looking for someone to take high quality pictures for my new website. willing to trade wood or $$. will be needed in the upcoming weeks, thanks, don.

It's not a, you know...adults only sort of site is it? :devil2: :hihi:

-spence

nah, just plug porn.

Don any luck??? If you have a gigital camera for 66 bucks you can get a light diffuser tent (rmoves alot of the glare)

I'm only an amateur otherwise I'd help you.

I just got a light reducer tent yesterday. Camera is a Canon S3 IS.

Here's the first shots:

http://brianmullaney.com/fishing/albums/rmsmith/rmsmithtequillasunrisegiant.jpg

http://brianmullaney.com/fishing/albums/rmsmith/rmsmithparrotdanny.jpg

http://brianmullaney.com/fishing/albums/plugs/macpinksurfster.sized.jpg

wow those are nice! i've been studying photo studio plans- seems like the way to go. gonna start picking up materials today. what brand and model difuser? thanks, don.

Its a American Recorder SIB-100 Photo Studio-in-a-Box . Got in on Amazon.

sure looks good to me!

yeah I'm gonna have alot of fun tonight playing with it and macro shooting. Still getting used to the new camera.

Wow! Really nice! (picture quality) If I had the camera I'd help you out - I'm in my 3rd year of Photography, and I've won a few awards for my photos. :)

currently our camera is a 1.3 megapixel, :p

Thanks Katie - I am just learning. I've had digitals for a few years but never learned the in's and out's - always shot on auto mode.

Tonight I'm gonna pick up different color construction paper for backrounds.

macro option rules

Lighting is the key for taking nice pics of plugs. Diffuse light helps to eliminate the shadows and also glare. The camera matters too but you'd be amazed with the results of even a several year old low res camera if the light is good. Different colored backgrounds make a big difference as well.

You're welcome to use our set up at the shop Don. It's nothing fancy but it works. Multiple diffuser tents and lights.

thanks pete! i'll be down to check it out for ideas - i'm building a setup- got the frame done. gotta check out difuser tent material and light bulbs.

gotta tilt the rear siwash hook forward :lossinit:

http://brianmullaney.com/fishing/albums/rmsmith/rmsmithbrightbunkerdanny.jpg

http://brianmullaney.com/fishing/albums/plugs/afterhours.jpg

http://brianmullaney.com/fishing/albums/plugs/afterhours2.jpg

Don,
You'll need something that produces 5500K light. Reghular light bulbs and flourescent bulbs will not work without the use of special filters. You need to get the light source off the camera. That's what I was talking about when I said I don't have the the right lights.

Don,
You'll need something that produces 5500K light. Reghular light bulbs and flourescent bulbs will not work without the use of special filters. You need to get the light source off the camera. That's what I was talking about when I said I don't have the the right lights.
Certainly true if shooting on film. But for digital you should be able to just shoot as RAW and correct the whitebalance later...

-spence

But for digital you should be able to just shoot as RAW and correct the whitebalance later...

-spence

To a degree.
Shooting in RAW and postprocessing is alot more work than the plugs are worth. Its more worthwhile to have the right equipment in the first place to do the job.

To a degree.
Shooting in RAW and postprocessing is alot more work than the plugs are worth. ;)

Takes only a moment using preset settings :)

Probably good enough for this kind of work.

-spence

lights are un necdesary imo- take your photo setup outside, and use the sun- if you do it right, there is no better way.

I shoot all of my own glass for my website and have been through this many times.
www.ebenhortonglass.com

http://www.surfcasting-rhodeisland.com/StoreImages/Tattoo/darters/herring3oz_darter_lg.jpg
http://www.surfcasting-rhodeisland.com/StoreImages/lightbox.jpg
A frosted plastic box provides very nice diffused lighting - cut a hole in the top - put a box on with some scraps to level it so you are far enough away to use a standard lens - once you've predetermined your exposures it goes pretty quickly....The camera just sits over the hole in the box - no tripod needed and you can shoot straight down on the product...
Two most important things:
Daylight corrected light bulbs
A remote control for the camera. So you can do long exposures and avoid flash.....

Eben is right about shooting outside - open shade is awesome lighting - it's just cold out there a lot of the time.

joe thats a nice set up :humpty:

also what you lay the plug down on makes a big difference- for instance joe used black, which helps the colors 'pop' out on that tattoo darter..

for darker plugs you should use a lighter backdrop-

yeah I'm getting some different color construction paper for backrounds

I'll be messing around more once I'm done charging the batteries :spin:

After price - image quality is the next most important factor in selling a product online.
I've had products not sell because of a bad picture and then sell briskly once the picture was replaced with a higher quality one.

I can't believe the difference the light diffuser tent makes.

The only problem is now Ihave to re-photograph alot of plugs :crying: ;)

Spence,
Its always a lot quicker to get it right in the camera than to futz with it in the computer. You could also use filters over the lens if you don't have the right light. But that's often imprecise as well. If you can control the lighting that the best way to do it.

http://brianmullaney.com/fishing/albums/plugs/BIGDONPENCIL.jpg

testing..

Better - get closer in and fill the megapixels a bit - images can be scaled down far easier than up. Also run a smooth white background so the image can be "cut out" easier

Better - get closer in and fill the megapixels a bit - images can be scaled down far easier than up. Also run a smooth white background so the image can be "cut out" easier

i can never cut the image out without making it look "cut out"

thanks boss.

i can never cut the image out without making it look "cut out"


That's the trick - keep the pic LARGE wand it if you can, smooth the edge out a little with a softened eraser tool, then cut down.... Looks good...

One of my guys is an excellent photog.
http://davegandy.com/

Let him know andreas sent you.

Bill

you can use the magic wand tool in Fireworks or Photoshop to do it.

If you set the tolerance correctly you can erase the backround rather quickly and neatly.

loose that blue back ground- look stacky IMO...If you want to get really fancy, get a piece of white plexi glass and light it from beneath as well as the top- bracket your shots too..you should not have light directly pointing at it either if you do not want to have 'hot spots' on your plug from the light bulbs.

dont like plexiglass - you don't get depth which I feel is important.

I don't like downward shots using the tripod either - I am waiting for a replacement bulb then I'll be back to playing around.

I'm getting different colored construction paper from the local store

testing..

looking good Don!!!!

My replacement bulbs just showed up at work will be playing around tonight

you need more light

you need more light

yup...got to move them in a little closer, trying to avoid hotspots.

Don you had stronger light from the right (see shadow)

I adjusted the levels to auto using photoshop

http://brianmullaney.com/fishing/albums/plugs/afterhours_001.jpg

i've got so much to learn......you guys like this new color?

love it - check your pm's :)

The lighting is not bad..
The perspective is a little wacky - unless you're selling hooks.
You can't see the back of the lure - is it darker than flanks?
People like to see the contrast and gradation of tone and they can't see that from a low perspective.
Tuck the hooks in and shoot straight down - the hooks look disproportionally large with respect to the body.

good point joe, thanks!

That's the trick - keep the pic LARGE wand it if you can, smooth the edge out a little with a softened eraser tool, then cut down.... Looks good...


LARGE is the trick, but I prefer the Lasso tool, over the wand..(use shift & Alt to add/subtract from selection to get exactly what you want to select..its better and quicker than spending time with wand selection properties..) then just cut your selection, select all on BGlayer, delete, then paint entire background red or white or something..then paste your new layer (the seleciton) and use your eraser to clean up the rest on New Layer.

The Red Square/Circle Selection tool works the same way too.

But thats how I do it..w/ layers. zoom in 3-500% to get all the nooks n cranies..right down to the square pixels.

and we all know MXC takes THE BEST pics http://www.mfbb.net/reaper/images/smiles/tlab06.gif

and we all know MXC takes THE BEST pics http://www.mfbb.net/reaper/images/smiles/tlab06.gif

And the "subjects" are often in motion further "complicating" the shot :hihi:

and we all know MXC takes THE BEST pics http://www.mfbb.net/reaper/images/smiles/tlab06.gif

maybe he could post some more in the namse of education? :kewl:

hot spots and shadows #$%^%^%$!!! i suc........

Don...try outside....natural light might be better?:uhuh: Sunshine.:)

hot spots and shadows #$%^%^%$!!! i suc........

So do I - I messed around for a bit last night then gave up.

I'm gonna try the natural light thing this weekend :cheers:

natural light is the best- trust me... north light is the best light too- problem is this time of year its hard to get bright sunshine. You do not what direct sunshne hitting your lures, but indirect. Also, you should use a box so you do not pick up refelctions of trees, windows, etc.. Don, your clearcoat is beautiful, but its a curse for taking photos because its so glossy...

dont use the guy who did the saddam hanging

hot spots and shadows #$%^%^%$!!! i suc........

A light box and a macro lens will fix that.
You should be able to get the depth of the clearcoat apparent in the picture.

have a difusser tent...

dont use the guy who did the saddam hanging


LMAO that is too much! :bgi:

switched cameras...