The Complete Handbook of Flash Reflectors

A solid, neutral reference that cuts through the YouTube noise. I use it as the company handbook for all my junior lighting assistants. The glossary at the back is excellent. It is just a bit dry reading it cover to cover, but that's not what it is for.

A lot of useful details, but it reads like a textbook in parts, which is not a bad thing since it is meant to be a reference. I gave it four stars because I wish it had more visual diagrams instead of just text. The tables comparing reflectors, however, are fantastic for making a decision on my next purchase.

The section on business opportunities was a practical surprise, since I was just looking to improve my own lighting. I now do a little reflector rental service on weekends, and the troubleshooting tips in chapter five have me covered when a client returns a dinged-up dish. I missed a sign-off that was in an earlier draft, but the printed version is fine.

Finally, a reference that doesn't just tell me a reflector exists but explains why my 10-inch dish gives a different falloff than an 8-inch one. I read the chapter on beam spread twice it is so clear. It sits on my light cart next to the gaffer tape now.

Good book, very thorough on specs and physics, and I appreciated the chapter on cleaning. My only real gripe is that I have a lot of speedlights and only one strobe, and the reflector mounting sections feel heavily geared toward studio pack and head systems, not small battery units. I still got my money's worth from the section on choosing between silver and white finishes.

I am a product photographer, and the section on edge falloff was alone worth the purchase. It confirmed a few things I guessed from trial and error, and corrected a lot of my misconceptions. The chapter on maintenance is a bit dry, but cleaning a fine-ring reflector is apparently much more about chemistry than I thought.