HELP w/Reflectors

12 years 11 months ago #58561 by Graphix
How do you make your own, and more importantly, if I am shooting a portrait, but don't have anyone to hold the reflector, what's the advice? Do I just put it on the ground?


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12 years 11 months ago #58562 by Brookie
PVC pipe and elbow fittings make nice square or rectangular panels. Square and round reflectors are a lot easier to position in a makeshift or temporary way than round reflectors. Fabrics are made from, well, fabrics. Round reflectors want to roll; rectilinear reflectors do not roll.


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12 years 11 months ago #58563 by Graphix
Thanks...do you think reflectors are 100% necessary in shooting indoor portraits?


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12 years 11 months ago #58564 by Brookie

Graphix wrote: Thanks...do you think reflectors are 100% necessary in shooting indoor portraits?


what is the source of light you plan on 'reflecting' indoors?


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12 years 11 months ago #58567 by Graphix
Well, I have two settings, one which is mainly natural lighting - large windows, and the other room I have to use a fill flash, with very minimal natural lighting.


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12 years 11 months ago #58572 by Brookie
nothing is ever necessary. Various equipment have different purpose it just matters how you use it and what do you want it to do actually, camera is necessary :)


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12 years 11 months ago #58575 by Graphix
I guess I am just used to shooting outdoors, not so confident with the whole idea of using my flash for this shoot, so any advice is VERY welcome!


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12 years 11 months ago #58577 by Graphix

Brookie wrote: PVC pipe and elbow fittings make nice square or rectangular panels. Square and round reflectors are a lot easier to position in a makeshift or temporary way than round reflectors. Fabrics are made from, well, fabrics. Round reflectors want to roll; rectilinear reflectors do not roll.


How do you get those contraptions to stand on their own? Just curious. Do you use a 3-way pipe at the bottom corners and construct a kind-of base thingamajig?


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12 years 11 months ago #58578 by Brookie
With PVC panels, outdoors you use turf spikes to anchor them in the wind, and you can make "easel-type" legs to prop them up, or you can use a single, center-mounted, hinged leg with its own turf spike for outdoor use. Since the panels and accessories are joined together with PVC "joining clips", you can put on one, or two, or three "legs" or two or even three "feet" by clipping on what's needed.


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12 years 11 months ago #58579 by Graphix
Thank you so much for your help.


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12 years 11 months ago #58776 by photobod
if you make a frame with pvc pipe, I use 1" dia, then on the top edge in the middle put a tee piece in, attache a length of pvc pipe into the tee, dont glue the tee as it will rotate meaning you can then prop up the reflector at any angle, also if you want fill the bottom of the pipe with something that will harden and push a garden spike into that, then when it has hardened you have a spike to push into the ground if it is windy.

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