Abstract:
A light modifier that can be used in image capture is described. The light modifier has a planar body having a first surface and a second surface. An aperture is disposed in the planar body. The aperture extends through the first and second surfaces. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/051,029 filed Sep. 16, 2014. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a light modifier as used in the image capture industry, such as, photography, video or other relatively well known mediums. The modifier is used to achieve the type of lighting that is desirable to capture the image of the subject. Ambient or artificial lighting can be used with the modifier of the present invention. 
     Each particular area and subject that is to be lighted will dictate the type and intensity of light that is needed. In some applications, direct light from the light source without any alteration may be required. In other situations direct light maybe to strong or cast overly distinct shadows on the subject. In other applications, more indirect or diffused light maybe necessary to create the proper lighting effect. It is desirable to have a light modifier that is a self-contained unit that is easy to position and use and can create several different types of lighting effects on a subject. 
     It is therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a light modifier which will create varying types of light effects on a subject. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a light modifier that is capable of producing the various lighting effects while still being lightweight, compact and easily transported and stored. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a light modifier that is useable with a wide variety of light sources. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from a review of the following specification, drawings and claims. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A light modifier that can be used in image capture is described. The light modifier has a planar body having a first surface and a second surface. An aperture is disposed in the planar body. The aperture extends through the first and second surfaces. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of the light modifier. 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevational view. 
         FIG. 3  is a front elevational view. 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevational view. 
         FIG. 5  is a front elevational view. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The invention is directed to a light modifier that is used in the image capture industry. The light modifier is utilized to change the lighting conditions on the subject of the image capture. The light modifier has the ability to change the lighting conditions on the subject in a variety of ways that have not been obtainable by light modification devices previously used in the industry. The details of the invention will be more readily understood by referring to the attached drawings in connection with the following description. 
     The light modifier  10  has a planar body having a first surface  17  and second surface  19 . The first surface is positioned in adjacent relationship to the second surface. A flexible frame  23  extends around the outer periphery  21  of the planar body. The outer periphery of the first surface  17  and the outer periphery of the second surface  19  can be secured together around the flexible frame  23  to form the planar body  15 . A releasable securing means  25  can be utilized to secure the first surface to the second surface on the outer periphery  21 . The releasable securing means can be a zipper, Velcro fastener or similar releasable securing device. Although the planar body  15  has been shown to be substantially rectangular in shape it should be understood that other geometrical shapes can be utilized for the planar body. A circular, triangular, hexagonal, octagonal or other geometric shapes can be used for the planar body. 
     An aperture  31  is positioned in the planar body  15  and extends through the first surface  17  through the second surface  19 . The aperture  31  provides a passageway  33  through the planar body  15 . The aperture  31  usually has the same geometric shape as the geometric shape of the planar body  15 . However, it should be understood that different geometric shapes can be used for the planar body  15  and the aperture  31  if desired. The aperture  31 ′ can have the same range of possible geometric shapes as previously discussed with regard to the planar body. The aperture  31  is usually positioned in the center of the planar body  15  but it should be understood that such placement is not mandatory. The aperture  31  usually has an area that is from about 5% to about 90% of the surface area of the planar body  15 . In practice, it has been found preferable to have the aperture have a size that is from about 10% to about 40% of the surface area of the planar body  15 . 
     In most applications the first surface  17  of the planar body  15  is made of a dark material that blocks or absorbs sunlight or artificial light that is used as part of the image capture. The second surface  19  is usually a material with a reflective surface that reflects the sunlight or artificial light used in the image capture process. The second surface  19  can be made of a white material that softens and reflects the available light without changing the color temperature seen on the subject that is to be captured. The second surface  19  can also be a material with a reflective silver color that reflects the available light to add cool specularity and sharp highlights to the subject. The second surface  19  can also be a material with a silver and gold reflective surface that adds a hint of warmth and subtle specularity as it reflects the available light. It should be appreciated that the first and second surfaces can be made of the same material or fabric having identical light modification characteristics or that the first and second surfaces can be made of fabrics selected from any of the light modification fabrics described for the first and second surfaces. The fabrics that are used for the first and second surfaces can be cloth, nylon, vinyl or other materials well known in the light modification industry. 
     In use the light modifier  10  will be positioned adjacent the subject  27  that is to be captured. The light modifier can be positioned so that the first or second surface faces the subject. If the surface that faces the subject is a reflective surface the ambient or artificial light available will be reflected towards the subject and create a different lighting condition. If the surface of the planar body that faces the subject is a dark or absorptive surface the ambient or artificial light being used will be absorbed by this surface and create a reduced light around the subject. In most applications the image capture device  35 , such as a camera, will be positioned on one side of the light modifier  10  and the subject that is to be captured will be positioned on the other side of the light modifier. The image capture device can be positioned so that it sees the subject through the passageway  33  formed by the aperture  31 . It should be appreciated, however, that the image capture device  35  does not have to be positioned to capture the image through the passageway  33 . The light modifier  10  can be positioned adjacent to the subject to create a desired lighting effect and the image capture device can be positioned outside of the light modifier  10 . The light modifier can be utilized to absorb or block unlighted white light, reflect the ambient or artificial light, create shafts of light on the subject or other interesting lighting arrangements. 
     An additional feature of the invention is that the aperture  31  can be designed with a releasable securing means  25  around the outer perimeter  32  of the aperture. The releasable securing means can be utilized to position a panel  39  on the planar body  15  that essentially closes or removes aperture  31 . The panel  39  can be positioned on the first surface  17 , positioned on the second surface  19  or be positioned on both the first and second surface. The panel  39  normally is of the same material as the material of the first surface or the material of the second surface. It should be appreciated, however, that the panel could be of a different material then the first or second surface and that this would create additional lighting patterns on the subject that is to be captured. In some applications it might be desirable to have the panel  39  be a filter or scrim that would further modify the lighting variations that could be created for the subject that is to be captured. 
     It is also possible to have additional panels releasably secured around the outer periphery of the planar body  15  by releasable securing means  25 . The releasable fabric panels would increase the options that are available to the user of the light modifier for reflecting and absorbing the light that is to be directed to the subject that is to be captured. The various fabric panels could be positioned on the planar body  15  and held in place by the releasable securing means  25 . 
     The above detailed description of the present invention is given for explanatory purposes. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the whole of the foregoing description is to be construed in an illustrative and not a limitative sense, the scope of the invention being defined solely by the appended claims.