We always hear that it’s better to take photographs in the shade than in direct sunlight.   Maybe it’s my camera, but my photos taken in the shade always look pretty much like the first image below.  Skin tones look gray andwell, shady.  The photos tend to be noisy and they just aren’t that great.  And yes, we can fix them up a bit in Photoshop, but we just shouldn’t have to.

I’ve recently discovered that there is a relatively simple solution to this problem.  It’s called a reflector.  Look at this before and after:

Without reflector:

With reflector:

The lighting in the 2nd image is gorgeous.  Look at that catch light in her right eye.  The reflector allowed me to lower my ISO so I really reduced the corresponding noise level from the first picture.

Now, I’ve read about reflectors before and thought they were way above my photographic skill level.  I figured there was some complicated theory behind their use and that they were as expensive as most photography equipment is.  They’re not expensive.

And as far as the theory goes, well, do you remember as a kid using your watch to catch the sun and reflect its bright light into someone’s eyes?  That is exactly what photographers do with these reflectors.

This is the picture of the reflector I used.  It’s the Westcott 5-in-1 Reflector Kit.

You see the gold flap on the back of the black area?  That piece is essentially a pillow case.  One half is black, or gold if you turn it inside out.  The other side is a white or silver combo.  You would choose among the 4 color options based on the available light and the skin tone of your subject.

The rigid part in the center has a translucent screen called a scrim that is great for blocking direct sunlight if you can’t avoid it.

This reflector folds up like a sunscreen that you put inside your car’s windshield.  It’s probably just over a foot square when folded.  I’ll tell you though, I’m terrible at folding those car screens and I’m no better at folding this one.

From what I hear, this is a pretty simple DIY project.  Especially if you’re not sure you want to buy one.  Get some cardboard and tape white paper, black paper, aluminum foil or gold foil to it.  There’s your reflector.  You might also try using a piece of white styrofoam for the white reflector.

Now, the stand that came with my kit is worthless.  The gentlest of breezes will knock it over, and I’ve got too much to carry to add a sandbag to the mix.  My beautiful and photographically-talented niece held the reflector in the shot above.  She does a much better job than the stand.   And luckily, you can buy it much more cheaply without the stand.  I should have bought this kit instead:

To use it, just position it so that it’s catching the sun and reflecting it back on the darker side of your subject.  That’s it!

Now I know this wasn’t the post I promised about the fastest way ever to adjust contrast, brightness and saturation.  It’s coming, I promise!  Also, have you read the CoffeeShop Free Stuff blog lately?  Rita is holding a contest to spruce up someone’s Blogger blog!  All you have to do is put her button on your blog and post a comment back on her blog.

Rita also dropped a tantalizing hint about a project we are working on together called Texas Chicks Blogs and Pics.  We are both chicks from Texas you know, and we love blogging, photography, Photoshop and free stuff.  Stay tuned for lots of awesome stuff headed your way!  Bock!

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