How to Make Your Reflectors at Home (Step by Step and With Surprise)

Today I bring you a very manual article. I am going to tell you step by step how to make your own reflectors at home and, in addition, with a surprise. It is very easy, you need very simple materials and you do not need to be a very skilled person to achieve it. It’s easy, easy.

What is a reflector and what is it used for?

But before getting into the matter, I better explain what a reflector is and what it is for.

A reflector is a surface that reflects light, thus adding more light to a subject or filling in distracting shadows. It serves as a second light source.

If you want to know more about this photographic accessory, here you can see that it is not just for professionals.

What do you need?

These are the materials you need to make your reflectors:

• Cartons: two cartons consistent of the size you want, I am going to make 50cm in diameter, which is what the black and white cardboard give me. You can also use a flat iron cork thin but consistent.
• White cardboardor white continuous paper.
• black cardboard
• Silver paper.
• Gold paper. I didn’t know it when I bought it, but the gold on the back is silver, so with that roll it would have worked for both of us. In case you want to ask before buying more 😉 .
• Glue: you can use the glue you want, I have done the test with three types of glue and the truth is that the best has worked for me has been the stick. But for tastes… as if you manage with double-sided tape.
• Cutter and scissors.
• Pencil or marker.
• Fine rope (optional). The rope is to mark the circle. If you have another way to make it great, I made a homemade compass with it and the pencil.

As you can see, you will have all this at home, surely you will only have to buy the paper and cardboard. And get some cardboard. I have taken advantage of those that came with a car seat.

Necessary materials

How to do it?

Let’s see step by step how to make the reflectors:

1. Mark the circle

Mark with the pencil on the cardboard the circle (or the shape you want for your reflector) to the size you have chosen. These are 50cm in diameter and I have used, as I said before, a rope to make a homemade compass.

You can use a mold or the system itself, whichever you prefer.

2. Cut out the cardboard

It is best to cut it with a cutter, being careful not to cut yourself, yes 😉

3. Copy the pattern and cut

Once you have cut out a piece of cardboard, you can use it as a template for the next one. Put it on the other cardboard, mark with a pencil or marker and cut out again with the cutter. You already have your two cardboard circles (or the shape you have chosen)

4. One-sided glue smear

Be sure to spread the entire surface of glue well, especially the center and edges. As I was saying, you can use the glue you prefer. I have tried three types and I prefer the comfort and results of the glue stick.

5. Paste the reflective paper

Lay out on a flat surface (table, floor, etc.) the paper you want to start with, for example, white cardstock. And put the cardboard on top of the side that you have smeared with glue.

Press well so that it sticks on all sides, if you want you can turn it over and go over the entire surface with a cloth or napkin so that the edges stick well.

6. Trim the excess part

With a cutter, cut out all that is left over from the cardboard. Another option that I have tried is to first cut out the cardboard and then glue, but it gives worse results (see image below of the finished reflector and the arrows), unless you have managed to mark and cut out a perfect circle both on the cardboard and on the cardboard or reflective paper.

7. Repeat operation back

Now spread the free part of the cardboard again with glue. I remind you to insist on the edges. Lay out the black cardboard and stick the cardboard you just smeared with glue on it. Remember to go over the surface with a cloth pressing gently to make sure it sticks well.

You already have a reflector that is white on one side and black on the other. Black is not reflective, but is included in reflector sets for the opposite effect, block the light when you need it.

As I was saying, I put arrows so you can see what I meant by cutting out first and then pasting it gives worse results. It is better to remove the excess edges with the cutter once glued.

Optionally, you can cover with cellophane or electrical tape to make sure the edges don’t come unstuck. The bottom left arrow points to a test I did.

For now I have preferred to leave them that way, if later I see that the glue stick was not good enough, I will pass the tape or an insulating tape on it 😉 .

8. Repeat previous steps

Now, with the other cardboard, repeat the same operation, on one side with the silver reflector and on the other with the gold reflector.

And now you have them! Try to spread the paper well because it is usually very thin and tends to make wrinkles as you see in silver. Try to remove them by passing a cloth over them. Although it is not a serious problem 😉 .

10. Surprise

And the surprise I promised you in the title. I have to admit that it was accidental, but with the cardboard that was left over from cutting out the circle I realized that I could make a diffuser.

For this, I used white tissue paper (which I already had at home but would have gone to buy anyway). I have put glue on the edges of the circle, I have glued the tissue paper, spreading it well and I have put a little tape on a section because, as it was unexpected, I had not measured and it was very tight.

Finally, I cut the excess paper with the cutter. And voila! I already have my diffuser. In addition, I have taken advantage of the fact that it had a slit as a handle to lift the box and thus it serves to hold the diffuser.

If you are more of a perfectionist, you have time and you feel like it, you can paint the cardboard white, of course it will be more presentable and beautiful. It will also reflect light 😉 .

How do they work?

So you can see what they can do, I give you some examples:

Yes, it is the same place, at the same time. The only difference was in the use or not of diffuser or reflector. It’s worth a try, right?

And why do it if you can buy it?

Indeed, it can be bought and, in addition, it is a fairly cheap accessory. So why make it homemade? Well, there are several reasons:

• The good thing about making the reflectors yourself is that you can make them from size or shape you want.
• you will pass an entertaining bit.
• You will have the satisfaction if you made them. That is priceless, however imperfect it may be.
• What may seem very cheap to some may not be so cheap to others. So another reason is economic.
• can you save from trouble, If you need them and don’t have time to buy them, you can always make the reflectors yourself.

The downside of making them at home is that they do not fold like the ones you buy, they are flexible and can be folded, put in a cover and take up very little space.

And well… if you don’t have time to make your reflectors, you prefer the convenience of storing them folded or whatever reason, and you decide to buy them, you can always resort to ordering them with a single click ;).

I hope this tutorial has been useful to you. If so, I am going to ask you to share it on your favorite social network. Some of your contacts may be waiting to be enlightened 😉 . Thanks and see you soon!