Beginner Metallics

[Antony hayward]

serious question How would you photograph something metallic with out it catching the shine. I've tried using flash and no flash and diffuser's and no diffuser's etc. I know the 1st picture is out of focus its there to show what I mean by the shine.

 

[Mr-Incy]

Just going by advice I have received ... try to use a less harsh light source, limit the ISO and using a tripod use a longer shutter speed .... you can then use whatever photo editing software you prefer to increase the exposure if needed.

 

[Kodiak Qc]

advice I have received ... try to use a less harsh light source, limit the ISO and using a tripod use a longer shutter speed .... you can then use whatever photo editing software you prefer to increase the exposure if needed.

Really? I can't believe… did it work???

 

[Phil V]

You can’t eliminate highlights or reflections of any kind, you can only control them.

In very simple terms, all of photography is about capturing the light reflected off an object. No light, no reflection, no photo.

So your simple aim is to build a ‘studio’ around the object, make the light source large enough for a ‘neat’ specular highlight and flag the rest of whatever else appears in reflection, which will include you and the camera.

The bad news is that your chosen subject is one of the most difficult shapes to manage this with. The good news is you’ll learn a lot whilst on your way to getting it right.

 

[Kodiak Qc]

You can’t eliminate highlights or reflections of any kind, you can only control them.

Absolutely. By controlling them, one captures the object keeping
the features of its visual qualities

No light, no reflection, no photo.

No light — always expressed in reflection— no photo.

So your simple aim is to build a ‘studio’ around the object,

Shiny surfaces can not reflect what they can't "see"!

your chosen subject is one of the most difficult shapes to manage this with.

Yes, and use a stable and levelled BG.

 

[Mr-Incy]

Really? I can't believe… did it work???

It did for this ...
Abundance by Incy R, on Flickr

 

[sk66]

You need a very large light source very close to the object, so that the lighting is very even and the highlights are translucent.
Due to the light being very close there will be a lot of falloff. It looks like the object is small enough for that to not be a problem, but if it is secondary light sources/reflectors may be needed to fill in the shadows.

 

[Kodiak Qc]

try to use a less harsh light source, limit the ISO and using a tripod use a longer shutter speed

The "less harsh light source" point here is the only relevant
tip. The other three have very little to do with this.