Lighting reflective chrome

[KL755]

Hi all,

Just after a quick bit of advice. I'm half way through a product shoot, but for the second half I have several reflective circular chrome bins to shoot, also some hand soap liquid that comes in a clear plastic bag...any idea how to light these items?

I seen tutorials about putting black cloth in front of the bin and shooting through a small hole with the studio heads right out to the side...not sure if this is the best way though.

Anyway any advice would be great fully received!

Many thanks.

 

[Garry Edwards]

The hand soap is extremely simple and as basic as it gets, just backlight it using a honeycombed light and use a reflector in front to bounce some of the light back onto the front. Change the distance of the reflector to change the effect of the fill.

The chrome bins are also easy enough, but a bit fiddly. Light the top in the standard way to get diffused specular highlights, i.e the largest possible softbox overhead and angled forwards a bit so that it lights only the top. Use 8' x 4' white studio flats, as close as possible and almost literally surrounding the bin, this will take care creating diffused specular highlights on the curved convex surface and will do the job better than any softbox could. Just bounce honeycombed lights from behid the subject off of the flats.
Now introduce some Cinefoil, vertical strips attached to the flats, to taste. These will introduce controlled black reflections.

As your signature says that you're a commercial photographer I've written this in shorthand a bit, but let me know if you need more detail

 

[KL755]

Hi Gary that is great thanks. That gives me something to work on before I head back to the ware house to shoot again.

Many thanks for your help.

☺