5-in-1 reflector

JulieLawsonPhotography

Well, I finally "upgraded" to the 41 inch reflector. Much better than my smaller one.

I bought it for the wedding I'm shooting next weekend. After the wedding, we'll be doing the bridal party portraits outside at or around 12. I'm not sure that it will block a whole group, but it definetly will block the sun for at least three I would think. Anyway, in these images I sat them in full sun. I had someone hold the translucent part between the subject and the sun. WOW! I am impressed.

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divamum

Great job! #3 is a cracker, even if it was just a test shot

I haven't tried this myself (yet), but I've also had it sugggested to use the scrim above as a kind of giant softbox, and then a reflector underneath to create a kind of clamshell setup (I can't tell from your catchlights if you had another reflector underneath, so apologies if I'm completely redundant here!).

I'm dying to do this sometime and have been trying to figure out if I can make a scrim rather than buying a 5-in-1 (although those things are fab - I wish I had the cash to buy a couple before summer gets into full swing!)

JulieLawsonPhotography

That would be a neat idea, the clamshell setup, but that would mean I would have to have two assistants. I've got my sister coming for the wedding on the 6th...which i'm so thankful for.

codiac2600

Great use of the reflector and I love keeping an assortment of them with me no matter the situation.

One suggestion is actually your choice of reflector as the round ones make no sense to me anymore after trying the rectangular reflectors with grips. You can find them from Lastolite and Interfit and oh my goodness what a difference as they don't bend much and you can train yourself to hold it with your left hand and shoot with your right.

The scrim above and kicker reflector is a great combo and actually so popular that they sell massive 3 way scrims that cover an area about 10 feet by 6 feet on the left and right sides plus above! Great for wedding and couple poses, but don't take it out on a windy day.

This video I made here actually shows some setups using a diffuser and kicker combo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzeOQV_zUbY

Nikolai

codiac2600 wrote:

Great use of the reflector and I love keeping an assortment of them with me no matter the situation.

One suggestion is actually your choice of reflector as the round ones make no sense to me anymore after trying the rectangular reflectors with grips. You can find them from Lastolite and Interfit and oh my goodness what a difference as they don't bend much and you can train yourself to hold it with your left hand and shoot with your right.

The scrim above and kicker reflector is a great combo and actually so popular that they sell massive 3 way scrims that cover an area about 10 feet by 6 feet on the left and right sides plus above! Great for wedding and couple poses, but don't take it out on a windy day.

This video I made here actually shows some setups using a diffuser and kicker combo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzeOQV_zUbY

Nice video dude:-)

Nikolai

JulieLawsonPhotography wrote:

Well, I finally "upgraded" to the 41 inch reflector. Much better than my smaller one.

I like #3

Elaine

The light to the eyes and the catchlights are wonderful here! Nice job!

JulieLawsonPhotography

Thanks everyone. I started watching the video too. I will finish it tonight. It's really good.

D'Buggs

Nice!

Has anyone here tried a simple door screen tacked to a light wooden frame, as a diffuser?

JulieLawsonPhotography

D'Buggs wrote:

Nice!

Has anyone here tried a simple door screen tacked to a light wooden frame, as a diffuser?

i wanted to try that last year but couldnt get anyone to make it for me... i would guess that would work though

divamum

D'Buggs wrote:

Nice!

Has anyone here tried a simple door screen tacked to a light wooden frame, as a diffuser?

door screen, as in the kind of wire mesh that stops bugs? Does that block enough light?

The kind I used in the college studio were Calumet ones (about 6x3ft) - basically riptstop nylon cut and shaped to fit over a dedicated pvc pipe frame. I think it would be pretty easy to replicate with a cheap (thus thin) nylon shower curtain and some plastic piping.

jeffreaux2

Aaaaaaahhhh!!!....

Beautiful girls....beautiful light...captured beautifully!

Well done Julie...

tijoseph

So what is the five in one reflector you bought?

It looks great!

JulieLawsonPhotography

tijoseph wrote:

So what is the five in one reflector you bought?

It looks great!

The reflector has a gold side, sliver side, white side and sun-kissed? side. Then the main piece is translucent.

pathfinder

Very nicely done, Julie!

Lovely light!

JulieLawsonPhotography

pathfinder wrote:

Very nicely done, Julie!

Lovely light!

Thanks so much!

codiac2600

JulieLawsonPhotography wrote:

The reflector has a gold side, sliver side, white side and sun-kissed? side. Then the main piece is translucent.

The sun kissed side is called sunlite, soft sun or sunfire. It's an odd mixture of silver weaved with gold but here is the spin on the gold side. Most reflectors don't use anything close to gold and the quality of that light seems to be well... odd. I've always looked at it and I see yellow not warm, not that orange warm glow of light, but harsh yellow. This issue seems more problematic with digital as it's interpretation of light is too accurate for such a color compared to the best portrait films.

codiac2600

divamum wrote:

door screen, as in the kind of wire mesh that stops bugs? Does that block enough light?

The kind I used in the college studio were Calumet ones (about 6x3ft) - basically riptstop nylon cut and shaped to fit over a dedicated pvc pipe frame. I think it would be pretty easy to replicate with a cheap (thus thin) nylon shower curtain and some plastic piping.

Technically speaking the wire mesh will soften light and take a stop or so of light away. The only downfall being is that the mesh can warp and if you use the diffuser in close it will cast varying amounts of light because of the tighter mesh in some areas and being looser in others. It would be easier to purchase a yard of 9 foot wide muslin and staple it to your frame.

Nikolai

codiac2600 wrote:

Technically speaking the wire mesh will soften light and take a stop or so of light away. The only downfall being is that the mesh can warp and if you use the diffuser in close it will cast varying amounts of light because of the tighter mesh in some areas and being looser in others. It would be easier to purchase a yard of 9 foot wide muslin and staple it to your frame.

Or 9ft of 3ft wide one - eaier to find, prolly cheaper, too:-)

codiac2600

Nikolai wrote:

Or 9ft of 3ft wide one - eaier to find, prolly cheaper, too:-)

9ft wide is $4.99 a yard at the local fabric store

My3Sons

Very GOOD! I'm loving the soft light. I've always wondered about the translucent reflector, and now I know. Thanks for sharing. One question... did you also use a flash, or is this all natural light?

-Melissa
www.naturalphotography.smugmug.com

D'Buggs

codiac2600 wrote:

Technically speaking the wire mesh will soften light and take a stop or so of light away. The only downfall being is that the mesh can warp and if you use the diffuser in close it will cast varying amounts of light because of the tighter mesh in some areas and being looser in others. It would be easier to purchase a yard of 9 foot wide muslin and staple it to your frame.

makes sense, thanks!

JulieLawsonPhotography

My3Sons wrote:

Very GOOD! I'm loving the soft light. I've always wondered about the translucent reflector, and now I know. Thanks for sharing. One question... did you also use a flash, or is this all natural light?

-Melissa
www.naturalphotography.smugmug.com

No flash whatsoever.

barbnjon

JulieLawsonPhotography wrote:

Well, I finally "upgraded" to the 41 inch reflector. Much better than my smaller one.

I bought it for the wedding I'm shooting next weekend. After the wedding, we'll be doing the bridal party portraits outside at or around 12. I'm not sure that it will block a whole group, but it definetly will block the sun for at least three I would think. Anyway, in these images I sat them in full sun. I had someone hold the translucent part between the subject and the sun. WOW! I am impressed.

1.

2

3

4

These are gorgeous! Could you share the PP on the eyes? If any.
Thanks for sharing.

JulieLawsonPhotography

I just sharpened them just a little. They have really great eyes. I did do a levels adjustment to..that effected them a little bit too.