Proffessional Web Photographer Needed...

[afterhours]

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.

[spence]

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

-spence

[afterhours]

nah, just plug porn.

[striperondafly]

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:

[afterhours]

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.

[striperondafly]

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

[afterhours]

sure looks good to me!

[striperondafly]

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

[Katie]

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,

[striperondafly]

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.

[MrHunters]

macro option rules

[Pete_G]

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.

[afterhours]

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.

[striperondafly]

gotta tilt the rear siwash hook forward

[striperondafly]

[MakoMike]

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.

[spence]

Originally Posted by MakoMike

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

[likwid]

Originally Posted by 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.

[spence]

Originally Posted by likwid

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

[Nebe]

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

[Joe]

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.

[Nebe]

joe thats a nice set up

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-

[striperondafly]

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

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

[Joe]

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.

[striperondafly]

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

The only problem is now Ihave to re-photograph alot of plugs

[MakoMike]

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.

[striperondafly]

[afterhours]

testing..

[JohnR]

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

[MrHunters]

Originally Posted by JohnR

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"