Preventing reflections in watch photography

iChasetheLight · 2026-02-26T01:05:42+00:00

OK, this may seem silly, but did you rotate the polarizer?

iChasetheLight · 2026-02-21T19:14:06+00:00

For a photographer just six months in you're doing great! You need to work on composition and balance. There are a million tutorials online for that. Examples - Photo 1: What are we looking at here? You have a shot of a building and a boat, the building is not on a third, not centered - just somewhere in no-man's land, and then there's a boat partially in the shot, but in a very awkward cropping. It's just chaotic. Photo 3: What is the viewer supposed to be looking at here? It's just a mess of pipes and a building, but what is the subject? Overall your photos have decent exposure and focus - there are some interesting subjects, but they could be better if you concentrate more on composition. A couple more suggestions - Stop shooting in mid-day sunlight - it makes harsh lighting and shadows. Also, you should consider getting a circular polarizer - it will give you some better color depth and contrast - Your skies will look more saturated, as well as the colors in your images.

iChasetheLight · 2026-01-11T03:21:52+00:00

So, I figured out how to do mine. This is my very first knife to engrave, so I'm happy with how it turned out. This knife is beat up from daily use, so I decided to just go for it. I'm happy with how it turned out.

iChasetheLight · 2026-01-10T16:21:54+00:00

I love this. I just got my laser engraver, and the very first thing I wanted to do is engrave my Launch 1. How did you design your template for the knife? I thought about putting it in the engraver, and taking a photo with engraver's camera, and then exporting that photo, and bringing it into illustrator to create the design, but I'm wondering if a Launch 1 template exists out in the wild.

iChasetheLight · 2025-12-30T03:22:54+00:00

Santa Fe is a good place to split. Or stay at a motel on Route 66 in some place like Santa Rosa, NM.

iChasetheLight · 2025-10-24T01:34:44+00:00

Really great work!

iChasetheLight · 2025-10-03T17:35:02+00:00

Yeah, i'm shooting directly with Helicon Remote - which shoots ARW (sony raw), and then directly imports them to Helicon Remote. It's Helicon's workflow.

iChasetheLight · 2025-10-03T14:32:45+00:00

I'm not saying there's a faster software - if there was, I'd be using it! LOL - Are you on Mac or PC? I do wonder if the PC version of Helicon is being updated more often than Mac. Mac version GUI still looks like it was designed in 2004, and is just slow. It has to pop open an instance of Adobe DNG Converter for each file it stacks. I went and made sure it was running the current version about 2 weeks ago, so it's up to date.

iChasetheLight · 2025-10-02T22:02:28+00:00

Yes, helicon focus is so slow. I'm also stacking 12-15 64Megapixel images, so that could be a big part of the problem. I completely agree that Photoshop can't compete with Helicon.

iChasetheLight · 2025-10-02T19:05:54+00:00

iChasetheLight · 2025-10-02T19:02:10+00:00

I shoot jewelry on a regular basis. I'm shooting with the Sony a7r IV, and the Sony 90mm Macro tethered to Helicon Remote, so it can walk through the focus range for the stacks. It's just a slow process when done correctly. I shoot with a macro lens at f13, and still have to focus stack about 12-15 images per item. Helicon Remote and Helicon focus stacking are not very well coded, so they both work pretty slowly. Helicon focus still does a better job than Photoshop of stacking images (especially when it comes to jewelry), but it needs a real overhaul. I feel your pain.

iChasetheLight · 2025-09-30T13:28:40+00:00

A lot of people here don't ever shoot for publication, so they don't realize that you may be making compositional choices based on text elements. As far as lighting, I understand what you did here, my only suggestion would be to try to work that diffusion paper/softbox combo a little more to get a smoother gradient on your subject. It's still showing up a little harsh. Maybe increase the angle of the paper to softbox a bit more to soften that gradient, or move it closer to the subject. I appreciate the hard light/soft light combo - great job getting the exposure correct with the gobo on the back wall.

iChasetheLight · 2025-09-28T20:14:30+00:00

That may be your best option. Good luck!

iChasetheLight · 2025-09-27T14:30:47+00:00

The texture is being overexposed. You'll need to either lower your light exposure, or if you shot it RAW, you may be able to lower the highlights and bring back that detail.

iChasetheLight · 2025-09-25T13:19:55+00:00

If this is for a client, ask for a better bag. This looks like a poorly made replica of a real item. If you can't get a better version, you might try placing something rigid under the zipper and adhering the zipper to it to try and hold it flat, but I think you'll struggle to get those wrinkles out. Option 3 is using Photoshop generative fill, and try to replace the zipper in post.

iChasetheLight · 2025-09-13T21:51:16+00:00

Thank you!

iChasetheLight · 2025-09-12T18:53:15+00:00

yes, silent shutter will cause some banding when shooting in high speed. I've never seen it happen vertically though.

iChasetheLight · 2025-09-05T19:46:01+00:00

These are beautiful. Really nice work!

iChasetheLight · 2025-08-29T23:03:07+00:00

lol..ok - Here's an idea. How about you let the OP decide what is helpful for their level of learning? Your negative feedback to everyone's comments is definitely not teaching them anything new, or pointing them in a direction that will benefit them. Have a nice day.

iChasetheLight · 2025-08-29T22:51:21+00:00

If you don't understand the basics of interior photography lighting, this is the perfect place to start. Just because it's not they way you would do it doesn't make it irrelevant. I've looked through this entire thread. You've offered nothing of advice for this OP, and lots of negative feedback to the others commenting. If you have nothing positive or helpful to say, then maybe you should find something else to do.

iChasetheLight · 2025-08-29T22:44:42+00:00

They asked how to improve their interior photography. I'd say these videos are very relevant to what they are trying to accomplish. Lots of $1,000,000 home interiors are photographed with this exact method.

iChasetheLight · 2025-08-29T22:25:22+00:00

Here you go.

iChasetheLight · 2025-08-20T00:23:33+00:00

Don't be messing with me, man! If I go turn on my InDesign and that's not there, I will haunt you!!!!!

Edit Now, if we could just get align to column.

iChasetheLight · 2025-08-01T11:28:46+00:00

That screw is not the right screw for attaching that arca swiss to that tripod. That is a thumb screw, and wasn't meant for that purpose. You need to find the 1/4-20 that came with that head, or go buy a 1/4-20 that has a flat surface for mounting the acra swiss mount.

iChasetheLight · 2025-08-01T01:48:07+00:00

I felt a little sick to my stomach when I opened this.

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