Product photography: manage reflections and transparency

Each material reflects light in a different way. Black plastic, for example, will not reflect light in the same way as silver metal. Here is a tutorial to know everything about reflections.

The three categories of matter and their reaction to light

Namely:

There are three categories of materials, those that “absorb” light and those that reflect light. Finally, there are transparent materials that are passed through by light.

To better understand, do a very simple test

Place your TV remote under a light, then do the same test with a mirror. You will see the difference very quickly! The light will be picked up by the black plastic on your remote control, while it will bounce off your mirror and send the light back! Put on a plastic bottle between your hand and a light source, you will see that the light source lights up your hand and is not stopped by the bottle.

What solutions and how do I apply them when shooting?

Example 1 - Give relief to transparencies

In photography, you have to learn to manage these materials to avoid reflections or transparency. They are not very flattering on your products. I advise you to equip yourself with small black and white cards. This in order to cut or mirror the Shedding light on certain parts of the subject that you are going to photograph.

1 - Neutral photography on a white background: the relief of the object is practically zero.

2 - Depending on the white level of the cardboard and its position, the perfume bottle takes on relief.

3 - Black helps to amplify and draw certain parts of the object being photographed on a white background.

In the example above: The cap (or cap) of our perfume bottle is made of two different materials. These do not reflect light in the same way: one made of metal on the upper part (which makes the light bounce) and one made of light green embossed paper (which absorbs light).

The metal will have a mirror effect. On Photo 1, we can see that the top of our cork almost merges with the bottom of our tray. It will then tend to disappear. To redesign its shape so that it is more present, all you have to do is cut the light between the metal and the light source, using black or white cardboard (or paper), as on Photos 2 and 3. Depending on the level of white or black on your cardboard, the reflection that will appear on the cork will be more or less intense. You can also try with a layer piece for an even softer look.

Place the boxes in the right place

If you look closely at each of the images, the addition of a box will also create an impact on the entire bottle. Between photos 1 and 3, The glass in the bottle is not designed the same way. On Photo 3, the edges of the glass and its reflections are blacker and more intense. That's why it's important to position these boxes in the right places! Or to take several photos of each part of the object according to its material (we will see this step at the end of our article).

Example 2

These black or white cards are not only used to cut reflections. They can also help you create new ones.

In the case of a transparent bottle photographed on a white background, these small boxes can be very useful! One of the most difficult stunts to perform in photography is the shooting transparent or white objects on a white background !

On the examples above, you can see the difference in the appearance of the bottle's contours. And that's when you photograph the latter without cardboard and with a black cardboard. Highlight the Outline of the bottle. You will bring out its roundness. You will thus be as close as possible to the reality of the shape of your object and its reliefs.

In the case of a transparent white wine bottle, for example, it is useful and essential to choose the right lighting. It will be used to draw the shoulder or neck of the shoulder. Well placed, these cards or layers will also bring out the sting or the jable in the bottle. These are important elements because they are the foundation of your subject and the basis of their balance.

How to manage reflections and transparency in post production?

In still life, it is recommended to Know how to manage certain editing software. Indeed, most products, such as, for example, a perfume bottle, a pair of glasses, a ring, a cosmetic packaging... These products are generally assembled with different materials that do not always light up in the same way (like what we have just seen above).

Go back a bit higher to the photos of our Prada perfume bottle. You can see that we have 3 different materials that make up our packaging :

The cork (or cap) is in bi-material : mirror-effect silver metal and embossed light green paper. In addition, the label on which the brand appears is also made of silver metal, but worked with embossing. Finally, a portion made of embossed green paper is attached to the body of the bottle, which is made of glass. The same as on our cork. In our example, the bottle is empty. However, originally, the fragrant liquid (the juice) is pale green. It is also important to respect its color with appropriate lighting.

Multiple photography of the same product: better manage reflections

To obtain quality visuals that respect the aesthetics, shapes and specificities of a product, most photographers are forced to shoot their subjects in several batches. The objective: obtain specific lighting for each of the parts of the object.

How do you photograph a shiny object?

Example: I need to photograph a glass jam jar. It will be necessary to create special lighting for the lid, which is often metallized, lighting for the container glass, and lighting for the label depending on whether it is made of matte or glossy paper or another material. Once these three photos have been taken, you can, using a retouching software, extract each of the parts that you have illuminated differently and edit them together in post production, in order to have a Product photo homogeneous and legible in its lighting.

If you don't have time to train yourself in this type of software, or if you are allergic to computers, do some tests and think about bringing out what is most important to you about your product. You can also reduce poor reflections with very diffused light.

Good Photo shoot and above all, don't forget to test for all types of reflections. It is the only way to understand and improve. Enjoy it, it will also help you!

• Discover our article for Better photograph your jewelry and creations
• Or our article on best camera settings for jewelry