How to Photograph Glass
Use soft, yellow light if you don't have a better setup., Keep the glass clean., Find a plain background., Reduce the number of colors in the photograph., Position the object to control reflections., Step back to reduce reflections., Adjust the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use soft
Lighting is by far the most important factor when photographing glass, since the wrong setup can create out-of-control reflections or washed out blurs.
Soft, yellow or orange natural light in the early morning or twilight can make the glass visible without causing too much glare.
If soft natural light isn't available, use weak, yellow artificial lights instead.
White lights are only recommended if you take the time to try a more complex white-line or black-line setup described below. -
Step 2: yellow light if you don't have a better setup.
Fingerprints and dirt show up clearly on illuminated glass.
Clean the glass with glass cleaner and newspaper or cloth before photographing, and wash your hands thoroughly before handling the glass.
Gloves are not recommended, since they often leave a residue or fibers. (This is also why newspaper is preferred over paper towels.) , Without a more involved set up, your best bet is a plain background that's neither too bright, nor too dark.
Find a grey or cream wall, tablecloth, or other background to photograph. , If you want to photograph the glass against a more interesting background, or alongside other objects, try to keep the number of visible colors as low as possible.
As soon as a second or third color is visible in the surroundings, the reflections in the glass will look much more distracting and strange.
Of course, if "distracting and strange" is what you're going for, you can increase the number of colors in the background or surroundings. , If you want reflections included in your photograph, this can be a fun series of trial and error to see which effect you like best.
If you're trying to minimize reflections and keep attention on the glass object itself, there are stricter rules to follow:
Point the light source (or direct it with photo flags or barriers) so it illuminates the surfaces to the left or right of the object, not the object itself.
Direct illumination usually leads to glare, but can be attempted for a more "glowing" effect.
Minimize glare by sending the light through a photography diffuser, or a sheet of tissue paper.
Point the light at roughly a 45ยบ angle relative to the camera.
Lighting from behind can reduce reflections, but requires a barrier between you and the glass to prevent a reflection or silhouette of yourself appearing in the glass. , The farther away you are, the fewer reflections reach your camera.
Take advantage of this fact, especially if you have a long lens to attach to your camera. , If possible with your camera lens, reduce the aperture as low as f/16 or f/20.
As a rule of thumb, this will create a sharper image, and reduce blurs and soft spots in the image. , If the glass ends up looking shallow or uninteresting in photographs, try adding water or other liquids to refract the light and give it a more defined shape.
Containers can have water poured directly into them, while other objects can be sprayed with water to leave droplets.
Mix in a little food coloring if you want a splash of color. , If the edges of the glass are full of reflections or warped background images, place any black objects to the left and right of the glass, just out of view of the camera.
Ideally, the light will reflect these against the edges of the glass, creating a more austere black silhouette.
Move them closer or farther away to adjust how wide the black lines are.
This is the quick and dirty version of the "black line" setup, described in more detail below.
It will often help, but won't produce guaranteed results outside of an environment with controlled light sources. -
Step 3: Keep the glass clean.
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Step 4: Find a plain background.
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Step 5: Reduce the number of colors in the photograph.
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Step 6: Position the object to control reflections.
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Step 7: Step back to reduce reflections.
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Step 8: Adjust the aperture.
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Step 9: Add liquid (optional).
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Step 10: Outline the glass with black reflections (optional).
Detailed Guide
Lighting is by far the most important factor when photographing glass, since the wrong setup can create out-of-control reflections or washed out blurs.
Soft, yellow or orange natural light in the early morning or twilight can make the glass visible without causing too much glare.
If soft natural light isn't available, use weak, yellow artificial lights instead.
White lights are only recommended if you take the time to try a more complex white-line or black-line setup described below.
Fingerprints and dirt show up clearly on illuminated glass.
Clean the glass with glass cleaner and newspaper or cloth before photographing, and wash your hands thoroughly before handling the glass.
Gloves are not recommended, since they often leave a residue or fibers. (This is also why newspaper is preferred over paper towels.) , Without a more involved set up, your best bet is a plain background that's neither too bright, nor too dark.
Find a grey or cream wall, tablecloth, or other background to photograph. , If you want to photograph the glass against a more interesting background, or alongside other objects, try to keep the number of visible colors as low as possible.
As soon as a second or third color is visible in the surroundings, the reflections in the glass will look much more distracting and strange.
Of course, if "distracting and strange" is what you're going for, you can increase the number of colors in the background or surroundings. , If you want reflections included in your photograph, this can be a fun series of trial and error to see which effect you like best.
If you're trying to minimize reflections and keep attention on the glass object itself, there are stricter rules to follow:
Point the light source (or direct it with photo flags or barriers) so it illuminates the surfaces to the left or right of the object, not the object itself.
Direct illumination usually leads to glare, but can be attempted for a more "glowing" effect.
Minimize glare by sending the light through a photography diffuser, or a sheet of tissue paper.
Point the light at roughly a 45ยบ angle relative to the camera.
Lighting from behind can reduce reflections, but requires a barrier between you and the glass to prevent a reflection or silhouette of yourself appearing in the glass. , The farther away you are, the fewer reflections reach your camera.
Take advantage of this fact, especially if you have a long lens to attach to your camera. , If possible with your camera lens, reduce the aperture as low as f/16 or f/20.
As a rule of thumb, this will create a sharper image, and reduce blurs and soft spots in the image. , If the glass ends up looking shallow or uninteresting in photographs, try adding water or other liquids to refract the light and give it a more defined shape.
Containers can have water poured directly into them, while other objects can be sprayed with water to leave droplets.
Mix in a little food coloring if you want a splash of color. , If the edges of the glass are full of reflections or warped background images, place any black objects to the left and right of the glass, just out of view of the camera.
Ideally, the light will reflect these against the edges of the glass, creating a more austere black silhouette.
Move them closer or farther away to adjust how wide the black lines are.
This is the quick and dirty version of the "black line" setup, described in more detail below.
It will often help, but won't produce guaranteed results outside of an environment with controlled light sources.
About the Author
Larry Chapman
Brings years of experience writing about crafts and related subjects.
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