How to Make a Photography Umbrella
- 1). Work outside or in a well-ventilated room. Spread out the newspapers to protect the ground or the floor from paint splatters.
- 2). Open the umbrella and position it on the newspaper so that the concave underside is face up.
- 3). Stand upwind from the umbrella if outside, and following the instructions on the paint can, begin to spray the underside of the umbrella with reflective paint. Completely cover the fabric.
- 4). Leave the umbrella outside to dry. Tie a heavy object to the handle of the umbrella so it does not get carried away by the wind.
- 5). Secure the umbrella to the light stand by fastening the clamp around the pole of the umbrella. Connect your camera to the light on the light stand before using it to take a picture. When the light fires, check to see how well the light reflects off your DIY umbrella. The best way to do this is to ask someone to model for you, to provide a visual measurement of how successfully the light is being reflected.
- 6). Apply a second coat of paint if the light does not reflect enough for your needs. You want a thick layer of paint, but make sure you don't apply too much, or it may pass through the underside onto the outside of the umbrella.