How to Make a Homemade Photography Reflector
Lighting is the one of the most important elements of photography and professionals use reflectors to adjust the exposure to light. Reflectors help capture a subject without shadows. However, most of the photography reflectors are quite expensive and an amateur cannot afford to spend money on these accessories.
This dilemma makes things a lot difficult as the last thing a photographer wants is a flaw in their product. However, one should not give up as it is easy to make a reflector at home.
Things Required:
– A white foam core board
– Aluminum foil
– Razor
– Tape
Instructions
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1
Know your requirements:
First of all, you should determine what type of reflector you actually need. Try to find out the required size of the reflector as this will help you in purchasing the material. Normally, a square reflector of 2 to 3 feet is appropriate for amateur photographers. However, you can adjust the length and width according to your requirements. -
2
Purchase the material:
Next thing you need to do is to visit your nearest market and buy all the items needed. Make sure that you are buying the best quality material as sometimes white foam boards are fragile. Moreover, you should buy a large piece so that you can handle things in case of a mistake in the measurements. -
3
Cut the white foam board:
Your next step will be to cut the white foam board. You will have to be super cautious while doing this as any mistake will ruin your board. To avoid any blunder, use sharp-edged razor and cut the board to the size you need. -
4
Unroll the aluminum foil:
Now it’s time to cover the board with aluminum foil. For that, you need to unroll the foil so much that it can not only cover the board but also the sides of the white foam board. Try to get a wrinkled surface as it tones down the light thrown by the reflector onto your subject. Use the tape to attach the fringes of foil to the board. The benefit of using tape is that you can remove it whenever you want. -
5
Make reflector stand:
You can reduce the human effort by setting the reflector on a stand. You can make reflector stand by using PVC pipes.
