Portrait Photography How To

The photo reflector is an affordable, easy-to-use device that can make a big difference in your images by diffusing harsh light and filling in shadows. In the video below, photographer Aaron Nace demonstrates why he says “every photographer should have at least one reflector in his arsenal.”

Reflectors range in “complexity” from a translucent disk with a choice of white, silver, and gold covers for different effects, to a cheap piece of poster board or a white bed sheet. Essentially, you can use just about anything that light will bounce off of or shine through.

In this seven-minute tutorial Nace demonstrates six quick setups that you can use at home to capture very nice portraits with either one or multiple reflectors. He explains that the closer the reflector is to your subject, the more effective it is for filling in shadows. He also notes that if your subject can see the light bouncing off the reflector, you’re pretty much good to go.

You can find more shooting tips on the PHLEARN YouTube channel. And be sure to look at another portrait tutorial we posted recently, describing the pros and cons of using natural light and off-camera flash.