# Photographing Footwear



## candylover (Jan 14, 2010)

Hello,
I'm new to photography and looking to learn more. I'm beginning to photograph footwear. However the look I'm trying to achieve is shown in the above picture. Do you think the photographer used a platform for the boots to reflect or is it some kind of software for creating that effect.

The picture you will see below. It's obviously mine. Please let me know what I will need. I greatly appreciate it!


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## Iron Flatline (Jan 14, 2010)

What a wonderful shoe, did you design it`? 

What are you looking for, the reflective mirror look underneath the shoe?


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## candylover (Jan 14, 2010)

I wish I did. I sell them...
Yes, I'm looking for the reflective mirror. Is that a photo effect or a platform of some sort?
Thank you for your help!


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## Derrel (Jan 14, 2010)

It can be done in post as an effect, or it can be done in-camera by positioning the product on top of white Plexiglas or another reflective surface,so that the reflection occurs naturally. On-line photo educator Zack Arias has a wonderful free web-based tutorial on how to shoot for a clean white background using Plexi for a naturally-occurring reflection. Almost any 1980's commercial photography or still-life guidebook will show you numerous examples of how to achieve this look in-camera. This is an example of many types of commercial photography where the "old-school" methods are well-documented in books and articles that were published before the widespread advent of scanning, and later, digital capture.


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## C.Lloyd (Jan 19, 2010)

And maybe it's just the monitor I'm using, but in that top photo, I can't make out any detail other than the black bottom of the boot, the stitching on the side and a tiny bit of the heel of her right foot.


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## MasFotos (Jan 29, 2010)

C.Lloyd said:


> And maybe it's just the monitor I'm using, but in that top photo, I can't make out any detail other than the black bottom of the boot, the stitching on the side and a tiny bit of the heel of her right foot.




Looks good to me


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## LearnMyShot (Feb 12, 2010)

When shooting with a white background you subject needs to be slightly darker or it's lost. Basically your shoe is over lit.....try lighting from the sides more...then use a black card, taller than the shoe and 6" wide slightly behind and off to the side...it will strengthen the edges of the shoe...it's a little hard to explain here, but try it and you will see.


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## mediaspin360 (Jun 22, 2010)

I was wondering if anyone has shot the bottom soles for footwear, if so how do you do it? I was thinking getting one of the shoe display stands and flip the shoe over and take it from the top down. Any other ideas?


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