The Digital Photography Book

When to Use a Black Reflector

If we’re shooting outdoors, we generally avoid shooting in direct sunlight because it creates harsh shadows, squinting subjects, and lots of bad stuff. So, we look for some open shade—under an awning, or on a porch, or under a tree, or the side of a building, any place where we can get soft, even light. While it’s usually preferable to shooting out in the direct sun because the light is soft and even, it’s the “even” part we need to deal with. The lighting in the shade is kind of flat, but if you have a black reflector, you can easily fix that. Just put one up near the side of your subject’s face, and it creates a ...