any tips for photoing shiny objects? too many reflections in the photo

apprentice_tycoon

I'm sure there's an easy way to photo shiny items but I haven't found it - 90% of my ebay photos are china and I've got that down to a fine art but I really struggle with silver etc.
Today I'm trying to photograph a 1930's silver tankard and in just about every shot you can see me hiding behind the camera - not good. I tilted the tankard away from me in the hope that this would help but there are distorted reflections of all the stuff that's on the wall behind me. I thought about using a tripod but there would still be the camera and wall reflected in the piece etc.

Someone tell me the tricks with this please?

Murtle

In photography class we used to build a three sided plain structure to photo shiny items in, it blocked the reflection of anything else in the room as it was plain. You then took photos from funny angles to make sure there was no reflection. This might work it was also down to the lighting we used but I can't remember this area of detail (sorry)

x

infact I jsut googled - photographing shiney objects :rotfl:

and found this

http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/19002.html

slightly more advanced then our AS level ever got to, but has pictures to look at!!!

apprentice_tycoon

Thanks Murtle - I've just had a quick go with a tripod and a plain white carrier bag to make the light tent, it's not perfect yet but I think that if I invested a bit of time I could do a better job.

The crazy thing is my daughter is starting a degree in photography in the autumn but she hasn't had any experience with this kind thing yet so no help there!

Hermia

I've taken items out into the garden before which means you can rely on the natural light and not use the flash. I have just taken a small table out with me to put things on.

apprentice_tycoon

Thanks Hermia but I never use the flash, I've taken things outside too and put them in the shade of my Acer tree so I get a lovely dappled glade effect, this is great for a general shot but not for detail so I end up with both in the listing - thank goodness Auctiva doesn't charge for photos.

Sugar_Coated_Owl

You should try using a light tent/photocube. They usually come with 4 interchangable backdrops.

Anthillmob

Hermia wrote:

I've taken items out into the garden before which means you can rely on the natural light and not use the flash. I have just taken a small table out with me to put things on.

the only prob with natural light is sometimes it makes goods, esp china look far too colourful than it should be.

eg. i sold a denby greenwich teapot the same time as some bloke who photographed his in the garden. very arty pic but it didnt look like a greenwich and he was plagued by questions about it being a proper denby and mine sold for £10 more. (photoed on the kitchen table by mr mob whos better at these things than me)

eamonn321

My tip - don't photograph these things while you're in the nude.

Rikki

eamonn321 wrote:

My tip - don't photograph these things while you're in the nude.

:eek: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Anthillmob

eamonn321 wrote:

My tip - don't photograph these things while you're in the nude.

i saw a pic of someone who did that but i dont know the link unfortunately.