Lighting Tips? Shiny Objects

[Passed_Pawn]

Hello. Can anyone offer any advice on how to light/photograph shiny surfaces? In particular, I like to take pictures of cigar bands on cigars. A good many of them are quite reflective as they're made out of gold foil and the like. Its really challenging to get it right. Any tips would be appreciated! Thanks!

I'm using a Canon 60D DSLR w/ a 24-70mm F2.8 lens. I dont have a filter affixed. I have a speed light but tend not to use it as it makes the situation worse. I tend to use natural light whenever possible. I cant get rid of the glare.

 

[JustJazzie]

I'm no expert, but I believe a light tent might be your best bet here!

 

[480sparky]

Buy a copy of Light, Science and Magic.

 

[TCampbell]

A shiny metal (or metal-like) surface is going to behave like a mirror and reflect whatever else is around. So... you control "whatever else is around".

A white foam-core board can be placed out of frame (you may need more than one) so that the white board is what reflects in the gold-toned band (you can also use black foam-core boards to minimize the reflection is you think it's stealing too much attention.)

Certainly you could use a "light tent" -- that means behind, left, right, and above are all white fabric (the material is "shoot through" meaning you can actually fire flash through the fabric and it'll act as a diffuser.)

You could even rig up a bed-sheet as your "white" surface that you hide out of frame (if this is a one-time-thing... sure... but if you plan to do lots of shots like this, then you probably want foam-core boards or a light tent.)

 

[Vtec44]

It's all about dealing with reflections. Do you want to completely eliminate the reflections or manage it?

 

[tirediron]

A polarizing filter may help.

 

[Passed_Pawn]

Thanks for all the advice!

TCambell: I'm going to try the black reflector. That's a good idea. I'd never considered using something that's not white. I've found that w/ foils, even reflected soft light creates glare.

Vtec44: I'm trying to manage it, really. Details on the foils are washed out by glare. I'd like to preserve the detail. Some shine would in fact be nice, just not so much that the details are gone.

tirediron: I'll look into the filter.

480Sparky: Thanks, I'm always up for a good informative read. I'll check it out!

 

[scorpion_tyr]

Bounce that speedlite off the wall or a ceiling. You want to diffuse the light as much as you can. Using an umbrella or softbox will help if you have one.

 

[Scatterbrained]

Hello. Can anyone offer any advice on how to light/photograph shiny surfaces? In particular, I like to take pictures of cigar bands on cigars. A good many of them are quite reflective as they're made out of gold foil and the like. Its really challenging to get it right. Any tips would be appreciated! Thanks!

I'm using a Canon 60D DSLR w/ a 24-70mm F2.8 lens. I dont have a filter affixed. I have a speed light but tend not to use it as it makes the situation worse. I tend to use natural light whenever possible. I cant get rid of the glare.

As TCambell pointed out, with shiny objects you're actually photographing the reflection, not the object. What I like to do with reflective objects is to bounce the light off of a sheet of foamcore. You can place the object, and then move the foamcore around and watch it's reflection in your subject. To make this really easy you can tether your camera to your phone/tablet/laptop and see "what the camera sees" as you move the white card around. This way you're not setting up, shooting, checking, adjusting, shooting, checking, etc. You'll know where your light is going to fall (and how) before you trip the shutter.

 

[Buckster]

Hello. Can anyone offer any advice on how to light/photograph shiny surfaces? In particular, I like to take pictures of cigar bands on cigars. A good many of them are quite reflective as they're made out of gold foil and the like. Its really challenging to get it right. Any tips would be appreciated! Thanks!

I'm using a Canon 60D DSLR w/ a 24-70mm F2.8 lens. I dont have a filter affixed. I have a speed light but tend not to use it as it makes the situation worse. I tend to use natural light whenever possible. I cant get rid of the glare.

As TCambell pointed out, with shiny objects you're actually photographing the reflection, not the object. What I like to do with reflective objects is to bounce the light off of a sheet of foamcore. You can place the object, and then move the foamcore around and watch it's reflection in your subject. To make this really easy you can tether your camera to your phone/tablet/laptop and see "what the camera sees" as you move the white card around. This way you're not setting up, shooting, checking, adjusting, shooting, checking, etc. You'll know where your light is going to fall (and how) before you trip the shutter.

Exactly right. I like to use my 10" tablet to see what I'm doing while getting set up for stuff like that.

 

[Passed_Pawn]

Hello. Can anyone offer any advice on how to light/photograph shiny surfaces? In particular, I like to take pictures of cigar bands on cigars. A good many of them are quite reflective as they're made out of gold foil and the like. Its really challenging to get it right. Any tips would be appreciated! Thanks!

I'm using a Canon 60D DSLR w/ a 24-70mm F2.8 lens. I dont have a filter affixed. I have a speed light but tend not to use it as it makes the situation worse. I tend to use natural light whenever possible. I cant get rid of the glare.

As TCambell pointed out, with shiny objects you're actually photographing the reflection, not the object. What I like to do with reflective objects is to bounce the light off of a sheet of foamcore. You can place the object, and then move the foamcore around and watch it's reflection in your subject. To make this really easy you can tether your camera to your phone/tablet/laptop and see "what the camera sees" as you move the white card around. This way you're not setting up, shooting, checking, adjusting, shooting, checking, etc. You'll know where your light is going to fall (and how) before you trip the shutter.

Thats a terrific idea! I'm going to give this a try! Thanks.