how light a big black lacquer closet?

[DaNiElE BeLArDo]

i d like to light as background a big black lacquered closet .....i have a lot of specular reflection...

[Aaron Medick]

I suggest a lighting exercise. Take any directional light, film light or flash light, in your hand or on a stand. move it around until you have no reflections.

Of course, you will have to add other lights to light the scene, but the exercise should give you a good idea of light placements. The additional lights may need cutters.

Your other option is to create a desired reflection.

 

Good luck. Remember, there is no right answer. If you put 10 DPs in a room with the same lights you would get at least 10 different looks.

 

PS - if you don?t have access to the closet find a gloss black substitute, a window at night, black file cabnet, etc.

[David Mullen ASC]

Most people would probably try to light it like a black car -- reflect a big white shape over the surface.

[Michael Nash]

Most people would probably try to light it like a black car -- reflect a big white shape over the surface.

 

Exactly. If it's a deep, rich black (which it probably is if it's lacquer), then no amount of incident light is going to do anything for you. All you have to work with is reflections.

[Jonathan Bowerbank]

I'll 3rd Michael and David's advice. When I read the title I immediately thought "create reflections".

 

Just illuminating a large bounce card and allowing it to reflect off the closet at the camera should create a nice look.