Question about Reflectors - distance from subject

[Leftyplayer]

Everything I'm reading says, for full body shots, use a reflector as large as the person. However, wouldn't the distance from the subject also make a difference in whether a smaller reflector (say 42") can cover the whole subject? There may, of course, be less light falling on the subject. Is it that you have to go so far back that the light wouldn't reach the subject?

 

[KmH]

As you get further from the subject 3 things that don't help, happen:

1. The size of the reflector gets apparently smaller, making the light from the reflector harsher.
2. Light from the reflector is not focused and it spreads more the further the reflector is from the subject, so a lot of the reflected light doesn't even fall on the subject.
3. The inverse square law of light also applies. The intensity of light diminishes as a square function of distance. If you move 2x further away, light intensity drops to 1/4, not to 1/2.

Reflectors need to be as close as possible to where you want the light, which is why full body shots require reflectors as big (actually a bit bigger) as the person.

 

[Derrel]

I like 48 x 72 inch reflectors...they are big enough to actually do some reflecting...

 

[Leftyplayer]

Thank you, guys. I will be picking up a reflector at adorama tomorrow and wanted to clarify this issue for myself. My logic was obviously way off. I appreciate that I will now know to get the correct thing.

Any particular brand of reflector you would recommend that would be for full-body shots?

 

[g-fi]

Thank you, guys. I will be picking up a reflector at adorama tomorrow and wanted to clarify this issue for myself. My logic was obviously way off. I appreciate that I will now know to get the correct thing.

Any particular brand of reflector you would recommend that would be for full-body shots?

Others may disagree, but IME, a reflector is a reflector is a reflector. You tend to pay more for the bigger ones, but I wouldn't look for the most expensive reflector and think that b/c it's expensive it's "better". A cheaper reflector may not hold up as long as a "name brand", but IME you're not exactly beating the hell out of them. Reflectors are generally pretty inexpensive, I wouldn't be concerned about replacing them every few years. *shrugs*

 

[Kerbouchard]

I wouldn't buy a full length reflector from Adorama...I would go to home depot or your local crafts store and pick up some foam board and make some V-Flats. Paint one side black and you have a very versatile piece of 'photographic' equipment.