How to Remove Glare or Specular Highlights in Product Photography

In this video we will be learning how to remove glare in our product shots. Glare is usually caused by reflections generated by the source of light that you are using. It often materializes in the form of bad looking shiny specular highlights.

You will learn that we can diffuse these highlights by making the source of light larger by modifying the light modifier itself. Here’s the video:

This video is from our Product Photography Course, which has 28 videos and 4 hours of content. Use the link below to access the full course on Udemy:

Product Photography Course

Video Summary

In this tutorial, Creative Pad Media teaches how to eliminate harsh glare and specular highlights in product photography by manipulating the size and quality of the light source.

Key Takeaways from the Video:

• The Soft Light Rule: A fundamental photography principle is that the larger the light source relative to the subject, the softer the light will be [00:42]. Soft light produces gentle highlights and less defined shadows, making products look more professional [01:24].
• Increasing Light Source Size: While an 80 cm softbox is a good start, it may not be enough for highly reflective surfaces [01:42]. Instead of buying expensive, larger softboxes, the instructor suggests a budget-friendly alternative: a 42-inch diffusion panel [02:56].
• Using a Diffusion Panel: By placing a large translucent reflector panel (from a 5-in-1 set) in front of an existing softbox, you create an even larger, more diffused light source [03:09]. The light “wraps around” the subject, significantly reducing harsh reflections [05:03].
• Setup and Equipment: To avoid holding the panel manually, the instructor uses a reflector mount/arm on a light stand to position the panel between the light and the product [04:25].
• Visual Results: The “before” shot showed distracting, jagged highlights on the camera body and lens [05:52]. The “after” shot features smooth, even lighting that gives the product a high-end “matte finish” look [06:10].