Topic: Need help photographing Chumby

When I take a photo of chumby in his new duds, I can see my reflection in the screen in the photos. There must be a simple way to avoid this...can anyone give me some photography tips? I want the photo to be of chumby's front view though, not his side, and I'd prefer the screen to be blank, if possible. Thanks.

Re: Need help photographing Chumby

I would suggest taking the photo at an angle (like to one side).  If you are going for a straight-on shot, take it at a slight angle and then photoshop it back straight.  I have to do this when I take shots of anything with a glass sheet over it (like a painting or something of that sort).

Hope that helps!

Re: Need help photographing Chumby

Thanks for that...

I have found that by holding a foam core board in front of me on an angle and moving it around, most of the time I can effectively minimise the reflection. Switching the chumby on, rather than having the black screen also makes it easier. I'm working on building a simple light box out of foam core and some lights on clamps with daylight bulbs for future chumby photography.

Re: Need help photographing Chumby

Angela wrote:

can anyone give me some photography tips?

Good tips there already.
Here's a lighting trick. Think about laying on the couch, in the sunlight, watching TV. Sometimes you notice your reflection in the TV or in the glare. If you can control the lighting better, make sure that light is directed toward the chumby and not toward yourself, you will not reflect light toward the face of the chumby. Black clothes will help too.
Hopefully you can minimize your reflection to nothing. If not you should be able to use the clone tool or the stamp tool in Photoshop or Gimp to remove any offending reflection.

Another idea, change the angle of reflection. Shoot from slightly below the subject.

.:TUCK:.

Re: Need help photographing Chumby

Use a polarizing filter. Any sunglasses that have polarized lenses, placed right in front of the camera lens, will prevent any glare.

Re: Need help photographing Chumby

Thank you for the suggestions.

I've been working hard to get perfect product shots of my little Chumbelina in her various little outfits (will reveal all on my blog in the coming months!). I just found this site which I think might be quite helpful and I thought I'd share. I think I might build this and give it a try. My foamcore box is working nicely but there is always room for improvement.

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/07/ho … tudio.html

7 (edited by radiorental 2007-04-18 10:39:22)

Re: Need help photographing Chumby

get the light right and drape a black cloth over you and there camera, with a hole out for the camera lens obviously.

That solution you link to wont cut out the screen reflections though.  I recommend either taking the shots at a slight angle, a straight on shot of the screen is only going to extenuate the screen and obfuscate your handywork. Or, blur & smudge you reflection in photoshop

Re: Need help photographing Chumby

Ya!  Another Strobist! A light box will help you a ton, another great place to look for DIY lighting type stuff is http://www.diyphotography.net/ .  The name says it all, its a great resource.
Hope that helps
-Gigman

Re: Need help photographing Chumby

Take it at a slight angle and use sunglass in front of camera lens.

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Re: Need help photographing Chumby

You could try photographing it and not caring about reflections. Then grab the 'screen' you want to show by screengrabbing from a virtual chumby. Marry the two images in your photoediting program of choice.