photographing a musical instrument

[june]

Hello everyone, i am new at photographing musical instruments such as a saxophone. The lacquer on the instrument makes it extremely difficult to take the picture without a glare. I notice that professional photos of saxophones (like the manufacturer yamaha) uses all have in common this black line that goes through the instrument where the glare would usually be.

does anyone know if there is a photo technique that is used while taking the picture that causes this black line to appear throughout the instrument?
Any suggestions and or comments would be greately appretiated.

thank you!

 

[Mr_Bester]

They probably have a black cloth or board set up so it reflects in the sax. check out strobist.blogspot.com for lighting info(more than you could imagine)
Dug

 

[june]

Thank you so much for your help

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Saxophones are generally specular objects, meaning they're reflective. It's obvious in the photo that the saxophone itself wasn't lit, but fill cards were around it and you can see the reflection of the fill cards on the saxophone itself, that is what gives it the illusion of being lit.

 

[june]

when you say that the saxophone "wasn't lit" are you referring to there not being any flash used or extra lighting?

 

[Sw1tchFX]

What I mean is that the photographer didn't shine light directly on the saxophone, or he did with a softbox or two.

Saxophones are specular objects, so most of the light shined on them is reflected, how do you make a specular object seem lit?

You light the scene around it. If what the saxophone is reflecting is bright, than the saxophone will seem bright. The photographer lit fill cards with strobes (continuous lighting will work, but watch out for the bulbs color tempertures) and so what you see when you look at the instrument is a reflection of the bright fill cards.

 

[june]

thanks for your help