Glare Issues

[acron]

Hi guys,

Apology in advance if this has come up before though I'm having issues trying to minimise the glare or light reflections that are being picked up on my minis

Here is an example of what i always seem to be getting http://coolminiornot.com/index.php?id=250627&letknown=1 (mainly on the black parts)

I've looked into the great tutorials around and have tried to keep my light sources a reasonable distance away from the mini though it doesn't seem to make too much of a difference.

Is there something else I should be looking at as well. Admittingly I'm using normal clear globes that are a little yellow, though I've tried to compensate that with the light balancing settings.

Thanks in advance for any advice anyone can give

 

[GunjiNoKanrei]

Have you tried to diffuse the lights? Normally this should take care of glare and light reflections. One of the easiest ways to do this is to cover the lamp with some (white) backing or parchment paper. You can also move the light source closer to the miniature when diffusing the light.

 

[acron]

Thanks for the reply and thanks for the advice Haven't tried that yet, i'll give it a try

 

[Jericho]

Diffusing the light is definitely a great way to reduce glare and NMM style hot spots. I use fluorescent lights, the ones that have bulbs like this:

View attachment 2600

The long tube (and probably the second side of it) really spread out the light source and the glass itself is frosted to further reduce glare. Using two of these when photographing a mini is great for reducing glare (I used to use three when I had a bigger desk) and if you haven't varnished your fig yet you can further diffuse the light by covering them up with tracing paper or something similar.

Just make sure you don't let any paper products get too close to the light bulb if it generates heat. That would be a bad thing. I have been considering parchment paper/wax paper for this purpose because it's reasonably transparent and also heat-resistant enough to be used in cooking.

 

[acron]

Thanks for that Jericho, I'll give those bulbs are go. I'm planning to try baking paper so as not to burn anything down

 

[acron]

Okay guys got around to trying everything out today, used some baking paper and for globes I got something very similar though just smaller and in a twister shape.

These were the results (I repainted the scabbard, found it a little boring). To me the seem alot better, though i wouldn't mind a second opinion, I don't really have an eye for photography

 

[supervike]

I don't really have that eye either, but this looks freakin' cool!

I have glare issues as well. My wife glares at me anytime I mention sex......lol

 

[acron]

Lol 'That' glare is infinitely times worse

 

[kizume]

One way to try diffusing your light even further (to get rid of that little speck of reflection that shows up on his helmet) is to take your light source, and direct *away* from the mini, towards a white surface, then manipulate that surface until you get the desired light reflecting *back* towards your mini. This may require you to use more lights or brighter ones, as the amount of light hitting your mini will be greatly lessened, but it will diffuse that "shine" you're seeing on the rounded helmet/black parts. If this *still* gets you that shiny bit, use a couple of layers of white tissue paper between your mini and the bounced light. Again, this pretty much exponentially weakens the light source, but it is the best sorta way to keep from getting any sort of spectral highlights.

 

[Tercha]

Use daylight on a cloudy day rather than artificial light, its probably the best diffused lighting there is, have a silver or white reflector on the shadow side of the mini for a more even lighting

 

[kizume]

Using natural lighting can be fabulously inexpensive. The only real issue you'll run into with it is that it is inconsistent. Time of day, geographic location, and time of year all affect your quality of light. If you are trying to reproduce the same lighting situations for a number of different models, over different days, and different times of day, using natural lighting can be frustrating.

Aside from that, the sun really is the most powerful lighting source you can find, and riciduclously inexpensive, to boot!

 

[acron]

Thanks guys for the advice, since starting the thread I've had similar advice given and have been trying that (multiple lamps, diffusion) since.