A lot of photographers call themselves “natural light” photographers. The elitist strobists have a tendency to poo-poo this group as just too inexperienced to have learned how to use lights or too new to afford them. While I see their point, and new photographers should learn how to light their subjects, there is just something magical about taking available light and making magic with it.
But the available, or natural, light sometimes just isn’t enough for the shot. Particularly if you’re working with a long lens. Remember the 1/focal length rule from yesterday? If you’re working with a 200mm focal length and you’ve already maxed your ISO as high as sensor allows without destructive noise, and your aperture is as wide open as the shot allows – how can you throw in a bit of light without using flash or lights?
Make friends with your reflector.
It can often add a stop or two of light – which can make the difference between shooting fast enough for the shot or having to totally underexpose the shot and fix it later in post production. While I encourage photographers to shoot a stop or two underexposed, you don’t want to be completely underexposed. That’s where noise lies – in underexposed shadows.
In July, my bloggy bestie came from Arkansas to Iowa to see me. Well, okay, maybe she came to get her portraits done, too – but I’ll pretend she just came to see me. 
The natural light was pretty decent, but the sun was going down and I wanted to bounce back a bit more light to throw some catch lights in her eyes and make her gorgeous baby blues shine.
Here’s the pull back – that’s my hot hubby holding the reflector and rounding it out a bit to aim back to her eyes.
And here is the result of that set up:
aperture f/3.2
shutter speed 1/320 second
ISO 400
focal length 200mm
lens 70-200 f/2.8
Gorgeous light, right? And idn’t she purty???
Photo Tip, day 7: Use a reflector to supplement natural light to allow you to shoot a stop or two fast, aim light, add catch lights and shoot fast enough for a longer focal length.
Want the reflector I use during all my outdoor photo shoots? It’s the 42″ Wescott gold on one side / silver on the other. It curls right up into itself and fits easily in my camera bag. Here’s an Amazon direct link; you may find a better price elsewhere, but that’s pretty close to what we paid for it.
You can also make one inexpensively by wrapping a piece of cardboard in aluminum foil. Voilà!
What do you use to supplement natural light?
Great post. My daughter and a few of her friends have been taking pictures of their friends and they recently borrowed some reflectors and have been having fun learning to use them. I’ll be purchasing some soon.
Oh wow. I am just getting my feet wet in photography, so much to learn. That reflector made all the difference.
Hi Darcy,
Will you expand on why you encourage photographers to underexpose? I have always been advised to overexpose slightly or expose for highlights. I know that sometimes this can cause parts of the image to be blown out, but I also don’t want noise in going underexposed as you said. Just curious about your thoughts on this? Will this be a post in this series as well?
Thanks!! Love this series, thanks for sharing your insight with us!
Erin
Hi Erin – Sure – I’ll keep this in mind for a future post. I think there are two schools of thought of this – but it’s basically because blown out highlights are irretrievable. Clipping in the shadows is less distracting, in my humble opinion,
Taking pictures outdoors with a borrowed polarizing filter for the first time I realized that it is MUCH easier in post-processing to lighten a too-dark picture than to try and darken a too-bright picture. Unfortunately, I’ve had too much experience with the latter, which is why my next purchase will be a polarizing filter.
love
Great tip!
How about one of those foil “space blankets” from the Dollar Store stapled over a canvas stretcher frame?
Heidi
love that ruthanne! great shot, too!
beautiful. I love pull back shots, it always sets off a lightbulb. Thanks for the amazon link too. I love seeing what’s in photogs bags!