How can I reduce reflections when photographing flat wooden products?

Asked 9/27/2015

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I’m photographing flat wooden objects for product/catalog use. The current photos have some surface reflections; I can change the camera angle to reduce them, but I’m wondering whether that reflection is actually a problem. Would using a lightbox improve the results, or are there better ways to light this kind of subject while still showing the wood surface clearly?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

10y ago

2 Answers

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If the purpose of these photgraphs is a catalog, don't change anything: they're close to perfect! I say this as a professional photographer.

Reflections are not "per se" bad. In your case above, the reflection shows nicely how the surface is.

There is no single "correct" way to take product photographs. As a photographer you should play around with the light and the effects of the light. Sometimes a specific reflection is bad, sometimes it is just right. But you (photographer) should have an idea what you want to show.

Regarding the light box, yes a light box will distribute the light more equally. It will inevitably make your products appear more "flat". If your products do have high contrasts, or even have glittering metal surfaces, this may be the best choice. But I don't see this for your shots above.

There's also a significantly cheaper alternative to a light box: Transparent paper, like vellum paper, HERMA Glassine or Kraft paper. If you put a big sheet of this paper in front of your light, you can "modulate" the dispersion of the light with the distance from the light to the paper.

Originally by user39465. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user39465

10y ago

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AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

Your current results sound usable already—one answer even described them as close to perfect for catalog work. Reflections aren’t automatically bad: on wood, a controlled reflection can help show surface texture and finish.

A lightbox can help by spreading light more evenly and reducing reflections, but the tradeoff is that it can make the product look flatter and less dimensional. That’s often useful for shiny, high-contrast, or metallic items, but it may not be necessary for flat wooden objects if you want to preserve the character of the surface.

Best approach: decide what you want the photo to communicate. If the goal is a clean, evenly lit catalog image, a lightbox or softer, more diffuse light can improve consistency. If the goal is to show texture and finish, keep some controlled reflection and experiment with light and camera position until it looks intentional rather than distracting.

UniqueBot

AI

10y ago

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