In many ways, photography of indoor objects is ideal for beginners and taking photos in your own home has the advantage of controlling the light and preventing the items from moving or running away. Taking photos indoors with your own tabletop studio is also an excellent way to learn more about light without time pressure.
But still life photography is not without frustrations and also has challenges. And if you've ever experimented with different objects indoors, you know that you sometimes consciously avoid certain subjects, such as those made of metal, glass or highly reflective plastic. These objects may seem difficult, if not impossible, to photograph well, because when you point a light at them, you get a harsh and white highlight where you want to show detail.
Photographing shiny or reflective objects can therefore be challenging due to the potential for glare and unwanted reflections. However, with the right techniques and attention to detail, you can take beautiful photos of these objects. Here are some tips to help you photograph shiny objects effectively.
Why it is so difficult to photograph shiny objects
To understand why highly reflective objects are so difficult to photograph, you first need to understand a few things about light and why it only seems to reflect on certain objects. The fact is that all objects reflect light. An object that reflects no light is said to be invisible. We need that reflected light to see the object.
Each light source emits a spectrum of colors. When this spectrum hits the surface of an object, some of those colors are absorbed and some penetrate the surface of that object just a little bit before being reflected back. It is those reflections that tell us what color an object has.
An object with a rough or matte surface reflects light just like an object with a shiny surface, but all those different surfaces and angles (no matter how small) reflect light at many different angles, scattering it. This is called "diffuse reflection" and makes the surface of an object look matte instead of glossy.
In contrast, a smooth, polished surface, such as glass or silverware, reflects light more predictably: the angle of incidence (the incoming light) and the angle of reflection (the outgoing light) have the same angles compared to all other angles of incidence/reflection, regardless of where the light falls on the object. That's what creates that shiny surface that is so difficult to photograph.
In any case, always make sure to clean the shiny object before photographing it. Make it clean and free of stains or fingerprints. This helps to get the reflections nice and clear and sharp.
Spreading the light
To remove those unwanted reflections from the surface of your shiny subject, you need to scatter the light before it actually reaches that reflective surface.
To minimize harsh reflections and glare, use a softbox, umbrella or other diffusers to create a soft, even light. Place the light source at an angle to the object, rather than pointed straight at it, to avoid direct reflections.
You can also use a light tent, a cube made of white, diffuse material. Place your subject inside the cube and the lights outside the tent. The white material will scatter the light, softening those reflections and making it much easier to photograph your subject.
If you don't have a light tent, you can also use a roll of diffusion paper. Place the paper between your subject and the light. You can then adjust the angle of the light and the distance between light and subject to change the shadows on the subject and make the object look more dramatic and/or three-dimensional.
Also choose the right background: a plain, non-reflective background helps minimize unwanted reflections and ensures that the focus is on the shiny object. Consider using a black or white background to create contrast and make the object stand out.
Camera settings and equipment
If you've already spent a lot of time taking photos in your table studio, you probably know that you should aim for a small aperture (large f-number) and a low ISO. That small aperture helps you get clarity from foreground to background, which is very important in any photo where your goal is to capture detail.
Remember that the closer you get to the subject, the less depth of field you can achieve, so small apertures are the only way to achieve clarity on the subject. Likewise, a low ISO is necessary for these close-ups because you don't want noise obscuring all that detail. High ISOs can also affect color brightness and tonal range, so choose a low number and stick with it.
A tripod is also needed. Firstly, because the combination of a low ISO and a small aperture may require you to use a slow shutter speed and hold the camera steady to avoid introducing camera shake into the shot.
Second, when you get very close to an object, it can be extremely difficult to maintain your point of focus. Just a small shift in position can mean the difference between a razor-sharp subject and one that's blurry in all the wrong places, so it's important to position the camera at a tripod when you find and lock the focus point.
You also need a cable or remote control, so that you don't have to touch the shutter button when you actually take the exposure. If your shutter speed is slow, any movement will cause camera shake - and that shake will even be magnified depending on how close you are to your subject. So you need something to release your shutter remotely.
If you don't have a remote shutter release, you can also use your camera's self-timer function. Set this to five seconds to stop the vibration between the moment you press the shutter button and the moment the exposure is actually taken.
If necessary, also use a polarizing filter. This is a type of camera filter that helps reduce reflections and glare while increasing color saturation and contrast in an image. This can be useful in occasional cases, but always ensure that the lighting is correct first, that is the basis.
What about larger objects?
Not every shiny object you want to photograph can be photographed indoors. There are also plenty of large, reflective objects and just because you have less control over the light doesn't mean you shouldn't photograph them.
For example, a new car is almost always polished, meaning its surface has the same properties as your grandmother's antique silverware. Now, of course, you can't place a roll of diffused paper between the sun and your car unless you have a very large roll of paper indeed, but you can choose to take pictures of that car when the light is ideal.
Clear, sunny days near noon are the worst times to take photos, and reflective subjects in particular will exhibit a lot of unwanted glare in these lighting conditions. Instead, focus on the hour just after sunrise or the hour just before sunset, when the light is naturally diffused and soft and doesn't require a giant roll of paper.
You can also choose a cloudy day. Some photographers call this particular lighting situation "nature's softbox" because the clouds do the same job as that roll of paper by diffusing the light before it reaches the subject.
Even the right light won't be enough to eliminate all those reflections, so you also have to pay close attention to what is reflected on the surface of the vehicle. First turn around and look what is behind you. If there's a big, ugly warehouse there, keep in mind that that warehouse will probably be reflected in your car's paintwork. Instead, try to orient yourself so that there is a large, open area behind you, such as a field. And make sure that you cannot be found in the paint either.
You can also focus only on details: instead of focusing on the entire object, you can choose to zoom in on a specific detail or interesting feature of the shiny object. This can help create a more intriguing and artistic photo.
Post-processing
Image editing software can be a powerful tool for reducing glare and reflections in photos of shiny objects. Search the best laptop to achieve the various techniques that can be used in post-processing as effectively as possible.
- Adjusting the Exposure: Lowering the overall exposure of the image can reduce the brightness of glossy areas and create a more balanced exposure.
- Applying a matte finish: A matte finish can be added to the image during post-processing to reduce the reflection of the glossy areas. This effect can be achieved by applying a matte texture or by adjusting the levels and curves of the image to reduce the brightness of the glossy areas.
- Dodge and burn: this is a technique in which certain parts of the image are selectively lightened or darkened. This can be used to darken the shiny areas and reduce their reflection.
- Using a dehaze (clarity) filter: This can be used to reduce the amount of haze or fog in an image, which can help make the shiny areas less reflective and more subdued.
It is important to note that while these techniques can be effective at reducing glare and reflections in photos, they should be used in moderation to ensure that the image looks natural and is not overly processed.
You can always look for the best buy for a laptop on which you will install post-processing software, but first remember that it is best to try to achieve the desired effect in camera through lighting and composition, rather than relying solely on post-processing.
Conclusion
Whether you're photographing cars or spoons, it's undoubtedly a challenge, but quite a fun one. In most cases, you'll find that a little experimentation yields the best results. Make sure you try different camera angles and different positions for the lights (if you have that option).
And remember that your goal is not to remove all types of reflection. Reflection is what creates highlights, and highlights work together with shadows to create an image that appears to exist in three dimensions. So it's fine to have a little reflection in your photo, but what you want to avoid are those bright, glaring hotspots. If you can tame it, a little residual reflection is certainly not a bad thing.
