Perhaps no lighting modifier is as versatile for the price as a v-flat, filling in as a flag, reflector, or even a background. This fantastic video tutorial will show you how to use one both to create dramatic hard light and flattering soft light for compelling portraits.
Coming to you from Daniel Norton with Adorama TV, this great video tutorial will show you multiple uses for v-flats. Lights and their respective modifiers can quickly add up in cost, but compared to the often stratospheric prices of specialist equipment, v-flats are downright cheap, and yet, they are highly versatile. Essentially free-standing pieces of foam or something similar with all white on one side and all black on the other side, you can use the white side as a very large reflector to create a soft, flattering source, while the black side can be used to subtract light, add contrast, and sculpt features. In addition to using them to control light, they double as a simple backdrop. Of course, given that they are light and have a huge profile, they generally cannot be used outside, as even the slightest wind will set them astray, but in the studio, they are tremendously useful. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Norton.
