having some difficulty lighting beer cans

mary_beth_schlitzer · May 11, 2012

Yeah, this project has definitely made me thirsty =)

I am photographing a collection of vintage beer cans, but i am looking for maybe some advice on lighting setup. This is my current results.

The owner of the collection is not too thrilled with the reflections, particularly the line through the middle which is where I am shooting the can from. I am at a bit of a loss, without the white reflection the can looks rather dull

Here is my current setup: overhead softbox, shooting on top of white tile board with a reflector on each side and 2 lights hitting the backdrop to blow it out.

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Charles_Webster · May 11, 2012

Buy and read the book "Light - Science & Magic" It explains how to light and shoot shiny, cylindrical objects like beer cans.

Remember that when you shoot reflective objects, you are photographing the things that are reflected in the surface. And that angle of incidence equals angle of reflection. Both combine to make shooting shiny cylinders difficult.

<Chas>

mark_sirota1 · May 11, 2012

Use a shift lens. Consider shooting from above with the lens shifted up, so that you can place a white reflector below the camera.

You can do this with a standard lens too -- just move the camera up, don't re-aim so now the can is in the bottom half of the frame. Crop away the top of the frame in post.

nathansanborn · May 11, 2012

I would consider using a bounce card in the front (cut a hole out for the lens) and maybe use a slightly darker card on one

side to give some fill yet still show depth. But I SUCK at lighting still life.

The Set Shop has some amazing lighting tutorials specifically about still life photography. They're done by photo.net

member Steve Sint and they're fantastic.

tom_rittenhouse1 · May 11, 2012

The kind of lighting you are using is used for dramatic advertising style photos. I do not think that is what the collector wants. Try a light tent, yep bland as heck, probably just what is wanted. A tilt/shift lens may also help (there is a reason view cameras were king of the hill for decades in doing work like this).

User_5888660 · May 11, 2012

I second the recommendation to read "Light Science and Magic." It provides great detail on how to light reflective objects. We can give all sorts of suggestions, but you have to decide how you want the final photograph to look. Once you decide, you can apply the principals outlined in the book and get the look you want.

franklin_white · May 12, 2012

There is a chapter in the book Light Science and Magic where a guy is trying to remove the reflection of himself and the camera from a shot of a bowl of ornaments. You probably need to do what he did.

brooks short · May 12, 2012

In addition to Mark Sirota's excellent advice you could shoot from a low camera position looking up at the can (position the can on the front edge of your table. Place a white card in front of your camera, just out of view to reflect back into the front of the can. Use a long focal length lens to minimize any distortion from the camera not being level and straighten the verticals in PS.

The reason to shoot from a low rather than high camera position is if you don't want to show the top of the can. A tilt/shift lens would allow you to shoot from a low or high position while keeping the camera level.

rodeo_joe1 · May 12, 2012

The issue is that you need a hole in your front reflector or light-tent for the camera lens to see through. While this can be small, it's still going to reflect off the shiny can. This isn't going to be easy to get rid of, and using a shift lens may not cure it completely, but only move the reflection of the camera lens around or further up or down the can.

One way around this is to set a piece of flat glass (although an ND filter square is better) at 45 degrees in front of the lens and shine a small light at right angles to the camera to illuminate the glass. With some juggling of light levels you should be able to match the glass reflection with the front reflector brightness - but it ain't easy! Then you may have to deal with a little flare off the glass if it isn't perfectly aligned and clean.

marc_batters · May 13, 2012

Mary, Maybe you could find some solutions to your situation from Steve Stint's tutorials, accessed from previous threads in the 'Lighting Forum,' right here on P-Net.

His fourth tutorial in the series should be out soon...I hope.

Marc

http://www.photo.net/photography-lighting-equipment-techniques-forum/00aCic

http://setshoptutorials.com/item/6-anatomy-of-a-still-life

http://setshoptutorials.com/

mary_beth_schlitzer · May 14, 2012

Thanks everyone for your advice and input! It has been a fun, but frustrating project and the learning definitely never ends. I will post up a final result when I get to that point.

david_john_appleton · July 26, 2012

put the can in the deep freezer un till very cold take it out, breath on it ,your breath will condensate making it not shiny so no reflections and you will get a chilled beer look :)

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having some difficulty lighting beer cans

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