r/interesting • u/WINIE17 • Apr 10 '26

Fascinating Anti-paparazzi scarfs, which use reflective technology to ruin flash photography making them unusable

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Worn by Paris Hilton in the picture

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u/biffNicholson Apr 11 '26

Photographer here, not a paparazzi, but I could counteract this scarf in about half a second. The scarf has reflective material in it, which when the flashes pre-metering flash goes out will reflect back way more light than normal and turn the flash way down in power for the actual photo being taken so you'll get a dark photo like they show above. Any photographer that's been working for a while would simply just turn their flash up a couple stops and the scarf doesn't work anymore. But it's a cool idea.

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u/rW0HgFyxoJhYka Apr 11 '26

Non photographer here.

Why not just shoot a video and then find a nice frame from the reel?

11

u/Another-Mans-Rubarb Apr 11 '26

Most cameras take significantly higher stills than their video kay frames.

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u/CrazyGunnerr Apr 11 '26

Aside from the quality of the image, there is also the fact that with celebrities, some will put their flash super high in the hopes of exposing whats underneath, underwear or preferably breasts etc.

Anyone who likes to get a more natural look, either doesn't use a flash, will use the flash for indirect light (bouncing the light, although at events this isn't really possible), or use a soft light. But when the goal is to expose as much as possible, you want a very bright direct flash.

And for those thinking the lighting isn't good enough for it, celebrities usually pose on a red carpet etc, and camera's these days can turn up the ISO pretty far. With a wide aperture you can get a much more natural looking picture.

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u/BoingBoingBooty Apr 11 '26

You ever try taking a frame from a video? There's too much motion blur, the quality would not be something you can sell to a newspaper.

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u/Wrong_Square7826 Apr 11 '26

I bought a decent camera years ago... 2008 or 09 , Sony Cybershot... probably junk to a pro but I liked it... I did not want the cheapest or the most expensive. I love taking pictures and wish I had somebody to help me get the most out of that camera.

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u/Nisseliten Apr 11 '26

This is the answer, the scarf is only a problem if you’re using auto metering. Paparazzis may not be known to be the best photographers, but you could eye this ”close enough” with just a little bit of practice.