Using Fill In Flash and Reflectors

Using Reflectors and Fill In Flash.

I love using natural, available light. However there are situations where there is an imbalance in the luminance range that requires light to be reflected or bounced back into the shadow areas. There are two basic ways to achieve this; firstly by using a reflector such as a purchased silver or gold reflector or a home- made piece of white card. I use both in the Studio and the silver and gold reflectors out on location as they fold up into a very convenient size that fits easily into my camera bag. Secondly you can use fill in flash to put light into the shadow areas.

When using a reflector you can achieve a variety of qualities by varying the size of the reflector, varying the distance of the reflector to the subject and by using reflectors with different surfaces and colours.  Using coloured reflectors will add the colour to your subject so be careful that the colour cast is what you are wanting in the picture. You could try using mirrors or metal foil if you are wanting a strong, sharp bounce back. You can also use a black card to diminish the light reflected onto the subject and this is referred to as a “negative reflector”. We sometimes use this in the studio to absorb stray light and to add light contrast to the picture. I love using reflectors and bounce boards because the produce a very natural and soft feel to the pictures, and like you have just discovered they can be a very cheap and helpful piece of photographic equipment.

Flash Photography.
One of the biggest mistakes when using flash to light a picture is the “over powering” of the flash. If this happens yours photographs will have a very bright foreground and in some instances a pitch black background because the light from a flash falls off very quickly. Direct flash is hard light and can make your subject look flattened out and harsh shadows are thrown onto objects behind.

To achieve a more even and flattering result, lower the intensity or output of you flash (if your camera allows), some cameras with inbuilt flashes will let you set your flash to under-expose by one, two or more stops, so experiment with this to get a feel for the results. Another way of diminishing the power of the flash is to place a piece of translucent paper, very light gauze or plastic over the flash. You might even like to try putting coloured gels over the flash to create interesting colour effects. This may sound a little crazy but that is exactly what we used to do as press photographers before purpose built diffusers were made.

If you are able to move the direction of your flash you can then direct it to bounce the light off a wall or ceiling. The light then reaches your subject after reflecting off these surfaces which softens the light for a more natural look. Obviously lighter surfaces are more efficient at reflecting the light back so shoot a few variations in exposure and flash strength to get the best result.

Direct flash - harsh cold unflattering light that leaves an ugly shadow

Flash head aimed at the ceiling - softer more flattering light - no ugly shadow

Single flash off camera at a 45 degree angle to subject-creates interesting shadows

A flash either side at a 45 degree angle creates a very pleasant result. Then tweek it in photoshop.

More advanced cameras will allow you to remove the flash from camera and link to slave units which allow for multiple flashes to be fired simultaneously, this is possible using ; a sync-cord tethered between camera and flash, or from radio wave or photo-sensitive flash units. The advantage of moving your flash off the camera is that it gives you greater control and creativity when it comes to the direction of the light. It will also eliminate red eye that often occurs with cameras that have a built in flash that is very close to the lens because the light reflects against the subject’s retinas and appears red.

Single flash off camera - about three steps to the right of camera- lights the subject and makes the background darker and stronger.

Some people think that you only use flash inside when in fact, flash can be used very successfully outdoors as well as indoors. If the sun is coming from behind your subject you will need to bounce light back into the subject or fill flash. Sometimes it isn’t possible to have sunlight in the perfect spot because of the location so using fill in flash outdoors is a very good idea. Your pictures will have a better balance of light that will give your photographs better colour saturation.

See more examples of fill in flash and reflectors at http://www.lsp.com.au/