NZPhotographer Issue 43, May 2021

and shadow. Photos with very little or no transition were taken in hard light, whereas a gradual transition is
the result of soft (or at least softer) light. Soft light is much more commonly used for portraiture as it is typically
more flattering, especially for anyone with blemishes, wrinkles, or shiny skin. Despite this, hard light shouldn’t
be entirely overlooked though it can be more difficult to work with and you might need to do more post
processing. Because of the look of hard light, you may feel you can’t capture a good portrait in bright sunlight.
In this article, I want to share several tips and tricks I’ve found for using any kind of daylight for portraiture,
including (and especially) bright sunlight.
THE HUMBLE REFLECTOR
If you search online for how to photograph people in bright sunlight, one of the most common responses is
to move your subject into shade. Whilst this will avoid the pitfalls of harsh light, it is a bit boring and you may
as well have stayed indoors. Shaded areas don’t offer much contrast or depth to the lighting and can even
cause your auto white balance to take on a blue or green tint, making skin tones appear muddy. To make
your subject pop in shade, you need to introduce some light via either a reflector or a flash. Every portrait
photographer should own a 5-in-1 reflector. They’re cheap, compact, and oh-so versatile. This is where you go
and check the back of your ‘photography cupboard’ to dig out and dust off the reflector you bought all those
years ago but never used. Hint: if it’s really old, open it up outside as they can go flakey!
The 5-in-1 reflector has a reversible zipped cover with silver, white, gold, and black sides and the cover fits over
a collapsible frame with diffusion cloth. They come in a range of sizes and shapes – a large reflector will be a
softer light source than a small reflector but can be more difficult to handle. You probably know all this already,
so here’s a handy table with more information that perhaps you weren’t aware of.
USES PROS CONS
SILVER
Highly reflective, neutral colour.
Use to create highlights or fill
shadows. Relatively hard light with
contrast.
Can be used from a
greater distance than a
white reflector.
Be careful not to reflect light
into your subject’s eyes.
WHITE
Subtle reflection of light, neutral
colour. Useful for creating
highlights or filling shadows. Soft
light.
More flattering than the
silver cover for shiny skin,
wrinkles, or blemishes.
Must be positioned much
closer to the subject than a
silver reflector, limiting the
type of shot captured.
GOLD
Same as silver but with a warm
tone.
Can be used to add
warmth to an image or
simulate golden light.
Has a bad reputation due to
over-use in the 70’s. Needs
to be used appropriately.
BLACK
Absorbs light. Used to create
subtle, soft shadows.
Useful for creating depth
in flat light.
As with white, must be
positioned close to the
subject.
DIFFUSION
Diffuses light like a softbox.
Softens hard light. Ideal
for use with direct sunlight.
Smaller sizes may not entirely
cover your subject whilst
larger sizes are more difficult
to hold in position.
As well as the uses above, a reflector can be used as a plain background in a pinch, a ‘flag’ (something that
blocks light), a windbreak, or to create a breeze to give movement to hair which is how I often use mine, I call
it wafting the model! Of course, all these things are much easier if you have a second pair of hands, but you
could (and I do) just clamp a reflector to a stand or tripod.
There is a right way and a wrong way to use a reflector to light your subject. Put simply, never angle your
reflector to bounce light upwards. This creates a Halloween-horror look, similar to holding a flashlight under
your chin. Shadows are in the wrong place and catchlights are in the bottom of the eyes. We are so used to
NZPhotographer
May 2021
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