# Black/White Glass For Reflective Product Photos



## CrazyChef (Aug 13, 2017)

Looking for 12x12 pieces.  2 black and 2 white (in case I break one).  Any idea where I can find it?  I've tried both glass and tile websites, but it doesn't seen to exist in a pure black or pure white highly reflective glass.


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## CrazyChef (Aug 14, 2017)

Huh, no answers yet.  Am I stuck using acrylic?


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## Destin (Aug 14, 2017)

I think the standard for this is acrylic or plexiglass. Looks the same and is far more durable. 

You can generally purchase large pieces of it at a local hardware store, or you can buy purpose made pieces online.


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## Braineack (Aug 14, 2017)

yeah, you don't want glass as the surface.  use plexiglass.


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## Light Guru (Aug 14, 2017)

CrazyChef said:


> it doesn't seen to exist in a pure black or pure white highly reflective glass.



You don't need black or white glass.  Simply put black or white paper underneath the glass.


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## Braineack (Aug 15, 2017)

Plexiglass photographs well, and won't shatter on your when you drop your products.  It is however, susceptible to scratching. 

mostly, glass-glass can give you a nervous double-reflection because not only does the top surface reflect light, but so does the space between.


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## CrazyChef (Aug 16, 2017)

Okay, thanks for the input folks.  Acrylic/Plexiglas it is then.  I was just trying to avoid a scratchable surface, and glass also seems to attract less dust.  I had also considered the black/white underneath a piece of clear glass, but was wary of the possibility of a double reflection.


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## FotosbyMike (Aug 21, 2017)

I use black table top glass from Ikea and it works awesome, no reflection issues and it is cheap.

For Plexiglass leave the plastic layer on one side so when there are to many scratches on the side you are using you peel and have a pristine side.

And you really don't need white, with the proper light setup you can make black white. This is because of incident of reflection, learned this during a workshop with Rob Grimm.


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## smoke665 (Aug 21, 2017)

Clear Plexi works great with any color under it. For black I prefer cloth or foam core, over paper, as you occasionally will get some specular highlights from the paper. If you use cloth it's easy to continue out from behind as a backdrop. However, if you do this, spend some time polishing the back edge of plexi with increasingly fine grit wet/dry paper (auto parts store). I'll go up to 1000 grit then finish it with rubbing compound. If you don't polish the edge it will show up.


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## MidnightUK (Sep 2, 2017)

Kitchen chopping/cutting/presentation boards are often non shatter glass.


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## vannguyen255 (Sep 10, 2019)

I hate the most to photograph something white, clear, glass ... I probably do not have enough experience to deal with these materials.
Most images I shoot come out ugly.


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## Sharpshooterr (Apr 2, 2020)

smoke665 said:


> Clear Plexi works great with any color under it. For black I prefer cloth or foam core, over paper, as you occasionally will get some specular highlights from the paper. If you use cloth it's easy to continue out from behind as a backdrop. However, if you do this, spend some time polishing the back edge of plexi with increasingly fine grit wet/dry paper (auto parts store). I'll go up to 1000 grit then finish it with rubbing compound. If you don't polish the edge it will show up.



Commercially the edges of plastic is flamed with a torch, not grit polished like stone. 
Certainly, you could handle a little fire?!? LoL
SS


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