# "Product" style photography question



## tevo (Feb 27, 2013)

I have been tasked with taking photos of a saxophone mouthpiece for a client, to be posted on their website as well as ebay ads. They have asked for a black background, and so far I haven't had any luck. 







This was after a decent amount of photoshopping of the background, the edges still look flawed and it doesn't look quite right. (nothing has been delivered to the client yet and this was not complete, I just exported it in its current state for the purpose of this thread.) I'm not totally satisfied with the lighting either. I had two strobes diffused through umbrellas on either side of it with a third fired from the front. The backdrop was black commando cloth, which was a bad idea in retrospect as all the fuzz and hair was visible. What would be the best way to set up this shot? I have continuous lights / softboxes as well... didn't try using those.


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## Helen B (Feb 27, 2013)

You could do with some white reflectors close in and behind the mouthpiece, to form a bright edge. Photoshop them out later. It might help if they lit up the (camera) left side of the mouthpiece as well. Although I use silver reflectors most of the time, I often use white for brass to avoid overbright specular reflections. I'd be inclined to do it with just one softbox to camera right, and two or three reflectors, but there are many ways of doing it.


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## tevo (Feb 27, 2013)

Helen B said:


> You could do with some white reflectors close in and behind the mouthpiece, to form a bright edge. Photoshop them out later. It might help if they lit up the (camera) left side of the mouthpiece as well. Although I use silver reflectors most of the time, I often use white for brass to avoid overbright specular reflections. I'd be inclined to do it with just one softbox to camera right, and two or three reflectors, but there are many ways of doing it.



I will definitely try this out! Would black seamless work better as a backdrop?


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## Helen B (Feb 27, 2013)

If you want a pure black, and if you get the lighting right with bright edges that give good separation, black paper will be fine. I'm guessing that you will Photoshop it to pure black if you don't get it lit (or unlit) to black.


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## tevo (Mar 4, 2013)

Helen B said:


> If you want a pure black, and if you get the lighting right with bright edges that give good separation, black paper will be fine. I'm guessing that you will Photoshop it to pure black if you don't get it lit (or unlit) to black.



Thank you for the reply! I will post results when I re shoot it.


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