Lights and modifiers for them can quickly add up in cost, but one of the most useful lighting tools a studio can have is surprisingly cheap and low-tech. This excellent video tutorial will show you why v-flats are so useful and how to incorporate them into your own work.
Coming to you from Gavin Hoey with Adorama TV, this great video tutorial will show you why v-flats are so great for studio work. V-flats are quite simple compared to most photography tools, as they are simply free-standing pieces of foam or something similar with white on one side and black on the other side. Photographers use the white side as a large reflector that creates a soft light source, while the black side is used to add shadows and contrast to sculpt features or add more depth. In addition, they can easily fill in as a dark or light background. Of course, with such a large footprint and such a light weight that makes them easily blown away, v-flats are best left in the studio, but when used there, they are quite a boon, as they are affordable, easy to maneuver, and highly versatile. Check out the video above to see how they can benefit your work.
Time for me to head to Home Depot to pick up materials to make my own V flats, thanks for the video.
A veteran sports & fitness photog I assisted turned me on to portable V-flats. Cut a single 4'x8'x3/8" sheet of foamcore in half in both directions to make four 2'x4' sections. Tape two sections together along a long edge to make one 4'x4' V-flat. Then use clamps to stack one 4x4 on top of the other. I made two sets and even chopped down a cardboard refrigerator box to make a box in which to transport the kit. Fits in a taxi trunk. Use 'em as flags, to light backgrounds, or even for key and accent lights. SO versatile.