product retouching - highlights

[murimurano]

Hi,
i have noticed that in alot of product shots of electronics, retouchers are adding a "glow" to the product by adding highlights. See white glows by the buttons or next to the screen on the attached image. I don't think this was done using lighting as the product is small and using a snoot would not achieve such a highlight.

Can anybody suggest how i can go about giving the same highlight effect to my product shots? I tried using dodging but i can't seem to achieve the same look.

Thanks.

[Siciliana]

I would think you can get the effect you want by using various 'dodge' effects. For the large flat rectangular surfaces, or those cylindrical parts you could path it out and apply a gradient, for the buttons, you could try dabbing a circle of white and using a gaussian blur, or a radial gradient. Then put those effects on softlight or overlay mode and adjust opacity.

Another idea for an easy 3-d effect is to path out the buttons, command J them to a new layer and then apply layer style effects such as inner glow, bevel, etc.

Why don't you post part of the image you are having trouble with and let some of the people here give it a go?

[spinq]

I've seen similar effects achived just by lighting correctly. I'm talking about certain light setup which unfortunatly I can't describe, because it was shown to me just once durring product photography workshop. Basicly, after fill light try using default reflector with narrow grid and barndoors through milk plexiglass at about 30 degrees angle. Might seem a bit complicated but you'll get the result you're looking for and spend less time in front of your comp.

[DJSoulglo]

Lots and lots of paths. Seriously. Draw where the light should be. Make some a bit more blurred and some more hard edged.

Draw in some highlights on edges. Look at other products and try to get a feel for it. Took me 2 years, and I'm still not fantastic at it.

[franko60]

Or use a painting with light technique. Used to be done a lot with hosemaster and similar products but with the advent of digital you can shoot tethered and direct light precisely where and how much you want.

[Pics2]

Originally Posted by franko60

Or use a painting with light technique. Used to be done a lot with hosemaster and similar products but with the advent of digital you can shoot tethered and direct light precisely where and how much you want.

Jim Lawson's show at RetouchPRO Live for this technique.