| Author | Thread |
|
|
08/03/2009 04:05:46 PM · #1 |
| I have a couple reflectors I bought recently and it seems I can't use them without causing severe retinal damage to my subjects....is there a good rule of thumb for how far back you should be or things like that? |
|
|
|
08/03/2009 04:19:40 PM · #2 |
Don't point them so that the light source is reflected directly towards their eyes.
The "right" way to use them would seem to depend on your set-up, subject, and desired effect. |
|
|
|
08/03/2009 04:26:28 PM · #3 |
Originally posted by smardaz:
I have a couple reflectors I bought recently and it seems I can't use them without causing severe retinal damage to my subjects....is there a good rule of thumb for how far back you should be or things like that? |
Use silver to reflect light *in cloud cover*, and white to reflect direct sunlight. |
|
|
|
08/03/2009 04:43:37 PM · #4 |
| think of reflectors as a a fill light. Not a direct light. Never have the sun or light source behind them and use the the reflector to bounce that light into your subjects eyes. |
|
|
|
08/03/2009 04:46:26 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by ben4345:
think of reflectors as a a fill light. Not a direct light. Never have the sun or light source behind them and use the the reflector to bounce that light into your subjects eyes. |
What would be the problem with doing that? Plenty of photographers have used reflectors and foam core to reflect light back into the subject's face. As I mentioned before, I simply wouldn't want to use silver to do so. |
|
|
|
08/03/2009 04:51:34 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by ben4345:
think of reflectors as a a fill light. Not a direct light. Never have the sun or light source behind them and use the the reflector to bounce that light into your subjects eyes. |
Uhhhhhhh, what? I do that all the time, sorry man don´t really want to put you down but I personally would say that this piece of advice is not good.
Smardaz, do what geoffb says, it´s what I do and why I both own silver and white reflectors, heck I have even taken a mirror with me to use as a reflector, don´t particularly reccomend that one though, stay with silver and white reflectors or even big transparent ones to put between the sun and the subject to soften that kind of light. |
|
|
|
08/03/2009 05:13:27 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by LalliSig:
Originally posted by ben4345:
think of reflectors as a a fill light. Not a direct light. Never have the sun or light source behind them and use the the reflector to bounce that light into your subjects eyes. |
Uhhhhhhh, what? I do that all the time, sorry man don´t really want to put you down but I personally would say that this piece of advice is not good.
Smardaz, do what geoffb says, it´s what I do and why I both own silver and white reflectors, heck I have even taken a mirror with me to use as a reflector, don´t particularly reccomend that one though, stay with silver and white reflectors or even big transparent ones to put between the sun and the subject to soften that kind of light. |
well the OP is obviously doing it wrong in you're blinding your subject. What I meant was that is if shine a flashlight into someones eyes, you are gonna blind them, right? If you use a reflector that directs the light enough at your subjects eyes to blind them, then you're doing it wrong.
The keyword is direction... Straight into the eyes, NO. Slightly off at an angle, Yes. |
|
|
|
08/03/2009 05:37:30 PM · #8 |
I would approach the two most common/extreme situations:   |
|
|
|
08/03/2009 05:39:13 PM · #9 |
| Don't forget to let the model rest after a couple minutes of using the reflector. If you chimp during the shoot, that would be the best time to let them rest their eyes and pull the reflector away for a little while. |
|
|
|
08/03/2009 10:28:04 PM · #10 |
| thanks all, and thanks for the diagram Paul, my reflector is changeable and has a gold side to it, what is that good for as i notice no one mentioned it? |
|
|
|
08/03/2009 10:31:22 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by smardaz:
thanks all, and thanks for the diagram Paul, my reflector is changeable and has a gold side to it, what is that good for as i notice no one mentioned it? |
The gold side should give a warm, yellowish cast to the reflected light ... you might us it when you are shooting during (or simulating) the "Golden Hour" or sunset types of lighting, or to warm up blue-white studio lighting. |
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 08/14/2025 01:38:14 AM EDT.
