At the risk of sounding smug I had always believed that Armstrong had acted as a significant fill light source for the Aldrin ladder images.Anybody watching the tv coverage will or should have noticed that Armstrong was photographing Aldrin while stood in brilliant sun shine.
My wife will tell you, I have directed many an expletive at the so called photographic experts (unfortunately many of them British!) while watching their well intentioned yet misguided and surprisingly ill informed waffle on YouTube!
Any photographer will tell you the significance of reflectors, be they in the studio or in the field. Any tv cameraman or movie maker will tell you the same.
I too trained and worked as a photographer. But I don't claim to be an expert. Merely and informed protagonist of the media.
A small silvered or white reflector, often a couple of feet in diameter will be held just out of shot to in-fill the shadows.
Imagine then the effect of a pristine suited, 6 foot plus brilliant white reflector throwing light back in to a scene consisting primarily of another brilliant white object and reflective gold foil. Derrrr!
And while we are on the subject... another British so called expert claims the Reseau plate cross hairs appear behind certain objects on several photos — "This cannot be possible"?!
Take another look you idiot; all the objects "in front" of the cross hairs are bright white. The emulsion is not good enough to distinguish the fine cross hairs against a brilliant white object instead bleeding them out.
Don't get me started...