Reflect Some Light On Your Children

June 18, 2010

Better Than Flash

A second source of light is just the ticket to eliminate shadows, reduce contrast, and even out the lighting in your pictures. Sometimes you can do that with fill flash, and sometimes a small reflector will do the job just fine.

A reflector many times is better than a flash unit, because the light from a reflector is softer, and that typically makes for much better pictures of your children. In other words, it is always better to use natural light — and that includes reflecting it — than the use of electronic flash.

Reflect Some Light

There are two ways to get into reflectors: the cheap way and the expensive way. Believe it or not, you really don’t need an expensive reflector from your local photo shop in order to move light around — you can enjoy a lot of success just using a glossy white sheet of poster board. Purchase a sheet of poster board from your local art supply store for a buck or two and try it out.

The problem with poster board, of course, is that it is often difficult to carry around. For a more compact reflector solution, the cover photo reflector at your local camera store. Personally, I really like Flashpoint collapsible disc reflectors.

These clever little reflectors fold up so small that you can almost put them in your pocket. Take them out of the bag, however, and they pop open to a variety of handy sizes. I use the Fashppoint 32″ 5 in 1 set of reflectors that measure a Little over 2 feet across, and I find that’s a great size for most of the things that I want to photograph.

When you are ready to take a picture with your reflector, you will probably need some help. It’s very difficult to hold the reflector and take a photograph at the same time. So instead of trying some seed of photographic gymnastics, ask an assistant to hold the reflector. So that the light reflects from the sky onto your child. Try to have them hold the reflector to minimize shadows or lumen eight the dark side of your child’s phase.

You Can Bounce Light

If you’re digital camera has a hot shoe or input for a flash synchronization cable, you can attach an external flash unit for additional light control over your photographs. I love using flash units because the flash head tilts. This means that you can tilt the flash so that it reflects light off the ceiling or wall, thus diffusing the light and creating a softer effect in your photograph.

Be sure that you’re not reflecting light off of colored walls, though, or the reflected light might paint your subject some rude shade of yellow. You may also want to disable the built in flash unit on your camera when you use an external flash unit. Check the camera’s menu system for flash controls, try different ways, since some pictures can benefit from dual flash units arriving on the scene from different directions.

Reflectors serve a second important purposes well. When you are out in the field trying to take a picture, the wind can sometimes get in the way. You’ll notice this most often when you’re trying to take a close-up of a child and their hair is blowing in the wind. The solution? Compose your picture so that you can use the reflector not only to add light to the scene, but also to serve as windbreak. That’s right, reflectors can block the breeze and give you a more stable picture.

Remember, keep taking lots and lots of photographs of your kids. You will be glad you did!

ps: Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter “Real Kids Photography” here!

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