How to Create Artistic Reflections

Looking to give your photo or video production that extra creative touch – without fancy gear or complicated setups? Try this clever hack! All you need is one unexpected item: a basic emergency blanket.

Emergency blankets are made of reflective foil and have two distinct sides: one silver, one gold. Each side influences the mood of your lighting in a different way:

• Silver side: Produces a cooler, more neutral reflection. Ideal for modern, clean, and high-contrast looks.

• Gold side: Adds warmth and softness to the light. Great for creating a sunny, cozy, or atmospheric feel.

To make this trick work at its best, you’ll need a hard, direct light source. In our example, we used a continuous light pointed at the emergency blanket — but a flash or even natural sunlight will do the job just as well. The important thing is that the light is strong and directional. This keeps the texture of the foil crisp and helps create striking, dynamic reflections.

A special highlight of this trick: By gently panning your light source or slightly moving the emergency blanket, you’ll create a dynamic interplay of light and shadow. This simple motion adds depth and movement to your footage — resulting in a unique, almost magical visual effect that feels alive and engaging.

Take a look at our video to see the effect in action – and give it a try yourself! With just a few simple tools, you can add creative, professional-looking reflections to your photo and video projects. It’s an easy way to level up your visuals — so have fun experimenting and let your creativity shine!