How to photoshop a line of sunlight away of a coffee mug photo I took.

[kn5836689]

So, first the background story. I made a logo vector and send it to a company who makes custom print coffee mugs. This company sended me the coffee mugs and now I have to take product photo's. I tried without sunlight and using artificial light, but it was horrible. The coffee mug wasn't even white and the red looked orange and overall it was just bad.

Today however, I tried sunlight and the quality is amazing and it looks so bright. One problem is that there is sunlight line on the coffee mug pictures and my question is thus:

How can I Photoshop these sunlight stripes away the BEST WAY?

There must be a best way, because I can't imagine I'm the only one with this problem.

20180224 115501 — imgbb.com

[D Fosse]

This is why some of us have a job description that says "photographer"

Yes, these things can be a bit tricky, whether it's a coffee mug or a priceless piece of antique china. The problem is that the surface reflects the surroundings. You need to control your lights.

What you refer to as "sunlight stripes", is actually the light source reflected in the surface. As long as it's controlled, this can be desirable to give a sense of surface gloss. But you can't put it dead center - discretely off to the side is much better.

A polarizing filter will get you a very long way towards eliminating unwanted reflections. Then carefully add highlights. A window on an overcast day, or covered with curtains, often works well. Position the cup so that the highlight falls on an unobtrusive place. Put the camera on a tripod so that you can use long exposures if needed.

When I do this in a studio setting I use large soft boxes and cross-polarized light (polarizers both on the flashes and the lens), and then add highlights with additional flash units. Not to make it sound like rocket science, but you can often achieve similar effects with a little thought (and some more time).

OK, not exactly a coffee mug, but you get the idea. The reflections on the right side are deliberately added. Without them it would look dead.

[davescm · Accepted solution]

Hi

Make a selection of the letters then use the brush tool to paint - picking up colour (Alt-Click with brush) from the good parts. Then invert the selection and paint onto the white parts of the mug. Repeat for the reflections.

The best way to avoid this is through careful lighting and watching reflections at the time of taking the image. It can save you a lot of time later in Photoshop

Dave

[kn5836689]

I have read both of your comments guys, thanks for the answers!

I will definitely in the future use the sun stripe on the side, I actually tried this but overlooked and thought it was ugly. It kinda looks nice indeed.

A polarizing filter will get you a very long way towards eliminating unwanted reflections. Then carefully add highlights.

I can do this on photoshop?

Make a selection of the letters then use the brush tool to paint - picking up colour (Alt-Click with brush) from the good parts. Then invert the selection and paint onto the white parts of the mug. Repeat for the reflections.

I also wanted to do this, but thought let me ask the community. Maybe they know something better. I actually used to just do brush tool and picking up colour from the good parts and then just brush, but you select the letters? What do you mean? You magnetic tool them or something? Could you explain this part more, because it seems very handy to select them and not worry about brushing outside the letters.

[davescm]

kn5836689  wrote

You magnetic tool them or something? Could you explain this part more, because it seems very handy to select them and not worry about brushing outside the letters.

I just used the quick selection tool to select the letters and painted in the selection - inverting the selection when I wanted to paint around the letters

Dave

[D Fosse]

A polarizing filter is attached to your lens. Any good camera shop should have that.

I recently posted this demonstration in another thread. Same scene with and without polarizer.

[kn5836689]

Thanks, will do next time I take a picture

[kn5836689]

Thanks for all the help guys! I tried it and came to the conclusion it's not organic and the same, so going to take new pictures tomorrow for the front of the mug. Still thanks for the help and learned a few new things for incase i ever need it.