Yesterday I was chatting to a photographer and the conversation got on to using reflectors to light portrait subjects.
While he uses reflectors he shared that at times when he’s shooting in locations where a reflector is not possible he’ll wear a white T-Shirt and use his body as a reflector.
The key is to position yourself close enough to your portrait and with the sun shining on you in such a way that the T-Shirt reflects light back up on your subject.
I must have looked a little doubtful as he told me this but he assured me that it actually works and has the added bonus of not having a large setup which can overwhelm your subject and make them feel uncomfortable.
Bonus White T-Shirt Tip: he went on to share with me another white T-shirt tip. When shooting with a flash and wanting to diffuse it’s impact he often bounces the flash off himself. This way the light is indirect upon his subject – but the light of the flash remains a white natural light – rather than bouncing it off a colored surface.
What would have known that a white T-Shirt could be such a useful photography accessory.
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