I've been commissioned by the architects to photograph interiors of a new high school which will open this fall. I did some scouting shots today and noticed that the fluorescent ceiling lights reflect prominently in the shiny tile floors.

I will be shooting digitally with a Canon 5D and 24mm TS-E and 35mm PC Nikkor lenses. I have a fair amount of lighting equipment and can borrow more if need be, but the number of views the client has requested and the budget he has given me dictates that I shoot available light as much as possible with augmentation only where absolutely necessary.

My question is this: are those reflections acceptable in good interior photography technique? If not, how can I reduce or eliminate them?

All suggestions gratefully accepted. This is my first interior job for what promises to be a really good client and I want to please and impress him. (And also come up with some good portfolio pieces.)

I would suggest that you try to eliminate the floor reflections by using a polarizing filter. In my experience this will take care of most "mirror" reflections on shiny floors caused by fluorescent lights.

There really aren't any other fixes to this problem short of multiple exposure layers. You also may want to consider using a grad filter to balance the ceiling exposure to the room value.

Alan