Reflectors

[Advisor]

I am in need of a reflector for outdoor use of portraits - family and individual, seniors, etc. New to this and am looking for suggestions on what is most popular to point the sunlight in the right direction... I see silver, light gold, etc. with various sizes - can anyone help me on when to use the various colors and sizes for which applications? Much appreciated...

[scorpio_e]

Use the gold for outdoors and the silver for indoors :)

[TMR Design]

Use the gold for outdoors and the silver for indoors :)

I'd be careful when using gold reflectors. They can look really nice but the wrong light with the wrong complexion will give you a very unnatural bronze or orange/yellow look.

Many photographers favor the mix of silver and gold and depending on the brand of reflector you'll find it called soft gold, sunfire, zebra, and some others that don't come to mind right now. The mix of silver and gold gives you a very efficient and specular light with a slight warming that is very pleasing and generally flattering for most complexions.

I'm a big fan of soft gold for use with dark skinned or tan models but when it comes to pale skin and very light complexions I'll always choose white or silver first.

[bonsai1504]

I use a photoflex 42x74" white/gold reflector. The white is good all the time, but the gold is tricky to use unless you have the right light. I normally use a quantum Qflash X2 for additional fill light along with my reflector.

[Advisor]

thanks for the help - am i to assume that the circular reflectors are meant for only single subjects and the larger reflectors for multiple people/groups (families) and therefore depict the size reflector needed?

[TMR Design]

thanks for the help - am i to assume that the circular reflectors are meant for only single subjects and the larger reflectors for multiple people/groups (families) and therefore depict the size reflector needed?

Round reflectors work well but if they're not large enough then you may not have the coverage you need. Large sheets of white foamcore make some of the best reflectors, returning beautiful soft light. You can also cover them with silver wrapping paper or paint them with reflective silver and create a more specular reflector.

[Underscore]

Be really careful how you angle the reflector since often it can create enough light to make your subject squint and that doesn't look good to anyone.

I would use reflectors either under their chin, overhead, or to the side to fill shadows of some sort or the other and not for the purpose of intensifying main light.

If you plan to intensify main light with a reflector, perhaps the best way is to get a silver reflector, angle the sunlight (with the silver reflector) right at your subjects, but put a thin translucent piece of material (most reflectors come with this as the base) between that reflected light and your subject for a soft effect that will not make them squint. Tony Corbell uses this technique, as well as Dean Collins for outside portraiture for models, families, etc.... and they actually use highly reflective and flexible plexiglass which acts almost like using a mirror, but they have translucent material to soften the light right next to their subject.

If you have big family you are working on, put the sun to their backs, or at least an angle more than 90 degrees to either side, and see if you can use some fill flash and underexpose the ambient by 2/3 to 1.5 stops.

Just some thoughts.