Suggestions on lighting/backdrop of crystal/glass award

[john_ray3]

I have been asked to photograph 3 awards constructed of

glass/crystal for a clients web site. The lettering is a

combination of white, cream, gold and black. I have the awards in

a "white tent" and I have tried a lighter backdrop and lose the

white lettering, same with black, and a multi colored muslin which

looks distracting thru the glass of the award. I'm looking for

lighting and backdrop suggestions. All ideas and help are

appreciated! Thx! John<div></div>

[garry edwards]

Ditch the light tent, use a large soft light source to get very diffused highlights, shoot against a neutral (grey) background and backlight the lettering. If the lettering is engraved it may also help to skim a honeycomb grid across it at a very acute angle.

 

Hope this helps

[peufeu]

use a grey/black background far away from the subject, and position the light to the side / a bit to the front. I found this works well.

[david_beal___richmond_hts.]

Have you tried setting it on top of a light box? Cover the box with black construction paper and cut an opening in the paper which is just a millimeter narrower than the base of the award. Use a black background.

 

If you need more light, you can use the same idea, substituting a conventional strobe for the fluorescent light. This requires more fussing (you have to build a small table with a diffusion top, provide legs long enough to accomodate the strobe, a mounting device for the strobe, and shielding for the extraneous light)but that works, too.

 

Good shooting.

 

/s/ David Beal ** Memories Preserved Photography, LLC