5 in 1 Reflector

Using 5 in 1 Reflector Outdoor

Silver,gold,white,black,translucent.

This kit start with a white translucent panel and includes a reversible wrap that can be zipped around the diffusion panel. One combination is a white surface on one side and a gold on the other. An other combination is a black surface on one side and a silver on the other. 

I have been already using reflector in studio but I have not used it on location yet. Now, I will show you various images that I took on location using a 5 in 1 reflector in sun light and in shadowed places. These are the different type of shots that can be achieved using just natural light and a 5 in 1 reflector.

Equipment and camera setting: * 1 DSLR camera with a 18 mm - 55 mm lens, * 1 reflector (5 in 1), * ISO 100 (because of the bright sunny day), * shooting in aperture value

If you use natural light and no reflector, you should position your subject facing away from the sun. So the light coming from behind will create a glow around your subject. This is a good way to brighten up your model and get the best out of your composition without using a reflector. Also, you can avoid squinting and unwanted shadows on your subject's face what always happen when the sun shining directly onto your subject.

1. On this first image, no reflector was used. As you can see I couldn't get the sun 100% behind my model but I still got a nice hair/back light on my subject (thin halo). The sun actually coming from the side however her face is still in shade.

 2. The weather was getting a bit cloudy here but the model is still facing away from to the sun and here I started to use the silver side of the reflector. With this silver reflector, I increased the highlights and contrast on the model's face. It's perfect for B&W photography.

3. On this third shot the model was facing the sun but I used the white translucent/diffuser to diffuse/block sunlight to create softer,lower contrast lighting. Diffuser is perfect for outdoor portraits or whenever a softer light is needed.

4. Now on this fourth example the sun directly facing the subject. Therefore the subject is squinting and her face is shaded. This is what you should always avoid on a bright sunny day, facing the subject towards the sun.

5. In this image the model placed in the deep shaded area. No reflector used. The building blocked out the sunlight. This produced a different lighting effect (darker tones).

6. This image is still captured in the shaded area but I brought the subject forward to the edge of the shade. So the non shaded asphalt was bouncing the sunlight onto the model and lightened up her face. You can see how this little change affect the lighting on your subject's face. This one is much lighter than the previous one in which the subject was placed further in the shade.

7. Still in the shade, but again I used a silver reflector to increase the highlights.

8. This last image is an example of when you shouldn't use the gold reflector. Because the gold reflector produces a golden fill, add a warm cast to the subject and sometimes as in this case, it makes the model's skin far too bright and unnatural/false. The model looks orange.

The other variations, like the white (which produces an even neutral colored bounce of light, fill light) and black ( which stops sun or window light and makes the shadows) are also good for portraits.