polarizer for chrome

[LarryPhoto]

Very nice, not much really needed. Can you, or have you tried a "Dulling" spray? Sometimes somthing like a WATER base hair spray works good.

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[David Edwards]

Thanks again to everybody. I think I need a polarizer anyway, so I will pick one up. It's looking like I'm going to be doing a lot more of these, so I need to perfect my technique. I will try lighting the foam core instead of the wheel. I did try dulling spray, but then it doesn't look like chrome anymore. Tried retouching and adding gradients and shadows, but I haven't been able to make it look like chrome. But I believe some retouching is going to be necessary, so I will work on both my lighting technique, and retouching.

Here is a really quick shot I did. Unfortunately this was a super rush job. I'm posting it to show where I did do some experiments with retouching. Not really happy with it though. Also, it is polished aluminum (and paint), which is not quite as reflective as chrome.

before:



after:

 

[John Adler71924]

Hi David,

Instead of lighting the foam core, buy or make a large scrim (diffusion material stretched on a frame). I've done tons of these kinds of subjects over the years, and I've found that it's much easier control light coming through a surface rather than bouncing off of one.

You can feather the light in infinite variations-- hard grad, soft grad, etc. Then, for small flaws that still remain, fix them in post.

I remember one time in particular I was shooting floor lamps for a department store, and had to light a silver sphere that reflected everything. It took a long time, because I had to set up multiple scrims and reflectors, and there was always some small flaw to address. If only we had digital back then!

-john

 

[Peter Berressem]

retouching and adding gradients and shadows, but I haven't been
able to make it look like chrome.

In my practise I separate dull materials from polished (chrome et al) by a rule: matte surfaces may do with gradiants and 'soft' reflections but chrome needs a sharp edge / transition / brake somewhere to show the mirror-like property.

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cheers, Peter

Germany