Shooting Reflections...

[ChrisAdval]

Question 1: I used a polarizer but seemed not to take away much of any reflections for some reason, is there a difference on the power of taking away reflections from cheap polarizers than expensive polarizers?

Question 2: In post processing is there any techinques you use and recommend for easy removal of reflections?

I would prefer to learn to avoid reflections either using post processing or/and filters on the lens and not play with the light right now at least...


Apple Juice Product Shot 01 by Chris Adval, on Flickr


Apple Juice Product Shot - BTS 02 by Chris Adval, on Flickr

[zona5101]

Polarizers can't remove all reflections. They will work on indirect reflections of polarized light. They won't work on direct reflections like from mirrors, metallic surfaces - they can reduce some of the indirect polarized light within those reflections. Sometimes the only solution is to apply polarizing filters to the light. Really need to read the book Light: Science and Magic. It has a lot of fundamental but essential information in it.

Clone tool in post - as long as there is a similar area you can clone from...

[RichardTaylor]

Also, in addition to Light: Science and Magic, see if you can find a copy the Kodak publication - "Applied color photography indoors" - Color Data book E-76

It's an eye opener in creativity and technique. It's a booklet from the 1960's .

[Tzetsin]

Try putting that front light at a 45 degree angle from your camera so the reflections dont bounce directly into your lens.

[sk66]

Originally Posted by Tzetsin

Try putting that front light at a 45 degree angle from your camera so the reflections dont bounce directly into your lens.

With a rounded surface some light is always going to come back at the camera.

You can try further diffusing your light source...You can increase the overall ambient levels so your key light is "less". And you can even try favoring towards underexposure during the capture....But none of this will eliminate light reflections from shiny surfaces. You can also move the light source to position the reflection where you want it....with a flatter reflective surface repositioning can eliminate the reflection altogether.

[Tzetsin]

How about polarizing the front light. I have no experience with that technique, but I have read about it being used to take pictures of things behind display cases.

[ccting]

My reading:

The easiest way:
you need polarizer for your light and lens, not just lens. And they need perpencular to each other.
a) Use light linear polarizer
b) Use linear lens polarizer 90 degree to (a).
May be not just one polarizers...

2nd approach: using side falloff transmitted light / top/bottom instead of direct transmitted lighting.

Block light between light source and subject using GOBO / black card, or using transmitted falloff instead of direct transmitted light source. Use top lighting to reduce the "blocked" light. use softbox and move it towards camera, and using falloff lighting to lit the cone. Remember using black card on lens to avoid glare

3rd approach: using longer focal length - family of angles.
use longest focal length (<135mm on 35mm), put the light source to far side as you can so it falls outside the family of angles.

4th - use backlit, and liquid transmit light. reasoning: out of family of angles - avoid relfection at all

I wander why umbrella is used? If i am you i will try a long vertical rectangle softbox so that it creates nice consistent thin highlight on the bottle ;D. Move the light to the side so that the highlight does not disturb the wording ..

Last question; what's wrong with the highlight?
Ok.. just guessing, ready to be ... critiqued. Going to repeat the experiment when i am free.