Glass......?

[airgunr]

I want to set up a shoot of some items in a light tent that are lighted all around the subject. To do that I want to place the item on a piece of glass that is lighted from below as well as above and to the sides.

My question is: Is there a specific type of glass I should try to get or just any old glass will do?

I'm thinking that there are many types of coatings and such for glass and some may refract light in ways I don't want but I don't know enough about it. Anybody dealt with this issue before? I didn't find anything in a search of the site.

 

[bism]

In my experience it doesn’t matter. Clean, clear and unscratched. I use a light tent often and have a stack of plexi and a heat cable. I can bend the plexi to whatever shape I want to effect the refraction etc. Its really pretty neat but certainly not necessary. Just make sure you use your "pool table math" to remove crazy reflections and the like.

Good luck

 

[airgunr]

Thanks for the response. I hadn't thought about plexi nor bending it. A response on another board suggested a milk white acrylic.

You refered to "use your 'pool table math' to remove crazy reflections and the like."

Sorry but I do not know what this referes to. Does it have something to do with PhotoShop or generaly editing software? If so I don't have any editing software and will be shooting with a 35mm camera.

 

[drlynn]

Pool Table Math is checking all the angles to make sure an odd reflection isn't bouncing right into the lens to wreck your shot.

Just like billiards hustlers/professionals know the phyics of angles for different pool shots, photographers have to be aware of them when shooting with reflective surfaces.