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BetterPhoto Q&A
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 Denise Ms Goulet member since: 6/24/2007 |
Photographyng Glassware with a Strobe Hi! Is it true that we cannot photography glass ware with a strobe? Personally, I tried with my strobe attached to my camera and there was reflection. I tried then without my flash and there were not reflections. Thanks! 1/4/2009 11:29:47 AM |
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W. member since: 9/25/2006 |
With your flash gun on-camera its beam is near parallel to the lens axis. So if that beam hits a perpendicular (glass) surface it is reflected straight back into the lens. That is what you see. So if you must have the flash gun on-camera make sure you don't shoot/light a reflective (glass) surface at right angles to the flash gun beam/lens axis. Try it out at night time: shoot a dark window. If you do it head-on you will have a big reflection. If you do it at an angle you won't. Or you might try with your flash gun OFF-camera, with a cord or wireless, so that the flash gun's beam is at an angle to the lens axis. Of course the angle of the reflective surface – the glass – should be such that it does NOT reflect the light into the lens. In short: you CAN photograph glass ware with a strobe, if you take care of the angles. If that glass ware is curved, however, it may be next to impossible, because you will get a reflection at practically every angle. Have fun! 1/4/2009 12:02:33 PM |
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Carlton Ward Contact Carlton Carlton's Gallery carltonwardphoto.com member since: 12/13/2005 |
Hi Denise, I went to a glass museum last summer and was able to use my tripod. Because of the in-house lighting, I had to position my camera at an angle where the reflections were minimal but using a tripod, I was able to take longer exposures which allowed me to get the capture. I didn't use any flash, just the lighting the museum was providing. On my website/galleries/glass album - I have some of these photos posted. A light tent or diffuser would help immensely. Good Luck, Carlton 1/4/2009 1:08:35 PM |
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John H. Siskin
John-Siskin.com John's Photo Courses: 4-Week Short Course: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting 4-Week Short Course: Getting Started in Commercial Photography 4-Week Short Course: Portrait Photography Lighting on Location and in the Studio |
Hi Denise, Just to expand on what has been said. Glass transmits a significant amount of the light that hits it, often on the order of 90%. It is the reflected part that causes trouble. We have similar problems with camera lenses, which is why we use coatings that reduce reflection. In order to get a good shot of or through glass, the light should be at 30º to 45º to the line from the camera to the subject. Depending on the piece of glass a large light source would work better than the small light source of an on camera strobe. You might find this article interesting: www.siskinphoto.com/magazine/zpdf/Projector.pdf. Thanks, John Siskin 1/4/2009 4:16:20 PM |
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