need help on reflection this product photo

[err]

Hi there, i am product photographer and i client has sent me this helmet to

take a photo of this helmet. I do not like the reflections on it, i am having

a hard time because it is like taking a photo of a mirror-ball.

 

I would like to get some advice on how to take a photo of this, and that will

be more than helpful..<div></div>

[brooks short]

Gregg, your link doesn't work. You can have a photo show in this forum by making a jpeg 5" wide at 100ppi and giving it a name/caption.

 

Try again.

[mpalmquist]

Gregg the link does not work.

 

But from my own problems with chromed parts this may work out for your 'mirror ball' problem. Build up a box of white fabric a few feet larger in each dimension than the helmet to give some space and place this over the helmet and shoot through a small hole in one side or the top of the box. This yeilds a nearly perfectly boring white reflection, if you are looking to control reflections but still have some interest setup a larger 'box' say 6'-10' cube just to control the amount of area where reflections would come from and leave some items for texture in the reflections.

[err]

I apologize for the wrong all the typos earlier, i was in a rush.

 

i hope this link/photo works now.

 

I bought a white shooting tent for this one, I thought it will reslove the issue. But it still did not, the reflections are still there. I am thinking, will a black lighting tent work? Cause even if i will just break even with all these lighting tent purchases, well, its better to know how to get it done. thanks for all your help.

 

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[mpalmquist]

That curve is going to be tough, I found a couple links that might help out. Sorry I do not have that much experience with this kind of shot.

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00BjHh&tag=

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00FpgD

[garry edwards]

This is a difficult subject, convex surfaces always are

 

Basically you have to accept that there is going to be a reflection - it's unavoidable, and if you remove it on the computer then the shot won't look real, simply because there are reflections in real life.

 

As you've discovered, a light tent is probably the worst possible solution - getting the diffusion material much closer would have helped, but the dead look produced by light tents isn't going to sell many helmets...

 

Basically there are 3 separate approaches, which can be combined if required.

 

You can use a very large, diffused light source as close as humanly possible to the subject - this will create a diffused specular highlight. Normally, a softbox at least x3 the size of the subject is needed, but not for a convex shape, where a much larger light source is needed.

 

You can use the highlight as a design element, not as a fault

 

And you can create more than just an even, diffused specular highlight.

 

These links explain in detail.

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=008yRX

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Aif6

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=007tNJ

[brooks short]

Gregg,

 

As Garry said, a very large diffused light source overhead, just out of the frame would be the place to start.

 

That is an oddly unattractive camera angle for photographing a helmet. Take a look at the ads in some motorcycle magazines to see how helmets are properly photographed and lit.

[err]

Oh yes, I agree that it is a bad angle, this was just the test shot with the lighting tent. As for the softbox, i have a 48" octabox and 30" square softbox. I will shoot it again with the light comming from the top. thanx for all the advice. But I will keep on checking this message board, and will post the final result. ..

 

thankx

gregg