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.