Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

Has anyone tried to add a gold finish to a beauty dish? I am an avid user of gold and zebra reflectors and have been thinking about purchasing a Beauty Dish with the intent of applying a coat of metallic gold to the reflector dish.

Your thoughts and or opinions please...

You could try painting one side of the light blocker orange. This would probably bounce enough color into the dish to get a good effect. another option might be to buy a piece of gold/orange nylon diffusion material and clip it onto the front with office clips. This way you could experiment without destroying the BD.

I like the "one side of the light blocker" idea--and instead of painting it, some gold-colored foil might work--could just wrap it instead of paint it.

ETA: just found this http://www.whimsie.com/aluminum%20foil.html#anchor5508

small samples available (would be careful --may not want to have the modeling light on heating this stuff, not sure how the material would respond to heat, as the coating might not survive, or might flame for all I know)

Might try brass foil or thin sheet--actual metal, not a coating. Hmmmm.....

I photograph a lot on beaches and similarly windy locations which is why I was thinking about the more permanent concept of paint. Prefer not to have film and foil to be blown away during a session. I've made reflectors from Styrofoam panels with gold spray paint in the past and they work great as long I have the help of an assistant. but as much as I would like to continue using that method, I don't have the help I once did.

Thanks for your input thus far, I look forward to reading more as they are posted. When I make the Beauty Dish purchase and try different methods of warming the thrown light I will certainly post my findings. I will try every realistic method that are posted up here before surrendering to the gold paint.