Golf Club Head photography challenge (shiny, curved)

[airban]

Hello - my first post.


I am an amateur photographer facing the challenge of golf club product pictures. The satin finish heads (like Ping) are no problem, they are not very reflective. But when I have to photo a shiny, mirror finish head... it gives me fits. I use a light tent, but getting the camera reflection out of the club head picture is impossible.

Any tips on settings, or technique to battle this?

Here is one that I’ve done taken with a Fuji E550 (not very good, is it?)

And here is one of the same product that I am impressed with. I realize there are shadows there, but that’s unavoidable in this case, is that correct? I just think this looks sharp. What are they doing right that I am not?

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[airban]

Nothing? :-(

 

[Ejazzle]

use a loger lens so you are further away from the head when shooting the picture. that should help get you out of the reflection.
try a flash diffuser also. (im guessing thats what a light tent is?)

 

[Montana]

My other hobby is collecting marbles, so I run into a similar problem. (i.e. sphereical surfaces that reflect). I use a longer lens and get further away. I also have experiment with a circular polarizer, not sure if that would help in your situation or not, but may be worth a try. Fiddle with light placement and diffusing as well.

Derrick

 

[Village Idiot]

Their club looks like it was shot from nearly straight on. The brightness comes from the reflection of something. Your photo has one small source of light. It’s like lighting a mirror or a car. You can't just point a light source at a reflective object and shoot. You’ll end up getting a reflection of the light source on the object. To be able to shot it and have the whole object illuminated, you need to place the light so it’s falling across the object (iirc), or bouncing off an object. Try placing a large white board or two around the head of the club and firing flashes at the boards. The club will light with the reflection of the large board.

Also, post pictures of your current setup and how your lights are placed. That’ll give us exactly what you’re shooting now as opposed to what we think you’re shooting.

Light Science and Magic by Phil Hunter explains this quite well.

 

[airban]

My other hobby is collecting marbles, so I run into a similar problem. (i.e. sphereical surfaces that reflect). I use a longer lens and get further away. I also have experiment with a circular polarizer, not sure if that would help in your situation or not, but may be worth a try. Fiddle with light placement and diffusing as well.

Derrick

I can't use a longer lens, it's just a point and shoot.

I guess I thought there was a trick I'm missing but I guess not.

 

[JerryPH]

There are serious limitations for a P&S. You *may* start playing with the angles of the light, that may help some... another thing you may do is use a large "apparent source of light". That means using a diffused flash at a lower power setting shooting through an umbrella VERY VERY close to the club. This reduces the specular highlights.

 

[jmborkowski]

I guess I thought there was a trick I'm missing but I guess not.

This:

Try placing a large white board or two around the head of the club and firing flashes at the boards. The club will light with the reflection of the large board.

is as close to a "trick" as you're going to get.

What kinds of lights are you using? Are they pointed directly at the clubhead through the tent?

 

[roadkill]

Dial your flash down and watch your angle. Difuser also.

 

[roadkill]

Your shots look good though IMHO.