Photographing mirrors....Help!

[rosie777]

Does anyone have any secrets they can share re shooting mirrors? I recently started a small business where I tile mirrors. I'm at a point where I need pictures I can use for print and the web. So far, the best shots I've taken are outside (and those are nothing to speak of).

What's best, in vs. outdoors, flash vs. natural light, etc.? I have my trusty D60, a 540ez, an assortment of lenses and 3 lights I can use for key and fill lighting.

My problem indoors is that there is always a relection of something I don't want to see in the mirror (ie whatever's on the opposite wall). When I went outdoors, the sky was relected in the mirror, which was kind of nice.

I'm a fairly good landscape photographer, but give me some studio/product photgraphy and I'm lost :confused:

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Rosie

[arpi]

Hi,

If the mirror is not very large I would use a large light (studio light) so that the reflection completely fills the mirror and you will not see any other thing. I would also try outside of the family of angles (ie. avoid direct mirror reflection of a small light source). Also, if you use a polarized filter you will avoid glare (polarized reflection).

This type of info can be read in the book "Light Science & Magic," which I am reading at the moment.

Cheers

[robertwgross]

Go get yards and yards of black fabric or black paper, and cover the walls where you don't want reflections.

Black velvet is the best for being anti-reflective, but it is also pricey in any quantity.

---Bob Gross---

[rosie777]

So, it seems the consensus is to shoot indoors. Thanks, I'll give it another try.
The light and black velvet are great tips, too. I'll try them both.

Thanks Arpi and Bob for your input!

Rosie :)

[robertwgross]

Do you get the 540EZ to work very well on a D60?

Any -EZ flash is not terribly compatible with flash modes on a D60.

---Bob Gross---

[rosie777]

Honestly, I haven't used it with this camera yet. :o I have used it a couple of times with an Elan IIe, but that was light years ago.

It should be interesting!

Rosie

[tucked]

I have heard of covering mirrors with hairspray to avoid reflection. I think that it would only work good for a photo with a mirror in it... not specifically a photo of a mirror.:cry:

[robertwgross]

Honestly, I haven't used it with this camera yet.

-EZ series flash units were very good on Canon film cameras. However, for Canon digitals like a D60, you really want -EX flashes. Let me know if that combination works at all.

---Bob Gross---

[PhotosGuy]

My problem indoors is that there is always a relection of something I don't want to see in the mirror (ie whatever's on the opposite wall). You could use PS, select the areas of the mirrors that you don't want to see, & blur them. Or, do the rational thing & select a DOF that has the mirrors sharp & the reflection OOF? ;-)

[d'homme]

Do a manual focus too. Your cam is gonna try to focus on the reflected object, and not the mirror it self.

[DwightMcCann]

Use a tripod rather than flash.

[rosie777]

Thanks for all the great tips! I shot a couple today, just to see what I'm up against. For some reason, outdoors turns out better for me (although still not nearly where I'd like them to be). The mirrors with irridescent glass are proving to be the hardest to capture.

Bob, you were right, the EZ flash refused to function! The best shots I got were without any flash, anyway--I'm using the tripod, Dwight--so far so good as far as that's concerned. I'm going to try manual focus tomorrow. These are not quite as sharp as I'd like.

I'll put a couple up later after I've had a chance to see what I can do with PS.

Thanks again for all your help. I really appreciate it!

Rosie