ILFORD PHOTO

PHOTO COMMUNITY THE FORUM

Home | Profile | Register | Active Topics | Members | Search | FAQ

Username:
  Password:
 		  
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

 All Forums
 COMMERCIAL and STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY
 STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY
 Eliminating Light Reflections		  New Topic  Reply to Topic
 Printer Friendly
Author Previous Topic Topic Next Topic  

chip clark
Needs a life...

251 Posts
Posted - 15/08/2002 :  19:05:17  Show Profile  Visit chip clark's Homepage  Reply with Quote
As I am getting more and more into product photography I'm discovering the challenge involved with keeping studio lighting from showing up in reflected surfaces such as glass or shiny metal. This is quite apparent in one of my photos in my gallery - the glass of cherries on the guitar. A polarizer helped a little but some of the shots you could even see the details of the monolights on the glass. Any suggestions on how to eliminate or at least signficantly reduce these reflections?

thanks,
Chip

JAC
Needs a life...

149 Posts
Posted - 15/08/2002 :  20:23:46  Show Profile  Visit JAC's Homepage  Reply with Quote

(Edited by JAC at 12:03 am on Aug. 2, 2003)
Go to Top of Page

mdjohnsonphoto
Hero

1186 Posts
Posted - 15/08/2002 :  21:19:57  Show Profile  Visit mdjohnsonphoto's Homepage  Reply with Quote
While you asked about eliminating reflection, this AGFA tutorial gives some varied and interesting solutions that incorporate and minimize reflections in photos of glass.
http://www.agfanet.com/en/cafe/photocourse/classiccourse/200012/cont01.php3
I have heard of using dulling spray (from places like Trengrove Studio supply) in very light coats ( or hairspray can work) on the surface of the glass to soften the highlights. Smaller objects are easy to light without reflected surrounds using a translucent cone or dome and a port for the lens. Jewelry is often shot this way.

8-)
Go to Top of Page

JAC
Needs a life...

149 Posts
Posted - 15/08/2002 :  23:52:30  Show Profile  Visit JAC's Homepage  Reply with Quote

(Edited by JAC at 12:03 am on Aug. 2, 2003)
Go to Top of Page

mdjohnsonphoto
Hero

1186 Posts
Posted - 16/08/2002 :  02:15:53  Show Profile  Visit mdjohnsonphoto's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Forgive this drift off topic but, yes, Trengrove was well known in Dallas Commercial Photography circles in the mid 1980's. They used to have acrylic crushed ice in addition to the cubes and shards. Most folks rented those props as they were expensive items. The styro snow gives frost to acrylic margaritas that hold up under hot lights or warm Texas climates. You also will want to get some "tacky wax" for securing table top and other work. During the time I was in Dallas I remember seeing small nylon wedges sold by the bagful fot tilting objects and small silver coated cardboard panels 2x3,4x5, 5x7 inch for fill onto tiny objects in a still life setup.

8-)
Go to Top of Page

JAC
Needs a life...

149 Posts
Posted - 16/08/2002 :  13:30:49  Show Profile  Visit JAC's Homepage  Reply with Quote

(Edited by JAC at 12:04 am on Aug. 2, 2003)
Go to Top of Page

rbarker
Moderator

USA
3295 Posts
Posted - 16/08/2002 :  15:57:04  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I agree with John's suggestions - the mastery of lighting, and learning how to control what's going on with the subject's surface is the key. In many cases, using large light sources will give better control of reflections.

Lighting equipment vendors like Matthews Grip have all sorts of goodies that have been developed over the years to solve commercial lighting problems, and studying their product lines can give great insight. If you are "handy" and have a workshop, you can also make some of these tools yourself.

Many of the solutions can also be amazingly simple, such as using a small piece of mirror mounted to a Matthews Hollywood Arm to add "punch" to a small area of a product or set. Masking off the face of the mirror lets you shape the reflected light to fit a product logo, for example. Or, using sculptor's wire to create a stand to lift a portion of the product up from the rest, using the object itself to hide the wire stand from the camera's view.

One book that might help getting your creative lighting juices going is "Light Science & Magic" by Fil Hunter and Paul Fuqua, published by Focal Press. It doesn't cover everything, but its a great motivator to start thinking about the science behind lighting to create the magic.

Ultimately, I think it's a matter of thinking in terms of, "How do I want to light this product so it can tell its own story. What's important? The shape? The texture? The function?"
Go to Top of Page

rbarker
Moderator

USA
3295 Posts
Posted - 16/08/2002 :  16:06:46  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Here are a few links you might find useful:

Mole-Richardson - http://www.mole.com/

Matthews Grip - http://www.matthewsgrip.com/

BarnDoor Lighting (one outlet of many) - http://www.barndoorlighting.com/

Barbizon Lighting - http://www.barbizon.com/
Go to Top of Page

Anonomoose
Needs a life...

268 Posts
Posted - 18/08/2002 :  07:46:44  Show Profile  Visit Anonomoose's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Although I really shouldn't comment on the subject, due to my near total lack of experience in the area.. I think I should be bothersome anyway. The one book that has taught me the most about lighting, studio or otherwise, is Creative Lighting Techniques for studio photographers, by Dave Montizambert. ISBN 1-58428-003-4

To address the specific problem of the hard reflection in your cherry glass, I'd suggest, as was stated before, a very large light source, .. not nessecarily very bright, but also closer up, to create a softer edge transfer.
Go to Top of Page

Anonomoose
Needs a life...

268 Posts
Posted - 18/08/2002 :  07:51:10  Show Profile  Visit Anonomoose's Homepage  Reply with Quote
On reducing the detail you found from the monolights... my wise and allknowing book suggests that you rarely want to light anything directly. A transluscent screen or reflector board (as well as blinders on the light source itself) would solve cherry-glass-guitar problem.
Go to Top of Page

glennfromwy
Hero

672 Posts
Posted - 18/08/2002 :  14:02:40  Show Profile  Visit glennfromwy's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I don't do much studio work, but one thing comes to mind that has not been mentioned. That is polarizing the light source. Back when the earth was still cooling, you could buy polarizing screens as sheets which you could cut to fit your lights. I think they are still available. The trick to using them was cross polarizing. One light screened one way and another screened opposite.  
Go to Top of Page

rbarker
Moderator

USA
3295 Posts
Posted - 18/08/2002 :  17:30:29  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Yep, polarizing gels are still available, and come in large sheets like other gel materials. Combined with a polarizing filter on the lens, these gels add another tool to the arsenal.
Go to Top of Page

mdjohnsonphoto
Hero

1186 Posts
Posted - 19/08/2002 :  12:31:15  Show Profile  Visit mdjohnsonphoto's Homepage  Reply with Quote
While I appreciate the wit of the chronological reference, anyone who lives near a still active volcano will suggest the Earth is still cooling.
In the July 2002 Petersons Photographic <www.photograpic.com> there is an article about photographer Angela Coppola. She does mainly portraiture but her lighting incorporates natural light in a old photo studio that she refurbished. She also mixes strobe with that natural daylight and in shots with props and in general it is a beautiful look. The Sun the original large light source.

8-)
Go to Top of Page

chip clark
Needs a life...

251 Posts
Posted - 23/08/2002 :  15:19:16  Show Profile  Visit chip clark's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Polarizing gels?? ooh I had never even thought of that. Well there's a wealth of information here that will take me a few years to experiment with! thanks ya'll...
Go to Top of Page

rednyellow
Newbie

United Kingdom
1 Posts
Posted - 19/09/2005 :  16:37:19  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
where do u get polarizing gel from?? i cant find it. help
Go to Top of Page

rbarker
Moderator

USA
3295 Posts
Posted - 20/09/2005 :  00:51:08  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by rednyellow

where do u get polarizing gel from?? i cant find it. help

Here in the U.S., most of the major suppliers and retailers that deal with professional clients stock gel material in a wide variety of colors, including linear polarizing gels. I have no idea about availability in the UK, however.
Go to Top of Page
  Previous Topic Topic Next Topic  
 New Topic  Reply to Topic
 Printer Friendly
Jump To:
The Forum © ILFORD Photo 2006 Go To Top Of Page
Thispagewasgeneratedin0.28seconds. Snitz Forums 2000