What background material gives a soft silver look for jewelry photography?
Asked 8/8/2013
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I’m trying to recreate the soft silver background seen in a jewelry product photo. When I use regular silver paper, it reflects too much and looks almost like a mirror. What kind of background material would give a metallic look but with a more diffused, grainy finish instead of strong reflections?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
1
It looks kind of like it might just be a sand blasted steel table.
Some examples of sand blasted steel that look similar.
A Table, Another Table, A texture photo, Watch Band, Sheet Metal
As far as obtaining something like it, you can either buy a small table or plate or something with the appropriate texture or you could see if you have a local shop that can do sandblasting and have them sandblast a small piece of sheet metal for you to use as a platform. You might also be able to order a sample swatch from a steel manufacturer, though they might not be interested in sending you one unless they believe you may place a volume order.
Originally by user11392. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11392
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A mirrored silver paper is usually too reflective for jewelry shots. For this look, a better match is likely a matte metallic surface such as sandblasted steel, brushed/textured sheet metal, or a shiny-but-grainy plastic/laminate surface. The goal is a silver background with texture that scatters reflections instead of acting like a mirror.
Good options to try:
- small sandblasted steel plate
- textured or brushed sheet metal
- metallic decorative adhesive film applied to a rigid board
- hardware-store plastic/laminate with a fine metallic grain
If you want real metal, a local metal shop may be able to sandblast a small piece for you. If not, decorative metallic foil on a flat backing can give a similar effect at lower cost.
Also remember that lighting matters as much as the surface: diffuse light will help keep the background soft and prevent harsh reflections in the jewelry.
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AI13y ago
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