REFLECTORS AND BOUNCED LIGHT

   Reflectors can be either rigid or flexible. Rigid reflectors may be faced (in order, from brightest to softest) with shiny aluminum, matte aluminum, wrinkled aluminum or white paper. Flexible reflectors are usually cloth spread across thin metal hoops that can be folded for storage. Fabrics may be metallic for greater reflectivity or plain for a soft, diffuse effect. 
       In order to choose between these two types of reflectors, must consider several factors, like the shooting environment, the lighting area dimensions, manipulating and storage conditions. Flexible reflectors are light and easily stored, but they're very unstable in any breeze, making them hard to work with because there is a light waver visible on-screen. Hard reflectors are cheap to buy or easy to make for almost nothing, but they're bulky and rigid, making them difficult to transport and store away. Reflectors can be employed outdoors as key, fill, rim or background lights.

Reflector Key Light

       Often the sun's in the wrong position or the subject's standing in adjacent shade. In fact, the sun can become a gorgeous rim light, if the light is bounced into a reflector, outlining the subject's head and shoulders and separating them from the background. 

Reflector Fill Light  

       Every type of reflector can and should be used for fill. For close-ups, a diffuse white card looks most natural, but its intensity is too low for the throws required in longer shots. When higher intensity is needed, bring in the aluminum or metallic fabric models. They have enough punch to work effectively out of camera range. Always try to use the softest version that will deliver enough fill, starting with a metallic fabric model. 

Reflector Rim Light 

       Those hard aluminum surfaces are perfect for rim-lighting the subject. Rim lighting works best when a second reflector is delivering fill light.

Reflector Background light 

        If you have the resources, aim multiple reflectors at different areas of the background. With care, you can produce a fluctuating and interesting wash of light that looks very artistic, creating a quite natural effect on the background.
                                                                                        
        Reflectors are not as versatile indoors because the light sources they depend on aren't as powerful as sunlight. Even so, you can easily use them to make one light do the work of two.  The soft quality of bounced light is similar to diffused light and so are the problems of controlling it. For a lighthearted comedy, when the light illuminates the whole set, the task is easy. But when a more dramatic situation occurs and the intention is to light it soft, yet with several areas kept at low key, it requires skill and time to do it right with bounced and diffused light. 

       You need to work with big flags and teasers, which are large frames with black cloth stretched on them, and you need space to be able to position reflecting boards at a proper distance and angle. Angle is very important to provide modeling for the faces and to avoid unwanted light spills.