TAOP - Shiny surfaces.

Outline: Using a subject with a shiny surface, take a photograph with the object set up with the camera and light positioned close to the camera. Then, roll up tracing paper into a long cone shape to sit around the object at one end and surround the lens at the other end. See what a difference this makes and experiment with different lighting, distances and angles.


I set up my softbox again for this exercise and I didn't realise how difficult this would actually be.  I chose a spoon as my subject as it has many angles to be able to experiment with. As my first shot, I set up with the red background and the light above the subject. I started this exercise in the dark at night.

The light and side of the box are clearly seen in the reflection

So I changed the angle and position of the spoon to see if that would help, and as you can see, the whole box can now be seen in the reflection.

After more experimentation with lighting positions and spoon placements, I took this image, with the light in front, close to the camera.

I think this was the best image of the first set I tried, however I wasn't quite pleased with it. I didn't like how the spoon wasn't looking quite as shiny and due to the light source and the background colour, the spoon had a golden glow. I decided to try the exercise in daylight aswell.

Second attempt.

Again, I set up my softbox but this time at around midday in a light room. Instead of using my 50w lamp, I used the camera flash and kept the background simple with a plain white velvet background. 

This was the first positioning I tried.

Like with the last attempt, the spoon in this position showed the relection of the softbox.

I now changed the position of the spoon. The reflection wasn't quite so clear here but still visible.

Another spoon position change and this is where I used the DIY greaseproof paper cone. I haven't covered the subject with the cone here and you can clearly see the cone's reflection and my reflection in the spoon.

This time I covered the spoon with the cone and not only changed the position of the spoon but also tilted it slightly. Even though there are still slight light reflections in the spoon here, there are no reflections of the camera, softbox or me. I am happy with the final outcome.

Conclusion: I was looking forward to attempting this exercise, as I like a challenge, but I had no idea how difficult it was going to be. The wrong subject or lighting position can ruin the whole image and having a subject with a really shiny surface makes you have to really think about the set up of your equipment or of what natural lighting you have when composing your photograph.

My camera with the 'cone' attached.