black ice??? first try

Simon photo

Simon photo

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hi there, tried this today, not sure if it actually called black ice, i think its just called lighting but i have seen descriptions of it on the net, cant trust the net really can you lol
any feedback would be grateful
forknspoon.jpg

what i learned shooting this is that yeah light can be fickle and attention to detail is paramount, i thought the acrylic sheet i was using was relatively dust free!!! oh no, you have to be so so up yourself with this kind of thing it hurts!!
and, setting up the scrim? diffuser? was a fiddle, i had to use a diffused honeycomb shot at a 24 inch diffuser, setting this up was the first time i really appreciated a flip screen and live view!!
 
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I do alot of jewellery photography with this technique and when you get it spot on it does result in a very slick looking image. I started out using acrylic but it was a nightmare with all the dust and it scratches really easily so then I started using black glass as used on coffee tables etc. Much tougher and doesn't have a static problem so less dust.
It is a real faff getting the reflected diffused light in the right position, just the slightest change in camera position and it throws everything out. If you use a polariser on the lens you can change the strength of the reflection which gives a very different look, either more subtle or more exaggerated.
It is a fiddly way to photograph products but it normally results in a pretty dramatic image.
 
I did consider a polarizer but as it was my first outing with the acrylic i wanted to get the most from it, will try next time though. I feel as if the halo above the spoon has a slightly warmer tone, i tried some adjustment in raw and the shoppe but without totally desaturating it seems to remain! I think it may have been some ambient light coming from behind me and bouncing off the scrim
I like the sound of black glass, bit more like it cheers
 
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Steve T said:
What precisely don't you like in the image?
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Nothing really, i don't think i would have posted something i wasn't happy with unless i was having trouble achieving the desired effect, why do you ask?
Its my first attempt at this style of lighting and just wanted some eyes with a little more knowledge than i have to give me some feedback and point out anything i may have missed.
 
I'm not sure what you tried to achieve here...
Shooting through a silk with a honeycombed light is a pretty good way of doing it, it's the method I use to create graduated specular highlights on convex subjects such as glass, and specifically lenses - it's on my list to write a tutorial on how it's done.

But normally with this type of subject I go for diffused specular highlights because the 'pop' from the shiny surface makes the subject come alive. Maybe that isn't what you wanted to do, or maybe the cutlery just isn't shiny.

I did consider a polarizer but as it was my first outing with the acrylic i wanted to get the most from it, will try next time though. I feel as if the halo above the spoon has a slightly warmer tone, i tried some adjustment in raw and the shoppe but without totally desaturating it seems to remain! I think it may have been some ambient light coming from behind me and bouncing off the scrim
I like the sound of black glass, bit more like it cheers
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A polariser can be a useful tool, although personally I prefer to do it all with light, which is more predictable. But a polariser won't work with unpainted metal.
 
I like it but the top of the spoon merging into the background detracts from the image. Just the smallest bit of light on that edge would make the spoon pop out from the background and it would be a winner.
 
I did use as close toward silk as i could, the diffuser that sits inside a 5 in 1 reflector to be exact with a honeycomb grid to choke the light down to what you see. And the fork and spoon are everyday eaters, with a brushed finish that's a bit scuffed and scratched so not the best models for the job lol
I see the problem with the tip of the spoon, actually there was a horrible reflection from a wicker basket in my kitchen and i simply slung a black cloth over it to prevent said reflection. Now i realise that i should have maybe used a white reflector or altered the orientation of the subject.
Its amazing how analytical light makes you, and how fresh eyes have a differing outlook to your own
 
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MindofMel said:
Would love a tutorial / write-up on this!
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It's on my list, I'm planning to do a few different tutorials on the more specialised techniques, I've made a start on some simple stuff that's been posted on the Lencarta lighting blog and am concentrating on things that are knowledge based rather than equipment based (things that are easy to do if you know how, and that don't need expensive gear).

Unfortunately it all takes time, and time is short at the moment, partly because of the upcoming Focus on Imaging show. This technique involves created graduated specular highlights, it's very easy to do and can be done with any kind of light source and a bit of diffusion material.
 
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