Saluting the Flag

An important tool in a shooter's bag of tricks is the simple flag. It might be sexier to talk about the gear we use to modify light than what we use to control it, but controlling light is as important as modifying it.

There are many ways to control light: grids, barn doors, and snoots are typical examples; flags are another example.

A flag can be almost anything you choose to use to block light from illuminating areas you don't want to illuminate or blocking it from casting light in certain directions. Flags are usually fashioned from materials that light will not penetrate or shine through.

There are two main reasons for controlling a light source: Keeping the light from spilling onto areas you don't want to light and/or keeping the light from causing flares in the lens. Grids, doors, and snoots can do a great job when you want to keep the light contained to specific areas. Flags can also be very effective.

Flags can be fashioned out of so many materials. They can also perform double-duty as reflectors. I often use pieces of white styrofoam or foamcore to both flag a light and to bounce some of that light. Other materials a shooter can use to flag a light run the gamut from fabrics, like duvetyne, to black foil, to a simple piece of cardboard.

In the image below, there are three flags at work. One of them is flagging the strip box placed behind and to the right of Leah, the model. That simple flag, nothing more than a piece of styrofoam, is keeping the light from spilling onto the background and illuminating it. To the left and also behind Leah, another styrofoam flag is performing similar duty. Above Leah, there's some black foil attached to the small, boomed, softbox. The foil is flagging that light source, also keeping it from spilling onto the background.



In glamour photography, we usually want to focus the viewer's attention on the model. We also want her to "pop" off the background. Part of directing the viewer's attention and capturing images that "pop" the model require controlling the light and keeping it from spilling onto areas of the image that reduce attention on the model. Believe it or not, a beautful face and great body often aren't enough to accomplish this. Flags, as well as other devices used to contol light, are a great way to achieve this.