Home >> Hobbies >> Photography

How to Use a Flash With a Reflector Outdoors

Common challenges in outdoor photography are avoiding harsh shadows caused by inconsistent lighting and adequately lighting a subject̵7;s face. Shadows can create dark or ̶0;dead̶1; patches in the image and cause some facial features, such as the chin and nose, to be accentuated in unflattering ways. A reflector helps to prevent the shadows by reflecting the available outdoor light and light from the flash onto those features, thus eliminating the dark patches.

Things You'll Need

Silver or gold reflector
Reflector holder
Light stand
External flash unit
Flash clamp
Radio or cable trigger
Camera

Instructions

- 1
  Attach the reflector to the reflector holder and then attach the holder to the light stand.
- 2
  Place the stand in front of the subject. Adjust the stand so the top of the reflector is approximately parallel with the subject̵7;s underarms, or just a little bit lower.
- 3
  Adjust the angle of the reflector. Start with a 45-degree angle. You may need to adjust the reflector further to eliminate any shadow, depending on the natural outdoor lighting.
- 4
  Attach the external flash unit to the stand with the flash clamp. Angle the flash directly into the center of the reflector.
- 5
  Move away from the reflector and focus the camera for the first picture. Make sure the flash is not in the frame. If it is, move the stand further away from the subject and adjust the angle of the reflector and flash to accommodate the new distance.
- 6
  Attach the cable trigger to the flash and camera. The cable will only reach far enough when shooting close to the flash. For longer distances, use a radio trigger instead.
- 7
  Refocus the camera and take the picture.

Photography