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Reflector or foam core board?
1.) Will there be a difference in quality between using a foam core board or a reflector such as https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/42093-REG/Photoflex_DL_1332WS_32_Reflector_White_Silver.html
to fill in light for a single subject on a video shoot?
Thanks.
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12 Replies
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The B&H reflector will almost certainly be a bit harder than foamcore. The softest “hard” surface is bead-board, which is styrofoam. Next harder is white card. Harder yet is Foamcore.
A trick grips use to focus a board is to place a small mirror near the center of the surface, then tilt the board until the mirror reflects hard light where you want the maximum amount of bounce.
Equally, if the there is too much fill from the bounce you can reduce it several ways: move the board further away; tilt the board off its maximum bounce, or “waste” it; scrim the light falling on the board.
Remember that light intensity changes by the square of the distance. Double the distance of a light (or bounce card) you cut the light to a 1/4 of its previous intensity. Cut the distance in 1/2 and you increase the light by 4 (2 stops). In other words, moving the light a little closer, or a little farther away, makes a big difference in intensity.
Rick Wise
director of photography
Oakland, CA
http://www.RickWiseDP.com
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com -
Good advice from Rick….
Semi on topic, just a trick/tip that I do that works pretty well…
We use 4×4 (foamcore) bounces a lot, but for some lean-and-mean shoots when we don’t take a truck it can be a little unweidly to pack 16 square feet of foamcore…
So… sometimes I will take the foamcore and using an Xacto knife I will score it right down the middle, so that it can be folded in half to a more managable 2×4 size.
If you pop it into a duckbill bounce clamp (“Quaker Clamp,” the kind that’s just a pair of ViceGrips with a welded-on 5/8″ stud and sheet-metal jaws), the jaws hold it open and perfect flat… works just as if it were un-cut.
Usually I can use one for quite a few shoots before it is bent up or banged up and I have to replace it.
T2
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Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
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My personal favorite…a FLEX-FILL.
DS
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What is the difference between using a light or a piece of foam core for the fill light? Is the end result the same?
Thanks.
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The large size of a fill card (usually 4×4′)is difficult to recreate with a fill “light” so a card is often more maneuverable and subtle.
JS
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What type of attachment is used to connect the 4 x 4 to a C Stand, such as the ones here:
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Simplest method is to grab board with the grip head and hold down other end with grip clip (pony clamp)
JS
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Well you can do it several ways, but I personally think the best/easiest and most controllable way is to use a duckbill or quaker clamp….
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/139521-REG/Matthews_429042_Quaker_Clamp.html
We’ve bought a couple… but we’ve also made a couple ourselves (welding a 5/8″ stud and a couple of sheetmetal “jaws” onto regular old pair of ViceGrips).
They will sturdily hold a 4×4 bounce and make it easy to adjust in any position.
T2
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Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
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What types of shoots would you want to use one of these reflectors over foam core?
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Generally speaking, I’m more likely to use a reflector instead of a white board in outdoor settings. The reflector will give you more fill for your buck, so to speak, especially for a wider shot.
The foam core or bead board solution is softer and easier for the talent to look into, but often doesn’t give enough kick to compare with the sun.
Jay
Jay Curtis
Blue Vase Productions
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