Photography Tip: Difussing Hard Light
I don’t know a lot about photography. I’m still learning. But I do know that proper lighting is key to a good photo. Our house is right on the ocean and the sunlight really likes to bounce off the water and create hard light. See the photo above … not ideal.
For Christmas I asked for a Cowboy Studio 5 in 1 Reflector. It was only $15 … not a big investment.
I got a chance to try it out for this shot. Basically, It can be used for five different functions. There is a gold reflector that can warm a picture. There is a silver reflector that can brighten a picture. There is a white reflector that can bounce light back into the shadows, and a black filter that can block out unwanted light. Finally, the filter I used, is translucent and softens harsh light. I clipped it to the curtain rod and it worked nicely for softening the light, but not blocking the light.
This is the same photo using the translucent light filter. I was so excited with the results, I just had to share.
Enjoy your weekend. I’ll be thinking up things to do with Sharpies! Ha … kidding.
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I’m so glad to see an example of how this works. I got one of these for Christmas and haven’t tried it out yet. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve never ever used one of these filters nor even seen on except on photo shoots on tv shows. lol It sure makes a difference in the lighting and is a very reasonably priced investment. Does it actually have 5 different reflectors for that price? Do they fold up for transporting? Thanks for showing us how it works. Pamela
Amazing what an inexpensive accessory can do for the quality of photos! I was playing around with my camera today with the sunlight shining in and ended up with the “before” look. I’ll have to add that filter to my birthday list.
Thanks for the tip!
What a great tip – and so many problems solved for $15! I got a nice camera for Christmas and I am slowly learning how to use it – at least I’m not taking photos with my Droid and iPad anymore! Thanks for the tip!
What a great accessory to own, I’m going to have to check them out. When I try closing my blinds a little, the light still comes through the slots. Thanks for sharing this tip.
Thanks so much for the tip!
wonderful…I need one as my kitchen is awfully bright and my living room is dark….olive
I just featured your project at cowgirl up, so come by the ranch for a featured button if you like.
What a great tip!
What a great find!