Topic: Taking pics of chrome with no reflection?

I have to take some pics of a few of our products that are chrome. Is there some secret to taking these pics without getting teh reflection of myself in there? I can probably Photshop it out but there are A LOT of pics that I would have to do this with.

Thanks in advance!

Later,

C:\


~Binary is best~

All I can think of is angles.

Honestly though, that's like asking how to not see yourself when looking into a mirror

"Nothin' like a pro-stabbin' from a pro." -Weadah

yeah I kind of figured that. I didn't know if there was something that could be done though.

So how do they do it in the movies?

Thanks for the help .

Later,

C:\


~Binary is best~

quote:

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So how do they do it in the movies?

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a-wha?

"Nothin' like a pro-stabbin' from a pro." -Weadah

Well in my experance it's a common problem on jewelry and on chrome/reflective product shots. Many times It's left up to me to retouch the shot to remove lights, camera, and sometimes (Pisses me off to no end.) the photographer. The stylest and photographer try to shoot at angles and postion lights to avoid this problem, but it's sometimes just not possiable. It's just one of primary fuctions of the comercial retoucher. Expecially if you do Jewelry catalogs. You should try shooting some chrome toasters. Now there's a real pain in the ass.


J. Stuart J.

double post,

[This message has been edited by jstuartj (edited 12-20-2003).]

There are lighting tents you can buy for doing such product shots. Basically, they're diffusion boxes that go around the product instead of the lights.

Ah, here we go ...

Also search for something called the Cloud Dome.

(Edit: Updating link.)



(Edited by Wes on 05-19-2004 15:51)

synax: I mean when they are doing camera shots of people in front of mirrors and stuff. I remember hearing or seeing something on it but can't remember. I think I will just see if I can PS it out of the photo.

jstuartj: thanks......i guess that is the route I am going to have to go.

Those look like they would be really nice Wes. I am not sure my boss will spring for it but I will run it by him. Thanks

Later,

C:\


~Binary is best~

I'm sure there was an Asylum discussion along these line only a few weeks ago, with links to some"el cheapo" light tent setups. I have searched for an hour and a half and am just confusing myself now. Perhaps one of the other inmates will recall the occasion. The upshot was that, as Wes has pointed to, the light sources need to be as muted as possible and camera angles set with extra care; the rest is Photoshop. Good Luck!

By far the easiest way to take a photo of something relfective without having you reflected in the shot is to become a vampire. It's not hard, just wander around Sunnydale late at night wearing bright clothing and yelling 'Eat me!'

Another way would be to minimise as many of the reflections you don't want "in the viewfinder" before the shot. Then if you use a tripod you take yourself out of the reflection, either by using a shutter release cable or the self timer. Finally, If you take more than one photo of the same subject, but just slightly alter the angles so there are different reflections shown, you will be better able to alter it in PhotoShop using references from all the photos.

Skarjj: as much as i think that would be cool......i don't think it would be the best route

Taobaybee: I don't think i can do it that way because my digi cam doesn't have a way of using a timre
I'll have to check into it.

Thanks for the help though.

Later,

C:\


~Binary is best~

I'd say the hours you would save in retouching would be well worth the 50 or 60 bucks you'd spend on a lighting tent. And if you need them, you can get a couple hot lights real cheap.

And you could use this with all your products for nice, even lighting.




[This message has been edited by Wes (edited 12-21-2003).]

best way i have photographed chrome with little to no reflection ... is use as much natural light on an overcast day as possible .. with just a hint of diffused light reflected twards the object to remove shadows .. but not cause a glare .... then i get far enough away so that i (the photographer) am not easily visible in the reflection and take the photo ... there is very little touch up needed afterwards...

-=My Photos=-

They had a similar problem filming a scene in T2:

"There is a scene where Sarah and John Conner take out the CPU from the Terminator's head so that it can be set to 'write' as opposed to 'read only'. This involves cutting open his head and removing the CPU chip, which they do in front of a mirror. The camera tracks around showing that there is a massive whole in Schwarzenegger's head as he sits in front of the mirror, now how did they do that? Simple, there was no mirror. The Schwarzenegger in front of the camera is a puppet, the mirror is clear and the real Schwarzenegger sits opposite. Linda Hamilton (Sarah Conner) is also in front of the camera probing the puppet's head, her twin sister (sheesh) is in the fake mirror doing the same thing to the real Schwarzenegger. Confused? This took much rehearsal to get the movements the same so that they looked like reflections, and then it was cut from the theatrical release. Typical."
source(no pictures)

Maybe take the photo from behind a white sheet with a hole cut for the lense ? Not a great solution but will you get you out of the photo mostly.
Or it could turn out to be a laugh "Whos the ghost on everypage of the silverware catalogue ?"

I remember reading an article on doing this with video at cgchannel.com or at gfxartist.com. It's nearly the same process you use with a camera to show things like non-reflecting vampires.