What you need to know about photography light reflectors

There are a number of different light reflectors used in photography. Each has its advantages and differences.

Silver-Black Umbrellas: These umbrellas enhance your camera's performance and are most often used for single-light portraits. They can also be used for large object product shots, still life work, and to brighten interiors and backgrounds. One caveat: they can create very bright highlights on faces. Overall, they create a soft, wrap-around lighting effect that's ideal for broadening and softening an image. Studiohut Silver/Black Double Flash 40"Collapsible Umbrellas feature a silver-lined interior surface with a black backing to deliver a soft, bounced light source. These umbrellas soften, broaden, and diminish the light output of any tungsten or flash light source, yet they can be used to add highlights to subjects, and slightly intensify light output.

Soft White Umbrellas: These umbrellas are ideal for indoor glamor or outdoor portrait photographs. Indoors, white umbrellas offer more versatility in that a portion of the light passes through and reflects off walls and the ceiling behind the umbrella, bouncing forward onto the subject. These umbrellas are often used for shooting groups of 4 or more people since they spread light over a lager area. They reduce shadows to produce an even, soft, low contrast light. Studiohut 43" Soft White Translucent Collapsible Lighting Umbrellas transmit approximately 50% light. They soften, broaden and diffuse the light output of any tungsten or studio flash source.

5-in-1 Reflectors: Ideal for wedding or glamor photography, these versatile reflectors can also be used as quick on-location backdrops for small product shots—like wedding rings, bouquets, shoes, or gifts. The white reflector will give you a crisp, clean, classic look. The black side is ideal for quick headshots. Use the gold if you want to warm skin tones. And silver to produce an edgy feel. Place the reflector about three to four feet behind the subject to diffuse the backdrop. Some photographers will shoot with a telephoto lens to give the backdrop smooth look. You can also use a small aperture setting to help diffuse the backdrop. Studiohut 32" 5-in-1 Multi Reflectors let you choose from five of today's most popular reflective surfaces. There's Gold to warm up skin tones; Silver for hard (non diffused) fill in; White for soft (diffused) fill in; Black to improve edge definition and 'shape'; and a Translucent White to diffuse direct light. The reflector folds down to just 8.5" in diameter and packs away neatly in an easy-to-carry bag.

Dual-Sided Oval Reflectors: Ideal for use on taller subjects and full body portraits—like wedding or glamor work, these reflectors have many uses. Since Gold reflects a yellow color and outdoor light in the shade tends to be blue, a gold reflector will add a yellow cast to your subject. Some photographers use gold for early morning and late evening shoots. A gold reflector puts a warm, healthy tone on your subject's skin. Gold can even convert your flash to a warm tone.

Ideal for product pictures, highly contrasted video, and black-and-white imagery, silver reflectors act more like a mirror and won't add a color cast. They simply reflect the light back onto the subject. If you're shooting outdoors, you'll mirror the blue sky, making the subject look cooler. A silver reflector will show the colors to be very saturated, almost wet. Skin tones will appear shiny and oiled down and tanned. Studiohut 40"x60" Double-Sided Silver/Gold Collapsible Oval Reflectors provide a Gold reflector to warm up skin tones and a Silver reflector for hard (non-diffused) highlight fill-in light. The reflector folds down for easy mobility in a convenient carry bag.

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