# need help with photographing reflective products



## scz (Dec 21, 2009)

I am new to photography and am just learning things by trial and error. I need to photograph products for my company. Right now I am trying to get pictures of some large tiles. These need to be shown straigth on, as they will be used for a catalog, and need to be a standard "product" shot. The problem I am having is, these tiles are somewhat reflective and they are very dark in color, so even the coloring from my hand pushing the camera button is slightly showing up on the tile as a redish streak. I am looking for any tips anyone has for photographing refelctive materials straight on. Basicaly - (I am guessing this is an impossible feat) *how would you photograph a mirror, at zero degree of angle and not show the camera?*


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## skieur (Dec 21, 2009)

scz said:


> I am new to photography and am just learning things by trial and error. I need to photograph products for my company. Right now I am trying to get pictures of some large tiles. These need to be shown straigth on, as they will be used for a catalog, and need to be a standard "product" shot. The problem I am having is, these tiles are somewhat reflective and they are very dark in color, so even the coloring from my hand pushing the camera button is slightly showing up on the tile as a redish streak. I am looking for any tips anyone has for photographing refelctive materials straight on. Basicaly - (I am guessing this is an impossible feat) *how would you photograph a mirror, at zero degree of angle and not show the camera?*


 
Hopefully your tiles are not too large but the usual approach is a dome reflector on a light box and you stick the camera lens only through the top of the dome.

skieur


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## scz (Dec 21, 2009)

Thank you for responding.  I am pretty ignorant of any and all photography terms, so would you mind clarifing further.  When you say light box, is that refering to something like a photobooth?  Where you place items inside, close the dorr and shoot from a hole in the top?  If that is the case, we do not have a photo booth - so is there another option?  And a dome refelector, I am assuming is kind of self expanatory, but where could i find one of those?  Again thank you


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## MrRamonG (Dec 21, 2009)

Maybe a polarizer filter?


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## icassell (Dec 21, 2009)

This book approaches problems like this in a very readable format:

Amazon.com: Light: Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting (9780240808192): Fil Hunter, Steven Biver, Paul Fuqua: Books


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## skieur (Dec 21, 2009)

A light box is a wooden box with a daylight fluorescent light at the bottom with a piece of transluscent plastic over the top anchored by a simple frame of some sort. You can either make one or perhaps buy one in a photo supply store.

A reflective dome comes in different sizes and shapes and they are available at photo supply places as well. You would need one that fits easily over your tile. It does not need to fit tightly. So dome on top of tile as in surrounding it...on top of light box.

Basically the light comes up from the light box and reflects off the dome, back onto the tile. You put your camera through the hole at the top, frame the tile and take the photo. You may need to take your camera into the store and the tile to try out the framing and make sure that everything is the right size. An 18mm to 50mm macro lens would be ideal for shooting this.

Hope this info. helps.

skieur


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## the Virginian (Dec 21, 2009)

scz said:


> The problem I am having is, these tiles are somewhat reflective and they are very dark in color, so even the coloring from my hand pushing the camera button is slightly showing up on the tile as a redish streak.


Try wearing a dark, nonreflective glove. Changing your camera settings so that the exposure is slow enough that your moving hand doesn't photograph is another option. 



> *how would you photograph a mirror, at zero degree of angle and not show the camera?*


You would need a lens or camera with a front shift function ($$$$). You set up to the side, out of view, then move the lens to pick up the subject. You can also shoot through a hole in a white sheet straight on, then clone the camera reflection out. The exposure or lighting would have to be balanced between reproducing the subject and overexposing the sheet so you don't have to clone it out along with the camera.


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