Lesson 5: Reflectors and Diffusers

Reflectors and diffusers can take your images from "good" to "great." They are the finishing touch that add a degree of professionalism to your final image. Don’t under-estimate the impact they can have! Reflectors and diffusers manipulate the light in your image, and as such, can change the overall look considerably. They are essential tools for the close-up photographer.

Reflectors

Reflectors are used to reflect, or bounce, light back onto your subject, thereby eliminating shadows.  Reflectors are critical when doing close up photography using a single, directional light source (like a window). When light is striking an object from one side, the other side falls into shadow. With objects that have many surfaces at different angles, like flower petals, many areas of shadow may form. These are usually unflattering to the image. A reflector can bounce light into the scene to fill in those shadows. 

Effect

Following are a few examples to show you just how significant the effect of a reflector can be.

Reflector Position

The reflector should be placed on the opposite side of the subject to the light source. The idea is to catch the rays of light from the light source and bounce them back onto the object.

How a reflector works
© Julie Waterhouse Photography

It’s not enough just to hold up the reflector. Exactly where you position it, and at what angle, can have a huge impact on the result. The only way to know the right place is to experiment.

Technique 1: You can get a rough idea of where to place the reflector by looking directly at your subject while moving the reflector around. For exact placement, however, you need to look through the viewfinder while moving the reflector. The changes are too subtle, and the area affected is too small, for you to be able to appreciate the differences without looking at them through the viewfinder.

A black background is used to help you to see the differences in the following images. The changes are quite significant, and are solely the result of slight angle changes to the reflector.

Colour

Reflectors are usually white, silver or gold. 

The colour of the reflector will affect the colour of the light on your subject.  A white or silver reflector will reflect the light that hits it as-is, while a gold reflector renders a slightly warmer cast. Silver reflects more light than white, and will therefore produce a highlight with more contrast.

Reflectivity

Reflectors can have a shiny or a matte surface. A very shiny surface (like the shiny side of aluminum foil) tends to reflect bright, ‘contrasty’ highlights on your subject. If you want to mimic bright sunlight falling on your object, use a very shiny silver or gold reflector (gold will look more like late afternoon light).

If you prefer more even, soft, or diffused light, then a matte surface is better. A matte surface actually has a rougher texture than a shiny one, and therefore scatters light more unevenly toward your subject, resulting in a more diffuse reflection.

Buy or Build?

You can buy collapsible reflectors at your local camera store. There are 5-in-1 kits that cover all possibilities: white, silver, gold, a silver-gold mix, and translucent (a diffuser). The advantage of buying a reflector is that they are collapsible, making them easily portable for location shooting.

You can easily make your own reflector very inexpensively. The good news is that a home-made reflector is just as effective as one you buy in the store! Just glue shiny silver or gold paper (or aluminum foil) onto stiff cardboard or foamcore board, and presto! You have a reflector! You can use an uncovered piece of white foamcore for your white reflector. It will have a more matte finish, and produce a more diffuse light. You can get somewhere in-between the shiny and the matte by crinkling your aluminum foil first, before gluing it to the board. That will generate a more diffuse light, rather than the spotlight effect of flat foil.

The homemade reflectors are not as portable as the collapsible ones, but are great for studio use. You can make them in a variety of sizes.

Diffusers

A diffuser is another essential tool for the close-up photographer’s toolbox.  Diffusers soften the light, and reduce glare and harsh shadows.  They eliminate unattractive contrast, and even out the tonality in the image.  This allows better colour saturation to appear, which can be especially important in flower photography. 

Following are a few examples to show you just how significant the effect of a diffuser can be.

Diffuser Position

Unlike the reflector, the diffuser should be placed on the same side of the subject to the light source, between the light source and the subject. The idea is for the rays of light to pass through the diffuser. Not all the rays will make it through; the diffuser will block some. Also, the rays will be slightly scattered by the surface of the diffuser, producing a more even light.

How to use a diffuser.
© Julie Waterhouse Photography

Buy or Build?

Just like reflectors, you can buy collapsible diffusers at your local camera store. In fact, one usually comes in the standard 5-in-1 kits. The collapsible ones are useful for taking on location.

You can also buy a “PhotoBox” for studio shooting of small objects.  These are great for close-up photography.  The sides and top are made of white, translucent material, and they act as all-around diffusers.

For studio use, you can easily make your own diffuser. Take some heavy cardboard or foamcore, and cut out the centre, leaving a border like a picture frame. Over the hole in the middle, attach some translucent paper. You can buy heavy duty paper with a translucency similar to wax paper in most craft stores. You want something that some light will pass through, but not all.

Hints and Tips

In the following set of images, I walk you through the thought process I used when shooting this image. For every image I take, I vary the process slightly, but the idea is that I start with an initial image, and then make a series of refinements until I achieve the effect I want.

First I set my composition, and make sure I have eliminated all distractions. This in itself can be a lengthy process. Then I make sure I’m happy with my depth of field. Finally, I fine-tune the light with a reflector and diffuser, as needed.

Technique 2: Sometimes you have to be a bit of an octopus! I tend to hold the reflector in one hard and the diffuser in the other. My cable release goes in my right hand, along with the diffuser (my light source is on my right). I’m able to depress the shutter release with my forefinger, while trapping the diffuser between the cable release and my thumb. I find I have the control to make quick changes with this system, but you can also buy a stand to hold the reflector or diffuser, and free up some hands!