A Photography forum. PhotoBanter.com

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » PhotoBanter.com forum » Photo Equipment » Other Photographic Equipment
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

relfector type ?



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old October 13th 03, 07:42 PM
Sean Ras
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default relfector type ?

I'm learning portrait photography. I do a lot of black and white work but I
also do a lot of beach/bikini color photo shots (seems thats all everybody
wants here in Hawaii). I'm about to purchase a reflector to hopefully
improve the look of my photos. I'm getting a Lastolite Tri-grip reflector.
My question is which colors will work best with the type of photography I'm
doing? The sunfire/silver or white/silver? Money is tight so I have to buy
one reflector that will adapt to black-n-white and color. Thanks.

Sean


  #2  
Old October 14th 03, 05:31 AM
zeitgeist
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default relfector type ?



I'm learning portrait photography. I do a lot of black and white work but

I
also do a lot of beach/bikini color photo shots (seems thats all everybody
wants here in Hawaii). I'm about to purchase a reflector to hopefully
improve the look of my photos. I'm getting a Lastolite Tri-grip reflector.
My question is which colors will work best with the type of photography

I'm
doing? The sunfire/silver or white/silver? Money is tight so I have to buy
one reflector that will adapt to black-n-white and color. Thanks.



Instead of a reflector, I'd suggest a scrim, a translucent fabric that will
put the subject is a soft diffused light that is only one stop or so off
from the full sun, so you have a shade like space that is brighter than
shade. This means that when you expose for the subject the background
doesn't wash out, just gets a step lighter, so you can print without a lot
of burning etc, you can use machine prints at a lab without loosing your
background or having the subject go dark.

A lot of photogs use a "california" scrim (which is actually made in
Germany) and has to thick handles for an assistant to hang on to, or to
clamp to a heavy duty light stand with counter weights and all.

I like a Larson 3x6 reflectosol, this is the large square/rectangle
reflector maker that opens from the center like an umbrella. The main
advantage is that with the center shaft (that bends on a pivot near the
head) an assistant, even an impromptu assistant like the model's boyfriend,
or one of the grooms'men, can easily hold it near horizontal over the couple
or even a small family huddled together and can control it in a slight
breeze.

also, you can make scrims and reflectors, there are simple plans availabe to
make them out of pvc pipe and sports nylon, and you can even buy the silver
reflector cloth they make reflectos out of, or you can get some mylar
'bubble wrap' insulation material that is decent for reflector use,
(sometimes you can find sheets of styrofoam insulation panelling to use, 4x8
foot, two inches thick, you can jam a stick into it to prop it up, 12 bucks
here stateside (probably 50 bucks on the island)

in the files section of the z-prophoto mailing list at yahoogroups.com you
can find an authorized scan of Dean Collins' Tinker Tube book (long out of
print) where he shows how to build a whole studio's worth of lighting gear
out of pvc pipe.

I think that using a reflector in the sun is the wrong way to use it, it
becomes like a spot light, a very harsh light. you might as well use a
flash for fill, (or use a slaved key light on a stand and a high shutter
speed so the background drops down a tone, get a deep blue sky that way)
besides a reflector in the sun bouncing in the eyes is blinding, literally.

What a reflector is best at is when you don't think you really need it at
all, remember with film, what you see isn't exactly what you get, so when
you have the model in a nice open shade, a real 'sweet' light, that penumbra
at the edge of the shade, just before the full sun, take a step back, just
before full flat shade, there is that sweet spot where the skin glows, the
eyes sparkle, the subject is a stop brighter than the full shade, there is a
slight directionality, she looks perfect. this is where a reflector can
come in on the shadow side and give that side a kiss of light so when the
film adds a bit of contrast, it all comes together perfectly.


  #3  
Old October 16th 03, 03:43 AM
M77
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default relfector type ?


"zeitgeist" wrote in message
. net...



head) an assistant, even an impromptu assistant like the model's

boyfriend,


why in the hell would you let the chick's boyfriend watch the shoot??????






--
*******************
"Who died and made you Renfield?"
W.W.S.D?
www.Motochrist.net
www.AliceCooper.com
www.AliceCooperEBay.com

**Send complaints to: **


  #4  
Old October 16th 03, 06:40 AM
zeitgeist
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default relfector type ?






head) an assistant, even an impromptu assistant like the model's

boyfriend,


why in the hell would you let the chick's boyfriend watch the shoot??????



I don't shoot the kind of pictures where you need to have the set closed,
keep boyfriends and dads away.

why the hell not have the chick's boyfriend there? unless the images are
for a different audience than the boyfriend/dad/husband...


  #5  
Old October 19th 03, 05:54 PM
Ted
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default relfector type ?

Why wouldn't you? As long as he understands that when you are shooting, he
has to stay out of the way, off to the side.


"M77" wrote in message
...

"zeitgeist" wrote in message
. net...



head) an assistant, even an impromptu assistant like the model's

boyfriend,


why in the hell would you let the chick's boyfriend watch the shoot??????






--
*******************
"Who died and made you Renfield?"
W.W.S.D?
www.Motochrist.net
www.AliceCooper.com
www.AliceCooperEBay.com

**Send complaints to: **




 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 02:11 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 PhotoBanter.com.
The comments are property of their posters.