Hello, I'm a newbie to the forum :classic: and I'm looking for some comments or suggestions on how to retouch a light bulb image that is going to be in a light bulb catalog.

I've attached a picture of the G25 Silverbowl. I'm having trouble with it because the top half of the bulb is dipped in silver and this stuff is showing in the reflection. I tried drawing a shape over the top silver half and filling it with a black and white gradient but it still doesn't look like a silvery, chrome-like mirror. Even if I retake the photo with the camera flash on or off and have better lighting....the chrome top part of the bulb will still need to be edited somehow so that all of those things don't show in the reflection. Does anyone know a way to do a mirror fix on the top part of the bulb so it looks natural and chrome like? Thanks in advance for your help. ;)

How would you like them to appear?

They look pretty good to me as is.

Stosh

I would get a lightbulb catalogue and see what the 'industry standard' is for images of lightbulbs

Why do so many people think it's all about retouching?

I did product photography for something like a quarter of a century, and here's what I know for sure: good photography starts and pretty much ends with good lighting. These images were lit with on-camera flash or something like it; this is simply not acceptable in this kind of work. You'll never and I mean never get good results this way and no amount of retouching will save you.

[/rant]

I agree with the last poster, but I would like to offer some advice. Get yourself a light tent and read everything you can about photographing reflective surfaces.

lol I know Maine is a great place for camping hun but I live in the city society and we don't set up tents here hun...plus I don't really think my boss would go for that haha :classic:

Sometimes even New Yorkers need to learn.

http://www.clouddome.com/specs/prodShot_ccpt01.html

http://www.stevesphotoshop.co.uk/

http://www.tabletopstudio.com/documents/jewelry_photography.htm

http://www.ezauctiontools.com/

http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/how-to-make-a-inexpensive-light-tent/

http://www.photocritic.org/2005/building-your-own-light-tent/

Google it:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=photography+light+tent

haha thanks for the links...I thought Alfred there wanted me to go camp out in the city lolol! I'll try building a little light tent when I get back to work on Monday...should be fun lol! Does anyone else have any suggestions as to photographing or retouching mirror objects? Thanks!

some good lights and either some polysterene boards or a bright white drape strung across in front of you but behind the lens so it blocks out all of that 'behind camera' reflection - would just leave a small crack of black up the centre of the bulb. The crack being where your camera lens has poked through the drape/boards.

n.

<<Does anyone else have any suggestions as to photographing or retouching mirror objects?>>

As some other posters have already noted, it all begins with the camera image. Globs of retouch destroy the integrity of the original product, which I am sure the client does not want. Highly reflective objects sometimes take years of experience to shoot correctly. My suggestion is that you begin with a light tent and do not use the on-camera flash. The object also needs to be placed at least a foot in front of the background to avoid shadow, so you may have to emply some kindof rigging for this product. If you shoot it right, the retouch will be minimal.

Here are a couple of links to some sample images I have stored up on a server. Hope the links work. I am not used to this board yet.

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/5287/kryloncanig1.jpg

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/8557/9347ratchetra0.jpg

The paint can lighting was planned. The ratchet image was just a quick shot I did for a procduct demo. On both the retouch to product is minimal.

Hope this helps.

for starters....stand the bulb up and shoot it that way...@2, white backdrop is a must...#3 take two white boards....form "v" shape with them and place them around the lightbulb so that the smaller part of the v is where you will be shooting from.....try to get low on the camera and shoot slighty upwards to avoid as much reflection as possible....what you will end up with is a "gradient" type look as the reflection going from white to black....keep all external light sources off..and stay off your flash....use some hotlights (hell halogen will work) and just adjust your white balance or color correct to add cyan after the fact.

good luck

To all this good advice I'll add this:

When all else fails, don't rule out the judicious (and I mean judicious) use of good old dulling spray.