For those of you who sell highly reflective products, such as sunglasses, you might find this article pretty useful. We know that you are just like every other e-commerce business out there. You want to have attractive images of your products that enhance your sales. Shiny or reflective objects are some of the most difficult items to photograph. We won’t lie to you this is going to stretch your photography skills to their limits. But the good news is once you figure out the process it will get a lot easier.The first reality you need to grasp is that in order to photograph highly reflective products properly, you’re going to need a lot of equipment. You are going to need to spend some money. But it’s worth it. You are making an investment in your business. Try to remember that these expenses will enhance your business and increase profitability.
We are going to focus on sunglasses but a lot of the tips we mention can be used to help you photograph lots of other reflective items. Please keep reading and remember you can use these tips for products like jewelry too.
Once you finish capturing your photographs, consider sending the RAW files to Picsera and we’ll take care of the editing for you. You deserve the break after all your hard work. Ready to learn how to shoot reflective products like a pro? Continue reading below.
Goals in Shooting Reflective Products
When photographing sunglasses there are several objectives you want to focus on. When shooting sunglasses you goal is to…- Create controlled reflections in the lenses – you don’t want to see yourself or the camera in the reflection
- Have even lighting with soft shadows – this type of light will make your sunglasses look appealing to the buyer. Harsh shadows can detract from your product.
- Ensure crisp edges and logos – sunglasses are hard-edged make sure your images are crisp. You also want the logos to be highly visible. Many people purchase their sunglasses based on the brand so this is really important.
- Photograph the correct color rendering – The last you thing you want is for a client to order sunglasses expecting one color and receive another. Make sure there are no surprises for the buyer.
Let’s Talk About Photography Equipment
This is one of those times when purchasing cheap alternatives will not work. You need to have the proper equipment to get great results. So with this in mind let’s talk about all of the items you need to purchase.Camera Gear
A DSLR and a macro lens are a must for this project. You cannot capture the type of sharp and highly detailed images you are going to need with a cheap point and shoot camera or with an iPhone. Bite the bullet and purchase a higher grade camera. Remember it’s an investment, not an expense. The macro lens you purchase should be in the range of 55 to 105mm. Alternatively, you can purchase a cheaper kit lens and utilize an extension tube for this project. Be sure buy a higher quality set of tubes that will allow you to use autofocus. Manually focusing can take quite a while and you don’t need that challenge on top of setting up your lighting and studio. For more information on macro lenses and extension tubes, you can check out this link or this link.Studio Equipment
Lighting Just like any other genre of photography good lighting is the key to capturing great images. You can spend the money and purchase a strobe light or choose to purchase continuous lights. Take a look at this kit or this other kit– any of these would be suitable for your needs. Stands In addition to these lights, you will need stands. One stand should come with a boom arm so you can position your light appropriately. The other light stand can be a basic model without the large reach of the boom. Softbox A softbox is also essential. Softboxes are probably the cheapest item you will need to purchase. Try to find one that is at least 32”. Check out this link for ideas … Background Materials You have to be picky about the materials you use for shooting sunglasses. The key is to find material that won’t reflect in the lenses of your glasses. It’s those unsightly reflections that will distract from your product. We recommend a PVC or Vinyl background like Savage Translum, 54” x 18’. Translum is texture free so you won’t see any patterns reflected in the lenses. It’s fairly easy to attain and won’t break the bank which is a bonus. We should mention, however, that Translum does have a drawback. If you choose to use Translum you will need to use a white paper liner to prevent edge detail from showing in your photos. You don’t want to have lines reflecting in the lenses. Alternatively, you can use a heavy weight white paper backdrop but be aware that the texture of the paper will reflect in your lenses. Experiment with both options and choose the one you like best. Miscellaneous You will also need the following to finish the setup. These are items you probably have sitting around the house or business so they shouldn’t be too stressful to attain.- “A” Clamps Need 6-8 clamps
- Large 4-foot long work surface (folding tables work well)
- Camera Tripod
- 2 Background stands with one cross bar per stand
- Pen, scissors and transparent tape