Better Photos on a Budget - Light Reflectors

This post is brought to you from Melanie of Violet's Buds. Melanie has Bachelors of Science in Photography and provides product photography advice and services to entrepreneurs.

Using a light reflector is a great way reduce harsh shadows, produce evening lighting and highlight your product's greatest features - and can be done without breaking the bank purchasing expensive studio equipment. Several household items produce the effect of expensive light reflectors - but are a fraction of the cost, and most cam be found at a dollar store! Here are a few economical choices for reflectors:


Poster Board is one of the easiest reflectors to find and to use. Using white poster board will bounce light  evenly, and won't create unusual tints of color are on your product images.
Depending on the size of the product you are photographing, a dry erase board is another good option. The slick surface bounces light well but sometimes can create harsh reflections if used in direct sunlight, so they are best used bouncing light around your product, but not on it. 
White canvas board can be found at many craft stores & dollar stores, and is another great choice. It comes in various sizes and the matte surface creates a soft reflection and is easy to prop in place. If you have several canvas boards, you can use them as your backdrop as well.



Silver car window shades can be found at most dollar stores or at automotive stores. The flexibility of the shade helps when positioning, and is large enough for many sizes of product. A silver or gold-tone shade is perfect for portraits or modeled product photos, but may alter the color of product photos.  


A few other things you can experiment with: a white sheet, aluminum foil, or a large sheet of white paper. Each material reflects light differently, so having a few choices on hand is a great idea to play with so you have the right set up for any lighting situation!

  Do you currently use a light reflector for your product images? If so, what is your set up like? 

8 comments:

  1. Lately I've been using an air filter, the kind that goes in your ceiling vents. I just wandered the house looking for something big and white with some structure. It doesn't reflect a ton of light, but it's given me what I've needed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. that's a great idea! there is nothing wrong with using what you have on hand!

      Delete
  2. I haven't used a light reflector before, but I think I'm going to give the canvas panels a try!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I havent used one before, but now I'm dying to try! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Some great options. I have one of those white tri-fold post boards you use for exhibits. It can stand on its own and is nice and big to bounce lots of light.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tri-fold boards are a great option! I love how easy they are to position

      Delete
  5. I use foam board wrapped in aluminum foil. Cheap and effective.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I use white boards; one on the surface and one behind. Sometimes (depending on time of year and weather) I use one more to play with the light as well. I like simple. GREAT post with stellar suggestions. I think i am going to play around with the car reflector idea! :) xoxo

    ReplyDelete