A glossy surface catches the light and dominates a photograph. It is easy to let that visible layer become the description of the whole object. A more careful note asks which part the material label actually refers to.
Name the part under discussion
In a museum catalogue, a material field may list several components. Read the accompanying description to see whether they refer to a body, handle, base, covering or decoration. Do not assume the first material named is everything you can see.
For an invented example, “wooden box with a coated exterior” contains two different kinds of information. Calling the entire object a coating would lose its construction; calling it only wood might omit the surface treatment.
Use two levels of description
Write one sentence about appearance: “The upper surface appears glossy in this photograph.” Then record the catalogue’s identification separately. That keeps a lighting effect from turning into an unsupported chemical claim.
If the record is incomplete, retain the gap. A colour or texture comparison can raise a question without answering it.
Do not test by altering
This is a documentation exercise, not a cleaning or material-testing procedure. Avoid scraping, heating or applying substances to make an identification.
For a fuller observation method, see describing what you see before naming the material. The useful result is a clear distinction between visible evidence and a supported identification.