Photographing silver

[dragan]

Thank you for your help in advance. I really appreciate this forum!

I will have to photography a silver set for a catalogue. Knives, spoons etc. but also bigger stuff. It seems like a nightmare to me. Ok, I figured out that it looks stupid when there are no reflections at all (just light tent). So how do you guys handle that. I've read that you should put some small black boards in the light tent and modell with them. But anyway...I'm not yet that far.

A friend borrowed me a light tent which did cost ca. 300$. But the results really suck, because it's not completly round and you still see the reflections of the right and left "wall". It also looks really boring.

I thought that the perfect light tent should be something like a big translucent ball with a hole inside. So I was thinking to build one myself but couldn't find the right material.

Then I found this on Internet: http://www.clouddome.com/

It's really expensive for what it is I think.

I also found this article: http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/reflect.htm

The second graphic looks like something I would like to try realising

Its going to be a reference project. It's big luck I could get this job and they will pay me around 5000$ if I get it right. I've got one month to learn that and a otherwise fully equiped studio from a friend where I've been hanging around the last months to learn all about photography...except still live :-)

So pros, (and I know that's the place where you are writing). I would love if you could provide me with some good tips about that to make the learning process easier for me)

How do you do this and do you like the cloud dome???

[Bruce Hamilton]

I thought that the perfect light tent should be something like a big translucent ball with a hole inside. So I was thinking to build one myself but couldn't find the right material.
What I would do in your situation is show my client the CloudDome web site, and explain to him that "In order to provide you the best service possible, I need to purchase...", while pointing out the items you suspect you might need. If he wants you to do your best quality work, he shouldn't balk at picking up your necessary expenses. Good luck.

[Scottes]

Personally I don't think Bruce's suggestion is right. If I were the client I would then get the idea that you were a rinky-dinky little amateur and move on. It would be a tell-tale sign that you have no idea what you're doing since you don't already own a light tent. The option here would be to get a "retainer" - enough to cover the cost of the light tent. Just my opinion.


But there are other options. White "sateen" fabric is a good choice. Relatively see-through, shiny on the inside so light bounces around a lot. Make a frame of some sort to make a half-dome (or use those bendable tent poles). Shine a light through one side and a dimmer light through the other. You should get a nice even lighting that's very diffuse. I was using a couple of those 2'x4' flourescent ceiling lights, bending them into a dome. These are a cheap ways to get that "no reflections/light tent" look. There are others, of course.

I think a lot of professional light tents are sold because they don't change the color of the light. But this doesn't really matter if you use digital because you can change light temp if you use RAW, or just set a customer White Balance if not. They are also very good at bouncing the light around. But you can do it much cheaper.


As to using black boards for modeling it's a good idea if you do it right. I like to use "foam core" available from an office supply store like Staple. Its small and light and easy to cut into different shapes. I use 10-gauge wire to hold it in the position I want - stick on end of the wire into the center of the foam core and bend the wire to hold it in position. I'd think that it would take some experimentation. (I also do this wire-and-foam-core thing for white reflectors.)

Oh, you may find that plain foam core doesn't absorb enough light - it's black but it's still a little shiny. If so, pick up some black velvet or microfiber cloth from a fabric store and glue this to the foam core or even a peice of cardboard. You could also spray-paint cardboard to make unltra-cheap absorbers and reflectors.


The thing I don't like about light tents is the lack of shadows to define shape. I'd rather use a softbox on one side and then use reflectors to fill in the other side. Use other, dimmer soft boxes to accent or fill in any details. Use black reflectors to absorb stray light so you don't get unwanted reflections or highlights. Get a large piece of black foam core and cut a hole large enough for your lens, and shoot from behind that black piece. Now you won't get reflections from you or your equipment. A large piece of black material hung around the sides of the room will cut out any other unwanted reflections.

So now you're in total control of the light and reflections. So setup so objects to reflect. A dimly-lit vase of flowers can produce a nice diffused reflection on a larger piece. (You can even just use a picture of flowers, really.) Get some small piece of colored (or even colorful or flowered) material from a fabric store. Put them off to one side out of camera view and light them a little to create a touch of color as a reflection. There's probably a million things you could do.

[PhotosGuy]

What Scottes said, plus this:
Art supplies stores used to have a translucent material used by draftsmen. It’s tough, sort of ‘frosty’ & a neutral white so you can shine light through it without losing more than 1 stop. If you put a small flag (something black, or even a colored gel) between the light & the material, you can give the reflection a softer edge than if it were on the other side, depending on how close it is.
Lot’s of stuff to play with!

[Scottes]

Good call PhotosGuy. Tracing paper - I like the 16-25lb vellum sort, smooth finish. Check them first - I forget which brand my wife gives me. But you should be able to tell which lets a lot of light through.

To make a large softbox from a smaller light use 2 sheets of the thinner stuff and find a way to separate them by a couple/few inches. The problem is when you use a 6" light and try to make a 12" softbox using a single sheet you get an 8" circle of light on the object-side of the softbox. By doubling and spacing the sheets you can get a nice 12" softbox. You lose a lot of light but the double diffusion makes it nice and soft and big.


Also - if you stretch it big enough - white pantyhose will soften a light quite a bit. I wish I could find this material in 2'x2' pieces.

[dragan]

Hey, thank you very much guys. So I guess I will spend some time next weeks in the studio trying out all these things. Of course I would never tell them that I'm still an amateur. I think the best way of learning is trying, trying, trying, comparing results and trying again.

If there are still some adittional tips people could give (as an example a picture of a studio set up to or a picture of a self made light tent) I'm happy about any input. I begin to think, that the results of the light dome are anyway way too flat.

I think I will first try the approach with the softbox and the reflectors that scotch mentioned and then try to make a light tent and compare results.

Thanks

Michael

[Scottes]

See this thread:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=28176&highlight=spotlight

It's all about lighting and making a studio and hating boring flat lighting on small objects. There's a lot of great tips, and some excellent links to small lighting techniques and basic lighting techniques. I started it (I'm the moron in the title) and learned a lot from the people who replied there, thus allowing me to seem like I actually knew something. (Did I succeed?)


I'm just about done with my home Desktop Studio. 100% home-built from workshop scraps. I may even get to take a picture tonight. Lights, softboxes, reflectors, absorbers, snoots, accent lights, hair lights, background holder, background lights.... All there.

The chances of me taking a decent shot are slim, so don't hold your breath. :)

[PhotosGuy]

Also - if you stretch it big enough - white pantyhose will soften a light quite a bit. I wish I could find this material in 2'x2' pieces.

Ever tried using the rolls of fabric softener used in a clothes dryer? They aren't that wide, but are very long & heat resistant. Layer them. I suggest that you use the unscented ones!
:)
Good for diffusing flash, too.

Oh, that "translucent material used by draftsmen" also comes in a very tough, thin plastic & lasts a long time.

[dragan]

I would love to see your desktop table Scottes

[Scottes]

Oh, that "translucent material used by draftsmen" also comes in a very tough, thin plastic & lasts a long time.

Yeah, I saw another reference to a "frosted mylar" that sounds very interesting...

[Scottes]

I would love to see your desktop table Scottes

I've been really &%*^(*@# by work the last couple nights so I've had no time. Hopefully tonight I will finish it up. Alas, that thread over on Photo.net (the Specular Lighting one) gave me some ideas, so I might try them out, too.

That's typical - I may never actually "finish" this. But when I come close enough I'll post some pics.

[dragan]

Anybody else willed to share his knowledge about product photography ?