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Lighting question - Reflectors and Bounced Light


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LIGHTING QUESTION

Hello all,
Writing with a lighting question: wondering if anyone has any recommendations or advice on reflectors or bounce boards?

Am using an RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM Lens along with two ring lights for video and film, I love the way they make the skin and face look.

I set things up in my home studio such that my EOS R6 is pointing through the ring light then I adjust to high-temperature, cold light since the bright white light makes eyes and face glow. Problem is that I wear glasses and it seems like no matter what I do, there's a clearly visible reflection in my glasses. And when I set up both ring lights, I try to raise and lower them but they are still visible as reflections, I try to tilt them back and forward but they are still visible. Only way I've found to remove the ring light reflection from my glasses is when I set them off to the side, but then the eyes and face no longer glow and it produces heavy shadows on my chubby lil cheeks.

So I'm trying to figure out how to do flat front lighting with a ring light (or two) to highlight the eyes and face but without a visible reflection in my glasses and I am stuck.

All I can think to do is to use a bounce board or a reflector to provide wash lighting, even and broad, with no defined shape(s) or visible reflection(s) in my glasses. But I am far from an expert (you noticed already!) and am seeking advice and suggestions.

Thanks in advance for your consideration, any and all feedback most gratefully appreciated.

Chris

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Chris, to the best of my knowledge there isn't really a way around this.  Glasses reflect light.  If you put a light source directly  in front of them they will reflect it whether it's a ring light or a large reflector.  The traditional way around this is to wear frames with no lenses in them, which is of course a problem if you actually have to see.  

You could try a clamshell lighting approach (with a key raised up and pointed down toward the face and a reflector or fill light coming from below the face to balance out the "raccoon eyes" and other shadows created by the overhead source).  If you're careful with how you move your head around you might avoid the reflections while still getting a frontal lighting effect. 


 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 8/20/2022 at 7:22 AM, Stewart McLain said:

Hi Chris, to the best of my knowledge there isn't really a way around this.  Glasses reflect light.  If you put a light source directly  in front of them they will reflect it whether it's a ring light or a large reflector.  The traditional way around this is to wear frames with no lenses in them, which is of course a problem if you actually have to see.  

You could try a clamshell lighting approach (with a key raised up and pointed down toward the face and a reflector or fill light coming from below the face to balance out the "raccoon eyes" and other shadows created by the overhead source).  If you're careful with how you move your head around you might avoid the reflections while still getting a frontal lighting effect. 


 

Thanks Stewart, I really appreciate the clamshell recomendation. And will need to be careful about head movement while shooting, since no matter where or how I set up the lights there will be a visible reflection at some point unless I more or less hold still.

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On 8/21/2022 at 7:15 AM, Stewart McLain said:

@Robert Hart, that's a good thought!  It prompted me to do some internet searching and I found this article from No Film School on the subject.  Sounds like a polarizer works at least part of the time.  https://nofilmschool.com/2017/05/how-solve-glare-issue-when-lighting-people-glasses

it's an excellent article, thanks for sharing it!

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