reflection (the smooth side), the rays are
hard and parallel, casting sharp, well-defined shadows.
(the silver leaf side) is the type seen on a cloudy, overcast day. The rays
are soft, scattered and not parallel. It results in flat lighting and poorly
defined shadows.
a. With a homemade reflector, the smooth foil is spectral light or harder
light. The crumpled foil side produces a diffused light. The chance of hot
spots is minimized with the crumpled foil.
b. When using polystyrene for one side and tin foil for the other, a
variation on the foil reflector, the polystyrene will give you hard light
reflectance and crumpled tin foil will give you soft light reflectance.
5. Other uses for reflectors. For a very bright spot of light, use mirrors or
polished tin for distant objects or special effects. A reflector isn't usually
required for a long shot, since detail is not important in faces; the person is
small in comparison to overall picture.
a. Silver reflectors are
used
as
back
lights
or
cross
lights
or
illuminating a dark background.
b. Polished tin or mirrors can be used for distant objects or special
effects where an extremely strong light is required.
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