Transparent objects are set on a dark background, () which is beneficial to express their texture.

Transparent objects are set on a dark background, and the use of () is beneficial to express their texture: side backlight, bottom light, backlight and uniform front light.

Various still life photography techniques

Light absorbing, reflecting and transparent objects

If objects are classified according to the nature of their action on light, all objects can be divided into three categories, namely light-absorbing objects, light-reflecting objects and light-transmitting objects. In advertising photography, it is the most basic and important to master the shooting skills of these three kinds of objects.

1. Absorbing object

Light absorbing objects are the most common objects, such as wood products, textiles, fiber products and most plastic products. The biggest feature of a light-absorbing object is that it will form a complete light and dark level under the projection of light, in which the brightest highlight part shows the color of the light source; The bright part indicates the influence of the color of the object itself and the color of the light source on it; The boundary between the bright part and the dark part can best express the surface texture and texture of the object; The dark part shows little.

In advertising photography, the light distribution of light-absorbing objects is more flexible and diverse. Objects with rough surfaces, such as rough pottery products, generally use side light to show their surface texture. Objects with smooth surfaces, such as some plastic products and painted objects, are generally shiny and will reflect a small amount of directional light, so it is best to use a large-area light source for lighting. Pay attention to the shape of the light source when lighting, because the highlights of such objects can reflect the shape of the light source.

2. Reflective objects

Reflective articles mainly include silverware, electroplated products and enamel products. Its biggest feature is that it has a strong reflection on light, and generally there will be no soft transition between light and shade.

The light distribution of reflective objects generally adopts scattered large-area light sources. The key to light distribution is to grasp the shape and illumination position of the light source, and the highlights of reflective objects will reflect the shape of the light source like mirrors. Because reflective objects are easy to lack rich light and dark level changes, some gray or dark black reflective plates or light-absorbing plates can be placed next to such objects to reflect these color blocks, so as to increase the heavy feeling of the objects and improve the performance effect.

For reflective objects with particularly complex shapes and volumes, complicated measures need to be taken in light distribution, and the most commonly used one is "surrounding Fabry light". "Enclosed Brillouin-Perot light" means that the subject is surrounded by a bright shed except the aperture of the camera lens, and then the light is distributed outside the bright shed. The light shed used for "surrounding Fabry-Perot light" can be made of white paper or white fabric and fixed with a transparent bracket, such as plexiglass rod or nylon rope.

The design and arrangement of the light shed when using "Surrounding Fabry Light" are various, but it should be clear that the reflective object will reflect everything around it without reservation like a mirror, and the subtle defects of the light shed will be shown on the photographed object.

3. Transparent objects

Transparent objects mainly refer to various glass products and some plastic utensils. Its biggest feature is that it can let light penetrate its interior.

When shooting transparent objects, it is not difficult to show the transparency of the objects. No matter whether the background is deep or shallow, it will always pass through. However, for the expression of the brightness of transparent objects, it is necessary to use reflection to produce strong "highlight" reflection, while the shape of transparent objects uses refraction to achieve the expected effect. If the transparent object is illuminated as usual, for example, with 45 side light.

The shooting effect is not good. At this time, most of the light will pass through the object, and only a small part will be reflected. No matter what background or color is used, transparent objects can only be faintly visible. The best way to express transparent objects is: in front of a bright background, objects appear as black lines; Or in front of a dark background, objects appear as bright lines.