This is a Walmart reflector. In this episode of The
Thoughtful Photographer, I'm going to show you an
inexpensive and effective do-it-yourself reflector that you
can find at any Walmart.
Hi, I'm Joe Edelman, and you're watching The
Thoughtful Photographer, the web series that teaches you
how to think like a professional photographer, and pulls
back the curtain on the thought process and the
psychology of making great photographs.
You heard me right. I said Walmart reflector. I'll bet you
didn't know that Walmart sold professional lighting
accessories. If you've read my articles or attended any of
my workshops, you've heard me talk about the Walmart
reflector. It's simply a 30 inch by 20 inch piece of white
foam board that you can buy at Walmart for $1.47.
This is my favorite reflector to use when shooting models
or products in the studio. And sometimes, even on
location. I own the collapsible reflectors in a bunch of
different sizes and colors. I even have one of those
ridiculously expensive California Sun Bounces, which is
an awesome reflector for location shooting because it's
very lightweight, has a light gold surface, and it folds up
in a tiny little bag.
But hey, not everyone can afford the cool expensive
gadgets. Or, if you're like me, I'm the guy that puts my
reflector down and then manages to step on it and leave a
footprint.
What I like about the foamboard reflector is that they are
cheap. They're very light. They're also easy to cut or
shape if needed. And did I mention, they're cheap. The
boards that I get at Walmart are made by Elmer's, the
glue people. They're 3/16th of an inch thick, and you can
find them in the arts and crafts aisle along with poster
board. I've even seen 30 inch by 20 inch foam board at
dollar stores lately. It's usually a thinner 1/16th of an inch.
And it's also cheaper made. But, you can't beat the price.
You can also find suppliers that will let you buy
foamboard in sizes up to 48 inches by 96 inches so that
you can make wall-sized reflectors or flat to use in your
studio. They're very lightweight and they take up very
little storage space.
Since this is The Thoughtful Photographer, we should
take a look at how to use the reflector, and when and why
would you use the reflector. I'm going to do this in two
parts. In this video, I'm simply going to show you how I
generally mount the reflector. In an upcoming video, I'm
going to give you a lot of real-time lighting examples of
how to use it and when to use it. So, be sure to subscribe
so you don't miss it.
I have several ways that I mount mine on a stand. And I
even developed a voice activated version that is patent
pending. I'll share that with you at the end of the video, so
be sure to watch it until the end. In my studio, I generally
use a Photoflex telescopic light disc holder. This holder
lets me use a reflector vertically alongside a subject, or
horizontally in front of and under the subject.
If you check the major camera retailers as well as
Amazon and eBay, you can find tons of options that will
fit your budget. If you're working on a really low budget,
you can get a little creative. If you're using the reflector
vertically next to your subject, use large spring clips to
attach it to a stand. If you need a horizontal setup below
your subject's face, simply have the subject hold the
reflector.
Follow the link in the info section below to the matching
article on my blog that also contains links to all of the
products and suppliers that I mentioned in this video.
So, that's all for this episode of The Thoughtful
Photographer. I'm Joe Edelman. And until next time,
keep thinking, keep learning, and keep shooting.
Oh, wait! I promised I would give you a sneak peek at my
patent pending voice activated reflector. Okay, so, you
start out with a 20 inch by 30 inch white foamboard.
Then, you need an assistant. It can be a friend, or spouses
work great for this. You carefully place the reflector in
their hands. Now, exact hand placement is very important,
and it's a technique that does require some practice. Then,
when you back up to take the shot, you activate the
reflector with very simple commands, "Closer", "Higher",
"Tilt a little", etc.
If you like what I'm doing, please give the video a
thumbsup. And take a second to subscribe to my channel
so that you don't miss a single episode.
Captions by GetTranscribed.com
