Any of you use reflectors Outdoors?

[RobertCrow]

Do any of you Nature photographers out there carry or use portable reflectors of any type, or even home-made?, or are you more likely to depend on fill flash?
Is there an advantage to using reflectors in natural light?
I've seen them used for still stuff like flowers, insects, ect, even people portraits.
Curious your opinions or experience in using reflectors.
Thank you.

[robertwgross]

When I am out in bright sunlight looking for flowers to photograph, I don't worry about reflectors too much. Instead, I use a light tent or else black velvet.

However, if I am deep in a redwood forest, the light is very dim. If I find some nice flowers and need to light it up a bit, a reflector can find one little beam of light cutting down through the canopy, and then it will bounce it over at the target. However, that takes more hands than what I have, so it only works if I am hiking with a group.

The effect of a flash generally looks too fake.

---Bob Gross---

[eric1]

When I am out in bright sunlight looking for flowers to photograph, I don't worry about reflectors too much. Instead, I use a light tent or else black velvet.

However, if I am deep in a redwood forest, the light is very dim. If I find some nice flowers and need to light it up a bit, a reflector can find one little beam of light cutting down through the canopy, and then it will bounce it over at the target. However, that takes more hands than what I have, so it only works if I am hiking with a group.

The effect of a flash generally looks too fake.

---Bob Gross---
so you use the velvet for a backdrop? i got some non-reflective material. i use silk for a diffuser in harsh (midday) sun. what do you use for a reflector?

[mjordan]

I have several sizes and types of the Photoflex Lite Discs. I have a couple 12" ones and a couple 24" ones. Two are black on one side and silver on the other and two are white diffusion material. They fold up into their little pouches that weight almost nothing and slide into a pocket on my backpack. The diffusion panels are good to diffuse the light when in bright light and the silver sided ones are good for reflectors. They are also good to block wind as well.

Mike

[robertwgross]

what do you use for a reflector?

A collapsible, portable reflector.

---Bob Gross---

[scottbergerphoto]

I have several sizes and types of the Photoflex Lite Discs. I have a couple 12" ones and a couple 24" ones. Two are black on one side and silver on the other and two are white diffusion material. They fold up into their little pouches that weight almost nothing and slide into a pocket on my backpack. The diffusion panels are good to diffuse the light when in bright light and the silver sided ones are good for reflectors. They are also good to block wind as well.

Mike
Another vote for LiteDiscs.
Scott