Photography Recommendations

[CanadianScroller]

I thought it would be good to start a thread about photographing our finished pieces. Anny hints would be good. I know sometimes I get the flash shining on the wrong spots.
Does anyone use auxiliary lighting?
I have started putting some items on a black fleece vest I have, It makes a nice smooth background for snapping a picture.

[Gill]

I've been known to hold cotton wool over the camera flash unit to dissipate the strong light. It works a treat.

Gill

[jttheclockman]

There is nothing better than Mother nature. You will not get any better lighting conditions than outside. Just watch the sun glare. I like to shoot in the shade.

[Mick Walker]

Carl, we have a large picture window on the north side of the house, I take the majority of my pictures there to get the natural light or outside. I lay the item on the grass. Never use the flash. Taking pictures of clocks, always set the hands at 10 to 2 or 10 after 10. Mick

[PiALaModem]

I agree about outside light being the best. However, when that's not possible, I douse auxiliary lighting. I set up three clamp lamps with 100w cool white bulbsone to the left of the object, back by about 20 degrees, one to the right, also back by about 20 degrees, and one just to my left as I stand by the camera. Each lamp is about six feet from the object. All the lights are about 3 feet higher than the level of the object.

If my camera indicates it wants to use the flash, I move the lights closer, or if a lot of background shows in the shot, I choose a lighter background. I try never to let the flash go off.

I take digital pictures and process them through Photoshop Elements. The incandescent-lit image requires a little adjustment -- The "Auto Levels", "Auto Contrast", or "Auto Color Correction" one-click fixes usually result in a good pic with true colors. If I used more specialized lights I wouldn't have to do this, but it's a trivial thing to do.

[CanadianScroller]

Always a wealth of knowledge on this forum

Best part is what I have to pay for it
Thanks!

[PiALaModem]

Originally Posted by Mick Walker

Carl, we have a large picture window on the north side of the house, I take the majority of my pictures there to get the natural light or outside. I lay the item on the grass. Never use the flash. Taking pictures of clocks, always set the hands at 10 to 2 or 10 after 10. Mick

Quite true that this is a customary practice for catalogues and advertisements. It's because the maker's name is customarily inscribed in the lower half of the face, and this arrangement allows it to be seen.

[oaklysawyer]

I agree with John T. In the shade on a bright sunny day with no flash gives best results.
Keep close to the threshold of where the sun and shade meet.
Fred

[BobD]

Just be careful shooting in the shade...it will give you a VERY cool color palette (almost like shooting under UV lights). That's mainly in the deep shade...I'd rather shoot outside out of the direct sunlight, but not in the shade...if that makes any sense.

We're also planning an article on photography dos and don'ts in the next issue of SSW.

Bob

[oaklysawyer]

Curious. How or where do you find the out of direct sunlight but not in it. Maybe filtered somehow ?
Fred