Demystifying The Circular Reflector Kit

Good lighting is the most crucial factor for photography and to achieve this, you not only need to add light to the situation but also use some modifiers such as reflectors in order to appropriately modify it. Reflectors play a great role in filling up the light deficiencies such as a shadowed or a low lit portion on your foreground or the background. They are not external light sources, as they don’t give away any light. Reflectors are simply light modifiers, as they modify the existing light. Reflectors come in many shapes and sizes but the most popular among them is the circular reflector kit.

The major function of this reflector kit is to bounce back the light coming from the studio lighting equipments or any other source and direct it towards the area than need to be illuminated. Apart from bouncing the light, reflectors can also change the tone of the light in order to give a dramatic look to your picture. The color of the reflector panel will decide the kind of effects you will get. Here are the functions of various panels that are found in any standard circular reflector kit. 

 

The white panel

This is the most frequently used panel that helps in diffusing the light coming from a source and converting it into a soft, clear light for illuminating the subject. This reflector panel is mostly used with flash, as direct flashlight will be too harsh on the subject. It is also used for natural light photography where you need to diffuse sunlight. It has to be placed very close to the subject’s face so that there is no loss of light. The white reflector is not useful for low light conditions. 

 

Gold reflector

This panel reflects a strong warm light on the subject and gives her a radio-active looking face with a noticeable golden glow. It is not very useful for general use; however, finds a great place in fashion photography and for clicking artistic images. 

 

Black panel

This is not a reflector; rather its functions are totally opposite to what reflectors do. The black panel of the circular reflector kit actually absorbs the light and reduces its intensity. This is especially useful when you deliberately want a shadow or low lit area on your subject. It is mostly used for shooting artistic images. 

 

The silver panel

They are a boon for low light situations where you need to increase the intensity of light in order to effectively illuminate your subject. This panel is also useful for overcoming the shadows that might be there in your foreground as well as background. This is also one of the most frequently used reflectors.

Translucent panel

This is basically a diffuser that is help in front of the studio lightingequipments in order to diffuse the light coming from them in order to neutralize its harshness and illuminating your subject with a soft, even light. It is also frequently used for natural light photography.

Circular reflector kits are convenient options as compared to carrying multiple reflector panels. If you still don’t have this useful tool in your photography bag, grab one and see how much difference it can make in you work.

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5 Sure-Shot Ways To Capture Sharp Pictures

Camera shakes are one of the notorious factors that can severely affect the sharpness of your image. Even the smallest and often negligible movements can give you blurry shots. In order to get sharper and crisper pictures, you will have to ensure that your camera is absolutely stable. Here are 5 unbeatable ways to give absolute stability to your camera.

Use camera accessories such as tripods

It’s not easy to carry a tripod with you every time you go out for a shoot but the quality of images you will get by using it is sure to make you love this useful camera accessory. In order to avoid getting blurred images, you must use tripods for photography. Whether you are using a long exposure or a shorter one, a tripod will ensure your camera’s stability. Also, this equipment will be very useful when using heavy lenses, as you don’t have to handle their weight.

 

Use shutter release cables

Only tripods won’t help you get ultimate sharpness. They do fail in situations when you press the shutter button too harshly. To avoid such situations, you must use a shutter release cable. This way, you will not be in touch with the camera anymore; so your movements will not affect your image quality. Choosing between a wired and a wireless shutter release should be dependent on your requirements but both will give you equal results.

 

Stabilize yourself

Your nervousness can easily be detected in your images; therefore, make sure you are completely relaxed while using your camera. Not only amateurs, even highly-skilled photographers also get anxiously during their work. Don’t bother what people around you are talking about; simply relax and concentrate on your work. 

 

Learn how to hold your camera stably 

 

Although you must carry your tripod for photography whenever you are going out for a shoot; chances are there that you might have to do some unplanned shots without your tripods. To address camera shakes during such situations, you must learn how to hold your camera properly . Proper and secure handling of camera will help you reduce camera shakes. Learn proper body positions that will give you sharp pictures even without any additional camera accessory. 

 

Shoot smartly

Take advantage of the situation in order to make yourself stable. If you have a wall, a fence, or a lamp post close to you, lean on it in order take some weight off your feet. If you can, place your camera on them, and let them act like tripods for you. Lie flat on the ground, kneel down, or achieve any other position that will help you make yourself stable. There are no fixed positions for this, so keep experimenting and come up with your own ways to shoot smartly.

Whether you are using any additional accessory or not, these tips are sure to help you achieve maximum stability while using your camera. Enjoy your photography!

How To Achieve Black Background Without Using One

Chroma key black backdrops are considered to be the best ones for shooting portraits. They not only enhance the look of your subject but also add a lot of drama to your work. Being a photographer, you are always required to carry your equipments but chances are there that you may not have them, especially the black backdrop, when the shoot is unplanned. Here is a technique that will help you to block the back light of the subject thereby creating an invisible backdrop for your pictures.

• Put your camera into manual mode so that you can have complete control over its shutter speed, aperture, ISO, etc.
• Decrease your camera’s ISO to its lowest possible limit, probably 200. The lower the ISO, the less sensitive the camera’s sensor will be towards light. Such setting will give you minimum grain or noise.
• Set your camera to its maximum sync speed at which your camera and flash can work together. The optimum speed can be around 1/200^th or 1/250^th of a second. The faster the shutter speed, the lesser will be amount of flash light entering your camera’s sensor.
• Set your aperture to f/5.6 and click a picture to see how it looks. If you get a completely black picture, the settings are accurate, however, if you can still see some part of the surroundings, change your aperture setting to a little lower i.e. f/8.0.
• Now since your invisible Chroma key black backdrop is ready, position your flash as per your wish. Pick a power level of ¼ and click your pictures. You will be amazed to see the results.

This technique is extremely helpful to click dramatic pictures and portraits. Although it sounds simple, you would need a lot of experimentation and practice before you come up with the perfect piece.