IngleGunLeather Report post Posted September 12, 2012 Hello everyone. I just made this box a couple days ago. I like the pictures better now vise my standard overhead cieling fan light. Haha. However, I'm getting alot of reflection off of some areas of my holsters. The box was built utilizing a frosted shower curtain and the lamps are 60w day light bulbs. I'd like to hear any suggestions on how to reduce the glare. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
particle Report post Posted September 12, 2012 Add a light over the top to help increase the overall light and see if that helps. That way you can reduce the exposure a bit, lessening the hot-spots. You can also pull the lights away from the surface a bit to broaden the 'emitter', reducing the isolated hot spots. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dirtclod Report post Posted September 12, 2012 It looks like your using goose neck lights. You can move them around, try twisting the necks / move the light around to get rid of the bright spots. I would think you could see them before you take a picture. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mlapaglia Report post Posted September 13, 2012 One other suggestion. Get a contrasting background. Its hard to see the holster against that background. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JustKate Report post Posted September 30, 2012 Add a light over the top to help increase the overall light and see if that helps. That way you can reduce the exposure a bit, lessening the hot-spots. You can also pull the lights away from the surface a bit to broaden the 'emitter', reducing the isolated hot spots. Seconded. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Corey55 Report post Posted November 4, 2012 Hi there, I like your work. I'm a photographer specialising in reflective subjects. What you need to do, as others suggested, is move the light away from the fabric to create a more even coverage of light on the fabric. With the light too close, it creates a hot spot, almost as if the fabric wasnt in front of the light at all, and this creates the highlights. You dont need the light opposite, just have a white piece of cardboard to reflect the light back. This will give the gun more of a 3D feel, and not be so flat. You dont need a light on overhead, that will also make it flat looking. One light, used with reflectors, is all you need. You can also put a black card on the opposite side, to give a dark line on the subject - try it, you'll soon see how it looks, and you can experiement with where you place the card to fine tune the look of the holster. If you still get the highlights, put more translucent material between the light and the gun, like tracing paper, or just a white sheet between the light and the lightbox, to make the light-source, the square of light, more evenly lit. When it is even, the highlights will be reduced or eliminated. Good luck. Its a learning curve, but when you understand it, the next time it is easy and the results can start to look spectacular. Corey www.coreyrankin.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Corey55 Report post Posted November 4, 2012 Also put the gun on some blocks of wood or plastic, hide them from view, and this will separate it from the background a bit, making it look better. Once again, experimentation is the key. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IngleGunLeather Report post Posted November 8, 2012 Thank you all for your inputs. I'll do some experiementing with the lighting. If I have to I'll turn the table sideways so I have more room and get the lights further away from the box. Maybe take a trip this weekend and get some of the cards that were mentioned. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
immiketoo Report post Posted November 12, 2012 Corey, your photography is spot on. Perhaps you could write a tutorial for all of us aspiring photographers. I NEED to learn this. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Corey55 Report post Posted November 12, 2012 If only I had the time. Happy to answer individual needs and offer advice, it's a big subject and can be very tricky. Photographers guard their secrets well . . . Buy a good spotlight. Shine it through a sheet of white cloth. Move the light closer or further away from the cloth, and move the cloth closer and further away from the subject. The bigger the cloth (or the closer to the subject) the less shadow. The further away, (or the smaller the cloth) the harder the shadow, Put a piece of white cardboard or paper on the opposite side of the subject to reflect light into the shadows. Move the light, the sheet, and the cardboardboard around. Observe reults. I am actually in the process of making an app with workshops that teach you how to do all sorts of photography, should be finished in a few months. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
immiketoo Report post Posted November 15, 2012 Cool, I went out and bought a light box, played with it and got AMAZING results! I'm shocked at the difference in quality between this and my former photos. Thanks for the tips! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Corey55 Report post Posted November 15, 2012 Show us some shots. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
immiketoo Report post Posted November 30, 2012 Here's a few with new light box. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Corey55 Report post Posted November 30, 2012 Hi mike Awesome photos. I'm sure as you keep playing you'll improve. There is a book called Light science and magic, that covers photographic lighting, it's really good. Where the metal is too shiny, put a piece of tracing paper on a stick or clamp and use it to block out the light falling on the metal, tones it down a bit. 5dmk 2, nice camera. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted December 2, 2012 Country ... it looks like a lot of the glare is coming from the lizard (or whatever that is) under the subject, not from the lighting at all. Use something with a mat finish, might just cure the issue Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sylvia Report post Posted January 5, 2013 I think the key is to defuse the light. Even pro photography studios bounce and filter light before it hits their subject. I've been thinking about "light boxes" myself.... if I come up with something useful I'll be sure to share. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shtoink Report post Posted July 6, 2013 I was recently checking out some other blogs that were non-leather related and ran across one describing a DIY light box setup. The pictures from the guys light box are incredible and thought that it'd be worth sharing here to provide some ideas for those of you still trying to get yours to work well. The guy has some shots of 1/32 scale models that are simply amazing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
