Using a Reflector Pt. 2

In how to use a reflector part 1 we looked at what you could make a reflector out of, and how to use one to soften shadows or even remove them all together. Now lets put theory into practise and take some photos.

Look at these two images. This time Tasha isn't in direct sun light so there are no harsh shadows anyway. But the lighting in the top pic is very dull and flat looking. Where as in the bottom one Tasha is brighter and there's a twinkle in her eyes.

This isn't because I increased the exposure. Look at the trees in the background which are the same in both images. If I had increased exposure then they would be brighter too. So you can also use a reflector to brighten up dull light in just one area of a photo as well as soften hard light.

This isn't confined to portraits by the way. You can still use a reflector to add life and light when taking photos of leaves, flowers or a still life set up. And we're going to show you what a difference it can make just moving the reflector a few inches can make.