Love glass, but hate the reflections? Learn the secrets to get it right

Mix sand and high heat together, and you form one of mankind’s most durable and intriguing substances—glass that can be one of the most difficult subjects to shoot. Unwanted reflections can ruin even the most well-designed compositions. But you can get a good shot,the answer is found not in what you shoot, but in how you light it. Let’s take an in-depth look at how you can masterfully shoot glass surfaces, avoid unwanted reflections, and create the pleasing result you want.

Choose and study your subject

Since glass comes in just about every shape and color imaginable, trying to cover every shooting possibility would be impossible. But most glass surfaces react to light in similar ways, so our setups should serve you well for most situations.

First, choose a subject. While a cut glass or crystal example will certainly do, an ordinary item you have, such as dessert dish, will be fine for a test subject. It’s simple in shape, and its geometric decoration makes it an interesting challenge to light.

Once you’ve selected an example, study it. Pick it up and look at it from all sides and directions. Few things to think about as you make your examination:

• Look from the top, at eye level, and even underneath. Note how light passes through different areas of the glass.

Look for an interesting angle,—one that you’ve never seen photographed before. .

Ask yourself: What is the purpose of the shot? .

Read well the shape and pattern ,it should not be buried or obscured by props that you might use to compose the shot. How will you light the product optimally? .

If it’s a concept shot, pre-visualize how it will appear in relationship to the other objects in the scene. .

After examining your subject,you can have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish, now you’re ready to compose the shot and set the lighting.

Careful composition

Have an initial idea as to how you want to present it in the final image, you’re ready to frame your shot:

Place your subject on your tabletop and adjust its location. For example, keep things as simple as possible and place the dish in the center of a medium gray seamless cloth.

Mount your camera on a tripod, adjust its location relative to your subject, and then frame your shot.

Turn on at least one light placed to either the left or right side of your subject and view it in your viewfinder or LCD.

Now you can begin to light your subject.

Light to avoid distracting reflections

Avoiding reflections from transparent glass is impossible. Reflected light is, after all, what defines its shape. But avoiding unwanted reflections isn’t impossible when you take the time to control your lighting.

Black line lighting

Black line lighting, which uses the color of the predominate reflection as its basis, is not only the most dramatic lighting, but it also the easiest to achieve:

Select a single flood or scoop-type light and position it close to the optical axis of the lens in front of your camera.

Aim the lamp head so the light reflects off the seamless background behind your subject.

Avoid shining light directly on your subject to avoid hotspots.

White line lighting

White line lighting, where the highlights make up the brightest part of the image, is the most elegant lighting. However, it requires a bit more adjustment to obtain:

Select a single flood or scoop-type light and position it either to the left or right side of your subject in front of your camera.

Position a large white reflector card or reflector flat on the same side as you’ve placed your light, at about 90 degrees to the optical axis of your lens.

Aim the lamp head so the light reflects off the card or flat. Avoid shining light directly on your subject.

For a variation, you may wish to place another card or flat to the side of your subject opposite the first card or flat.

Ambient lighting

Ambient lighting is the flattest lighting and is the most ambitious to produce. You can create it in one of two ways: via reflectors or a tent.

To employ reflector lighting:

Place three white card reflectors or white flats around your subject, one to the left side, one to the right side, and one above your setup.

Select three flood or scoop-type lights and position one to the left, one to the right, and one in front of your camera.

Aim the left lamp head so the light reflects off the left card or flat. Aim the right lamp head so the light reflects off the right card or flat.

Aim the center lamp head so the light reflects off the top card or flat. Avoid shining light directly on your subject.

To employ tent lighting:

1. Select two flood or scoop-type lights and position one equidistant on either side of your subject. Aim each lamp head so the light shines directly on your subject.

Arc a large piece of frosted acetate over but out of view from your subject. Place the sheet between your subject and your lights.

In place of the frosted acetate, substitute a large white sheet of paper or cloth.

Light box lighting

Light box lighting is easy to control. You place your subject on the light box and compose your shot. The only disadvantage to this technique is the hard line formed by the edge of the light box.

 

To steer clear of this, either shoot at a high enough angle to avoid the edge, or place a seamless sheet of white translucent acetate or plastic as a background over the light box.

Meet the challenge of shooting glass

Although we’ve described each lighting setup separately. The key, however, to lighting glass is to keep things simple—the more lights you use, the greater the chances are you’ll have distracting reflections. In addition, as you work, you should always be open to discovery. A slight change in camera angle, subject position, or reflector position many times gives a better result.

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