Avoiding double reflections

juggler

juggler

Suspended / Banned
Messages
5,059
Name
Simon
Edit My Images
No
What's the best way to avoid double reflections in shots the one below (taken on 2mm glass)?
I get a similar issue with acrylic. Cellophane is a 'mare to get even. US websites suggest something called tileboard but it doesn't seem to have a UK equivalent.

 
Something that is reflective but not see through maybe (just guessing as I actually have no real idea)

Something like a ceramic tile or polished metal
 
The strength of a reflection is dependent on camera height, so you can do a lot to minimise it by adjusting the height of the camera, although reflection strength is really just a by-product of camera height and the camera height should be decided upon for other reasons (such as whether or not you need to show the top of the subject, by whether or not you want to make the subject look heroic or cowardly, by the importance of perspective distortion...

The real answer is that if you don't want a reflection, don't shoot on a reflective surface. If you want a reflection but not a double reflection, then shoot on a surface where you don't need to shoot through it to reach the reflection, e.g. a smoked glass top on a top surface coated mirror.
 
Last edited:
buy sheets of white perspex for smaller products, or black for a dark base. You can also usually get by with a mirror or a thin layer of water.

Tileboard or thrifty board as Zakk Arias calls it is easily available but as usual has a different name in uk. It's basically just 3mm hardboard with a white painted face, you can sometimes get melamine faced as well. You'll get it in homebase B&Q and most timber or bathroom merchants. The most comon size is 2400x1200 I douldn't use it for this magnification though as there's usually still a texture to it, it's fine for portraits but I wouldn't cheap out for small products.
 
I use black porcelain tiles, as they reflect off the top surface as was stated above. I picked up a free sample from a local tile merchant (it helps if you are in the trade!) 600 x 600mm
They sometimes charge £10. You can get pretty much any colour you want.
Contax 139 by kendo1111, on Flickr
 
juggler said:
What's the best way to avoid double reflections in shots the one below (taken on 2mm glass)?
I get a similar issue with acrylic. Cellophane is a 'mare to get even. US websites suggest something called tileboard but it doesn't seem to have a UK equivalent.
Click to expand...

I've not tried but I'm told a black surface underneath the glass should give you a solid reflection.
 
simonbarker said:
I've not tried but I'm told a black surface underneath the glass should give you a solid reflection.
Click to expand...
No, that would produce the double reflection he's trying to avoid
 
My understanding is that you need the reflection to come off only the TOP surface, by having something clear surface like glass or clear acrylic, you create 2 reflections, 1 off the top and a second from the surface below
 
Yep. what he said^ :)
 
Black painted glass can be used as the reflective surface is the top one. it's more expensive than tiles.
Your local glass merchant can prepare some for you. I used it for this shot:
Zorki 4K Jupiter - 8 by kendo1111, on Flickr
I have a 450 x 300 sheet I used before getting the larger polished porcelain tile I mostly use now.
 
Last edited:
simonbarker said:
Wouldn't the black side not reflect? They seem to have done OK painting one side here (last post on the page):

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1417431&page=1
Click to expand...
Clever website that - I can't see the photos because I'm not a logged in member :(
But we're going round in circles here. Short answer, don't use a reflective material that is covered with a transparent material if you don't want a double reflection, it's as simple as that.
Yes, I suppose that you could simply paint a bit of glass or anything else and use the painted surface as the product base, but even the smallest irregularity would jump out and hit you.
Black and white acrylic works great, so does a front surfaced mirror, and as I pointed out earlier, the strength of the reflection can be controlled by camera height (and of course, to a certain extent anyway, by using a polariser) so why mess around with alternatives that can't work as well?
 
Garry Edwards said:
Clever website that - I can't see the photos because I'm not a logged in member :(
But we're going round in circles here. Short answer, don't use a reflective material that is covered with a transparent material if you don't want a double reflection, it's as simple as that.
Yes, I suppose that you could simply paint a bit of glass or anything else and use the painted surface as the product base, but even the smallest irregularity would jump out and hit you.
Black and white acrylic works great, so does a front surfaced mirror, and as I pointed out earlier, the strength of the reflection can be controlled by camera height (and of course, to a certain extent anyway, by using a polariser) so why mess around with alternatives that can't work as well?
Click to expand...

Black painted glass (painted on the reverse) doesn't reflect from the back surface. It reflects only from the front surface (the glass surface). If you look closely at the pic I posted above you'll see.
 
Last edited:
Garry Edwards said:
Clever website that - I can't see the photos because I'm not a logged in member :(
But we're going round in circles here. Short answer, don't use a reflective material that is covered with a transparent material if you don't want a double reflection, it's as simple as that.
Yes, I suppose that you could simply paint a bit of glass or anything else and use the painted surface as the product base, but even the smallest irregularity would jump out and hit you.
Black and white acrylic works great, so does a front surfaced mirror, and as I pointed out earlier, the strength of the reflection can be controlled by camera height (and of course, to a certain extent anyway, by using a polariser) so why mess around with alternatives that can't work as well?
Click to expand...

Yes what you say makes perfect sense and I'd personally want to avoid glass given the risk of damage and weight but as the op is already using a sheet of glass I thought the suggestion might have been useful.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top