To use a reflector for a portrait, place it on the shadow side of the face, opposite your main light. Tilt it until you see the shadows get lighter. Move it closer for more fill and farther away for less.
A reflector doesn't make light. It bounces light that is already there, like sunlight or window light, back toward the person. So find the main light first, then decide where the bounce should go.
Notice the white fabric beside the green grass as you choose where to add fill light.
Find the main light and the shadow side
Look at the face before you open the reflector. Which side is brighter? Where are the darkest shadows: under the eyes, beside the nose or under the chin? The brighter side faces your main light. The darker side is where the reflector usually goes.
Our lesson on light direction walks through front, side and back light. Pick the direction first. The reflector adds to that choice and doesn't replace it.
Choose a surface
Many reflectors fold into a round disc with a zip-on cover that has several surfaces. A 5-in-1 reflector usually has white, silver, gold and black sides plus a see-through diffusion panel in the middle. Each surface does a different job:
- White: a soft, gentle bounce. It is a good first surface to try.
- Silver: a brighter, crisper bounce that also shows up strongly in shiny things like eyes and jewelry.
- Gold: a warm bounce that adds yellow-orange color to skin.
- Black: takes light away so a shadow gets deeper.
- Diffusion panel: held between the sun and the person, it softens harsh light.
Canon's guide to making the most of available light shows a reflector bouncing light into shadows, shading a face and softening sun through a diffusion panel. It also suggests thinking about the person's skin tone when choosing a reflector color.
Check these details before you buy one
Look at the size first. A larger reflector covers more of a person and gives a wider, softer bounce. A smaller one is lighter to carry and hold with one hand. Then check how it folds, whether it has handles and which surfaces come with it.
Think about who will hold it. A friend can aim it, you can clamp it to a stand or you can lay it on the ground and tilt it up. Choose a size that works with how you shoot.
Place it and change one thing at a time
Hold the reflector right outside the frame, opposite the light. Watch the face, not the reflector. Tilt it slowly until you see the shadow side brighten and a small extra light appear in the eyes. That small light is called a catchlight.
Then try distance. Close to the face, the fill is strong and the two sides of the face look more alike. A few steps away, the fill is gentle and more shadow stays. Height matters too. Light bounced from low down brightens under the chin and nose, so check that you like that look.
Change angle, distance or height one at a time. Take a photo after each change so you can compare.
Use it to clean up color outdoors
Grass, leaves and colored walls bounce their own color onto skin. Jordan's reflector lesson uses a white reflector under tall trees and on sunny grass to cover green bounce with cleaner light. She also reaches for it often on overcast days, when light can look flat and muddy. Our cloudy-day portrait lesson helps you find the brighter side first.
Jordan's lesson also makes a fair point: you don't need a reflector for every photo. Use it when the face needs more light or cleaner color, and leave it in the bag when the light already works.
Use what is around you
A reflector can be a large white card, a white sheet or foil on cardboard. A pale wall or a light sidewalk behind you can act as a natural reflector too. Each one bounces light into the face, and each one counts as fill light.
Practice with three photos
- Seat a person with the light coming from one side.
- Take a photo with no reflector.
- Add a white reflector on the shadow side a few steps away. Take a photo.
- Move it close to the face, right outside the frame. Take a photo.
Put the three photos side by side. Compare the shadow beside the nose, the area under the eyes and the catchlights. Choose the one that shows the face the way you want. Then try the same steps with silver or gold and compare again.
Questions about using a reflector
Which side of the reflector should I try first?
White. It gives a soft bounce, so the change is gentle and clear to judge.
Can I use a reflector indoors?
Yes. Place it on the shadow side of a person sitting near a window, opposite the glass.
Why is the person squinting?
The bounce may be too bright. Switch from silver to white, tilt it away a little or move it farther back.
