Glare

[fairplaytom]

I am taking photos that have a reflective background which makes a bright area behind the person I am shooting, I have tried increasing the iso but that looses the eyes, any suggestions?

 

[cgipson1]

Need more info! What light source is making the bright area? Does changing the angle you are shooting at help? Post an image.. with a written description.

You need to read this: Light Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting: Fil Hunter, Steven Biver, Paul Fuqua: 9780240812250: Amazon.com: Books

 

[fairplaytom]

The photo is in casino with a logo of the casino in the background not enough room to change angle the logo is on a giant sticker type that is on the wall which makes it very reflective or shiny, I suggested painting the logo on wall with non reflective paint, logo is black, white logo works fine but manager wants black to match casino colors, also new on here not sure how to post copy of photo

 

[Gavjenks]

A polarizing filter will usually significantly reduce glare from a non-metallic surface like a sticker.

Another option would be using a flash or two so that your main light source is coming from a different direction to relatively drown out the reflected light.

Changing angle is best though. It seems unlikely that you can't change angle AT ALL. Even just something like crouching versus standing, or moving a couple feet to the left, or whatever, could be enough to stop a reflection from an isolated, flat surface like a logo. Are you sure?

 

[Buckster]

Move, block or turn off the light(s) that are causing the glare long enough to get the shot, and light it yourself with controlled lighting from angles that don't cause reflective glare.

 

[cgipson1]

^This.. which is why I recommend that book!

 

[fairplaytom]

Tks for the help but changing the angle distorts the subject, a frontal view is necessary so still think best solution is going to be background with a matt finish

 

[Buckster]

You can un-distort it in Photoshop if you need to.

Where's the light that's causing the glare coming from? Is it the flash on your camera? Assuming you're perpendicular to the wall, it would have to be, or directly behind you, which means you could block it with something like umbrellas or a backdrop or makeshift curtain or something.

This sort of situation comes up from time to time for any photographer who's shot long enough. Reflections on walls, windows, etc., are nothing new, and we rarely have the option to paint over them with flat paint (and most of the time that wouldn't actually solve the problem anyway), so we deal with it using control of the lighting, especially the angles.

 

[Propsguy]

What are you trying to accomplish with changing the ISO?

 

[Gavjenks]

What are you trying to accomplish with changing the ISO?

I think he was out of ideas and mashing buttons to try and see if anything worked, I'm guessing.

Which I don't blame him for at all if so. That's a quick and low risk thing to try and got me out of a few tight spots early on. Better to mash buttons and have a 10% chance of getting the shot than it is to go home and read online and figure out what you should have done and then having a 0% chance of having gotten the shot (unless you go back).

Works even better in console vs. fighting video games than in photography.