Taking pictures of products for our reviews is a big part of what we do here on The Gadgeteer. I’m pretty picky when it comes to my review images and am always looking for tips, tricks and of course gadgets, to make my job easier. The LightRight Professional Reflector System is a handy kit that makes tabletop product photography a heck of a lot easier. Let me show you.
Package Contents
5 Magnetically adjustable reflectors in various sizes with 20 reflecting panels total
6 Non-magnetic trimable reflectors
The reflectors come in various sizes and are made of lightweight cardstock and are reversible. One side has a shiny silver surface and the opposite side is matte white. Magnetic strips allow you to adjust the angle of the reflection. A smaller set of reflectors are included in the kit that use a tab and slot method instead of magnets.
By sliding the magnets up and down, you can make the reflector taller or shorter.
The keystone shape of each reflector make it easy to arrange them around your subject so that you won’t accidentally get a corner of the reflector in your picture.
The image above was taken without any reflectors. I used a Canon G11 and a 430EX II speedlight bounced off the ceiling. You can click the image to see a larger view.
For the next shot, I set two of the LightRight reflectors on either side of the subject and took another shot.
As you will notice, the LightRight reflectors bring out a lot more detail in the figurine around the face and neck area. Taking images with the LightRight reflectors is quick and hassle free. I have found that they also save me time because I don’t have to edit the images to brighten up certain areas of the photos.
The only downside that I can find with this kit is the price. $70 seems quite steep for a collection of card stock and magnets. I guess you could make a set for yourself – if you could find some shiny silver card stock.
What I like most about the LightRight Reflector System is that it’s so easy to setup and store when not in use. I can fold the items flat and put them in a drawer. They are more convenient than using a softbox. I think product reviewers like myself, eBay sellers and photography buffs will all find this system useful.
Product Information
| Price: | $69.95 |
| Manufacturer: | LightRight |
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I’ve been using the same stuff for years made out of those sun reflectors that people used in the past at the beach and pool, before we really knew what kind of damaged we were doing to our skin. This is a nice setup, I must say, and worth the time to get. If you want to test some results before you buy, get 2 sheets of Card Stock and Tinfoil to play with the results using a flash.
Their Website does show one example of how to do a setup using just window light. My only problem is the window light will shift quickly if you take to much time setting all this up, as we are moving (The Earth). Plus what you get one day with window light, will be hard to reproduce over and over as I see. This is still a GREAT Package using a static Lamp or a Photo Lamp for illumination.
I got a set a couple of years ago. Before that, I used to have to fashion reflectors from whatever I could find in a pinch.
The best thing I like about them is that they are self-standing. That is, you can adjust them at any angle and they will stay put. Again when you’re jury-rigging something, you first have to find something that will reflect. Then…you have to find a block or a can or something to lean it against. Then…you have to tape it down so it doesn’t slide on you. Each of which only takes a few minutes, but when you’re “gang” shooting a bunch of small table top items, every minute counts…and costs. With the LightRights, I can shoot much faster because I don’t have to search for the right size thing to prop my reflector and I don’t have to worry about a reflector slipping when I turn my back on it.
Basically, it one of those little items that just make one’s life easier…and more productive. And they’re hearty enough that if you handle them with a bit of care, they’ll last you for awhile. I think I’ve had mine for about three years and they’re still in good shape.
It’s not that difficult to find reflective card stock or even the sun reflectors (cool idea).
But I agree, the real thing you’re paying for here is the custom-made sizes and cutouts for propping the cards up.
I like this product.