Editing crystal

in article q3zLc.526$
wrote on 07/21/2004 12:00 PM:

I’m on a project which involves photographing and editing a large number of ornate crystal glasses. So far, the results have been very dull. I’m using a light box with either a white backdrop (EV +0.7) or an 18% grey backdrop with daylight bulbs (5000 degrees).
I need to edit the photos to provide a variety of backgrounds for them. The editing seems to go OK but there is simply no snap to the results. Any ideas?
Thanks . . . . patrick.

Black background. Lights only on the object and not the background.

In article <q3zLc.526$ says…

I’m on a project which involves photographing and editing a large number of ornate crystal glasses. So far, the results have been very dull. I’m using a light box with either a white backdrop (EV +0.7) or an 18% grey backdrop with daylight bulbs (5000 degrees).
I need to edit the photos to provide a variety of backgrounds for them. The editing seems to go OK but there is simply no snap to the results. Any ideas?
Thanks . . . . patrick.

In addition to the "light box," which you are using to illuminate the subject (s), you need some spectral highlights to add "snap." You can utilize point source lights, or a mirror. The bright side of aluminum foil works well too, but I’d crumple then flatten it. Reflect from your light box onto the crystal. If it’s cut crystal, you should be able to pick up highlights well. If it’s smooth, you might have to use two reflectors (bright shiny ones) to pick up the outline of the object.

Another response suggested a black background and keeping most of your light off of the background. This will certainly add contrast to the overall image and, alone will help. One product that works well is a black matt-flock paper, whose official name eludes me. I purchased several large rolls from a company in US – IL, named BD. Only problem with the flocked paper is that it is available in only about 4′ widths, but that should be large enough for much of your crystal. Also, the fur of the flocking can loosen and if you have much static electricity in your studio, adhere to the glass. Wiping the crystal with an anti-static cloth first will help. There is also an open-celled foam material in rolls, which is non-shedding, and dead flat black. There would be a small chance of seeing some texture in the open-cell surface, if you are very close to it, and had spectral light sources falling on it.

Hunt

Sounds good, Mike!
The problem in the small light box is that the black background is also well lit. Consequently, the translucent areas of the crystal exposes black and I have not been able to edit it to make it appear that it is the new background in those areas. The result always looks, well, "edited"!

Do I understand correctly that I should shoot in an open, dark area with the black background far removed so that it is not exposed?
Without experimenting with it, that sounds like a very expansive shooting setup, especially in daylight.
I’ve got some 100 more glasses (chalices, acturally) to shoot and edit so I’m willing and eager to follow any directions, once I understand them. Thanks again, Mike!
.. . . . patrick.

"Mike" wrote in message

in article q3zLc.526$
wrote on 07/21/2004 12:00 PM:

I’m on a project which involves photographing and editing a large number

of

ornate crystal glasses. So far, the results have been very dull. I’m using a light box with either a white backdrop (EV +0.7) or an 18%

grey

backdrop with daylight bulbs (5000 degrees).
I need to edit the photos to provide a variety of backgrounds for them.

The

editing seems to go OK but there is simply no snap to the results. Any ideas?
Thanks . . . . patrick.

Black background. Lights only on the object and not the background.

On 22 Jul 2004 14:28:09 GMT, (Hunt) wrote:

In article <q3zLc.526$ says…

I’m on a project which involves photographing and editing a large number of ornate crystal glasses. So far, the results have been very dull. I’m using a light box with either a white backdrop (EV +0.7) or an 18% grey backdrop with daylight bulbs (5000 degrees).
I need to edit the photos to provide a variety of backgrounds for them. The editing seems to go OK but there is simply no snap to the results. Any ideas?
Thanks . . . . patrick.

In addition to the "light box," which you are using to illuminate the subject (s), you need some spectral highlights to add "snap." You can utilize point source lights, or a mirror. The bright side of aluminum foil works well too, but I’d crumple then flatten it. Reflect from your light box onto the crystal. If it’s cut crystal, you should be able to pick up highlights well. If it’s smooth, you might have to use two reflectors (bright shiny ones) to pick up the outline of the object.

Another response suggested a black background and keeping most of your light off of the background. This will certainly add contrast to the overall image and, alone will help. One product that works well is a black matt-flock paper, whose official name eludes me. I purchased several large rolls from a company in US – IL, named BD. Only problem with the flocked paper is that it is available in only about 4′ widths, but that should be large enough for much of your crystal. Also, the fur of the flocking can loosen and if you have much static electricity in your studio, adhere to the glass. Wiping the crystal with an anti-static cloth first will help. There is also an open-celled foam material in rolls, which is non-shedding, and dead flat black. There would be a small chance of seeing some texture in the open-cell surface, if you are very close to it, and had spectral light sources falling on it.
Hunt

There are several such backgrounds available. I prefer (and use) a vinyl backed non-shedding flock in a 5 foot roll. It is dead black up to about 6 to 8 stops over-exposed. I agree on the reflectors, at least a couple to define the edges, preferably from behind the object. I would not want to swap backgrounds on a well lit product shot of crystal…. the nuances would seem to be quite agrivating. That is, to do it right.

In article ,
says…

On 22 Jul 2004 14:28:09 GMT, (Hunt) wrote:

In article <q3zLc.526$ says…

I’m on a project which involves photographing and editing a large number of ornate crystal glasses. So far, the results have been very dull. I’m using a light box with either a white backdrop (EV +0.7) or an 18% grey backdrop with daylight bulbs (5000 degrees).
I need to edit the photos to provide a variety of backgrounds for them. The editing seems to go OK but there is simply no snap to the results. Any ideas?
Thanks . . . . patrick.

In addition to the "light box," which you are using to illuminate the

subject

(s), you need some spectral highlights to add "snap." You can utilize point source lights, or a mirror. The bright side of aluminum foil works well too, but I’d crumple then flatten it. Reflect from your light box onto the

crystal.

If it’s cut crystal, you should be able to pick up highlights well. If it’s smooth, you might have to use two reflectors (bright shiny ones) to pick up the outline of the object.

Another response suggested a black background and keeping most of your light off of the background. This will certainly add contrast to the overall image and, alone will help. One product that works well is a black matt-flock

paper,

whose official name eludes me. I purchased several large rolls from a

company

in US – IL, named BD. Only problem with the flocked paper is that it is available in only about 4′ widths, but that should be large enough for much

of

your crystal. Also, the fur of the flocking can loosen and if you have much static electricity in your studio, adhere to the glass. Wiping the crystal with an anti-static cloth first will help. There is also an open-celled foam material in rolls, which is non-shedding, and dead flat black. There would

be

a small chance of seeing some texture in the open-cell surface, if you are very close to it, and had spectral light sources falling on it.
Hunt

There are several such backgrounds available. I prefer (and use) a vinyl backed non-shedding flock in a 5 foot roll. It is dead black up to about 6 to 8 stops over-exposed. I agree on the reflectors, at least a couple to define the edges, preferably from behind the object. I would not want to swap backgrounds on a well lit product shot of crystal…. the nuances would seem to be quite agrivating. That is, to do it right.

I had forgotten about the vinyl-backed flock background. Mine was a very early model, and it had a seam, about halfway down the roll, which caused problems. They surely have them seamless by now, and you are correct, they do not shed.

Hunt