Okuzeka
Photography vocabulary · Light & Lighting

Reflector

Meaning in photography, with examples

/rɪˈflektər/nounCommon term

In photography, reflector means: A flat, usually foldable surface in white, silver or gold that bounces light back onto the subject to fill in shadows.

In Turkish: reflektör, yansıtıcı

How it is used

Cheap and light, and used everywhere from outdoor portraits to food photography. An assistant usually holds and angles it. Silver gives a strong, cool bounce, gold a warm one and white the softest. A black surface used to block light is called a flag.

Example sentences

  1. Can you hold the reflector a bit lower and bounce some light under her chin?

  2. A white foam board makes a cheap reflector for food shots.

Common collocations

  • hold a reflector
  • silver reflector
  • 5-in-1 reflector
  • bounce light with a reflector
  • fill lightA weaker, secondary light used to brighten the shadows created by the key light without removing them completely.
  • soft lightLight from a large or diffused source, such as a cloudy sky, a window or a softbox, that creates gentle shadows and smooth transitions.
  • backlightLight that comes from behind the subject, toward the camera. It can create a glowing outline, a silhouette or lens flare.
  • natural lightLight that comes from the sun or the sky, including light through a window, rather than from flashes or lamps.

More terms: Light & Lighting

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