My First Attempt

A

Andy1

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Name
Andy
Edit My Images
Yes
I am new on here, and have very little experience with photography, other than general holiday photos!

My wife is starting a business and needs her products photographing for the website. I have been saying for years that I would like to take photography more seriously, and she asked if I could try and take the photos for her. I decided to give it a try, we got a light tent and some daylight lamps (3 x 5000k lamps in each head) and I have borrowed a camera from my brother. It's not an SLR, but it should e enough for what we need, it's a Minolta Dimage A2.

I have set up the light tent in the bedroom as we have blackout blinds and curtains, so the only light will be from my own light source. After playing around with the settings, reading the manaul for the camera, and having a look at other material off the internet (and taking 100+ pictures) I have come up with this .....

test.jpg


I know it's far from perfect, but as I have said, it's my first attempt. I know black and white aren't the easiest colours to capture (so I have read), and I seem to either have the image either over or under exposed. I have tried to get as much of the text in focus as possible, and the above image is the best so far.

Here is an image of the set up.

setup.jpg


Please can anyone provide some advice on how to make it better? Thank you

EDIT:

Settings used:

ISO 100
S: 1/20
F: 5.6
 
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Thanks!

Would that be down to the camera settings, or the lighting do you think?
 
probably camera settings, just boost your exposure up by 2/3 of a stop (maybe even a full stop, I'm not the best at judging this stuff) and you'll be sorted (y)

The camera's probably seeing all that white and going :puke: so it's making the photo a little dark.
 
Trying to work out how to increase the exposure now, it's not as simple as it was on my point and shoot camera! :LOL:

I have just tried another, but with the F: 5.0 instead of 5.6, which has mad it a little lighter.

test2.jpg
 
You can fix a lot of the problems in Photoshop by fiddling with levels or curves, and a bit of healing/surface blur on the background. Obviously it's always nicer to get it right in camera but you have plenty to work with there (I can show you a quick 3 minute attempt if you like?) if you are able to post process!
 
sparklies said:
You can fix a lot of the problems in Photoshop by fiddling with levels or curves, and a bit of healing/surface blur on the background. Obviously it's always nicer to get it right in camera but you have plenty to work with there (I can show you a quick 3 minute attempt if you like?) if you are able to post process!
Click to expand...

Never used Photoshop, but I am getting it through work so can do some post processing. The only issue will be the amount of photos to do (over 100 of them), so would be great to do as little as possible or to be able to repeat the results easily.

If you don't mid having a quick attempt, that would be great and much appreciated.

I tried a quick attempt with a different background, which helped a bit (the cloth needs ironing and the items placed out better though).

Test3.jpg
 
I like the red better actually! Makes the black and white stand out more, and they especially would with a bit of post-processing.

This was literally a few minutes - you may want to get rid of some of the grey at the top or leave it - it does help give some differentiation between the background and the white and it's easier to leave it there than fiddle around removing it.

temp.jpg


Basically I used curves to make the blacks blacker and the whites whiter, but it is also easy to do in levels. You get a level layer and pull in the two little arrows on either side of the histogram closer towards each other until you're happy.

I then selected the background, contracted it slightly to make sure I didn't accidentally have any edges of the product selected, and did a surface blur, fiddling with the settings until there was no uneven background.

It sounds like a lot but it's only really a couple of stages.. after a few you'd soon speed up. Could get quite tedious doing that sort of thing though if there's hundreds!
 
If you have 100 images - then you need to:

1. get it as near correct as possible - in camera
2. forget photoshop and use Lightroom 3 - it is so much better/faster than photoshop - you can process ONE image and copy/paste the result to all the rest. If all shot with the same conditions you could process 100 images in 5 minutes.
 
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Lightroom definitely for the levels if he has it. But smoothing out the background would be more fiddly as the tools are not as refined as PS.
 
WOW how big is that light tent?

I found the white backgrounds to make shooting in the tent caused problems for me shooting stuff so always use a red one now.
 
THank you for all the replies. Yes it is a big tent, I even managed to photograph my wife in it (for the website), although she had to sit down. I know it's not the ideal way of shooting portraits, but it worked (sort of).

Never heard of Lightroom 3, will look into it. I have never used PS that much either, so need to get something that is easy to use. When I have tried PS, I always struggled to remove the background. When using the select tool, it wouldn't pick the whole boundary, and all edges would look 'jagged' and very obviously edited. Although I am sure I was doing it wrong, as people here seem to make it look easy.

There are around images, but only 5 like the one above, the other are close-ups on each item within the main image (as above). So 5 images as above, and 90+ where the item will be on the floor of the light tent.
 
Andy1 said:
Never used Photoshop, but I am getting it through work so can do some post processing. The only issue will be the amount of photos to do (over 100 of them), so would be great to do as little as possible or to be able to repeat the results easily.

If you don't mid having a quick attempt, that would be great and much appreciated.

I tried a quick attempt with a different background, which helped a bit (the cloth needs ironing and the items placed out better though).

Test3.jpg
Click to expand...

I think you should visit the TalkIroning forums for some tips as well :p
 
Hi Andy

Can I ask what the Aberfeldy Connection is ?
 
possibly opening a huge can of worms here, as I am going to comment on what is being photographed and not the photography bit.........

feel free to tell me to sod off!

I am assuming the big "thing" at the back is a seating plan - what I have immediately noticed is that the 9 small squares are neither aligned to each other nor to the central heading bit which I am guessing says "Billy and Betty's wedding - Table Plan" (or similar) - just an observation.........and maybe something fro the better half to consider??????

One question for you as well - is why choose B&W? I am guessing the object of photographing these is to promote the business etc and people usually tend to have lots of colour at weddings - would a range of things in different colours help to show the diversity of products you are available to offer?
 
Aberfeldy could be a table name at a wedding (named after a number of villages perhaps). The Tartan is the colour of Menzies (near Aberfeldy).

The alignment issues are only in this 'sample' set that I am 'allowed' to practice on. Once I have the settings correct the wife will be in control of the layout of the items, and the better produced table planner (and other stationery) will be used.

Can't you tell it was layed out by a man (one who have never done photography before)? :LOL:

There are 5 or 6 main collections, all different colours. I chose the black and white one to test with as I thought it would be the hardest to photograph. There is also a separate section which is for bespoke designs, where I have about a dozen or more colours to photograph.

This is just a test! ;)
 
Andy1 said:
Aberfeldy could be a table name at a wedding (named after a number of villages perhaps). The Tartan is the colour of Menzies (near Aberfeldy).

The alignment issues are only in this 'sample' set that I am 'allowed' to practice on. Once I have the settings correct the wife will be in control of the layout of the items, and the better produced table planner (and other stationery) will be used.

Can't you tell it was layed out by a man (one who have never done photography before)? :LOL:

There are 5 or 6 main collections, all different colours. I chose the black and white one to test with as I thought it would be the hardest to photograph. There is also a separate section which is for bespoke designs, where I have about a dozen or more colours to photograph.

This is just a test! ;)
Click to expand...


That's all right then. I'll let you off! :LOL::LOL:

That lightbox thingy looks like it will double up as a tent! It's massive!

Personally I like the idea of named tables instead of Table No 1 etc......... we had our reception at the Golf Club of which I am a member - had open venues as Table names and golf balls in pyramids as the weight things for the balloons!

(That was my contribution to the planning of the reception!)
 
I’m sorry but the black and white set up looks to me like a black and white photograph and I think using that photo as a sales example would do nothing to make someone buy from you.
The version with the colour background looks better but again I think people will assume you’re trying to be clever with a bit of colour popping processing.

Personally I would start again with the colour versions.

But using your current photo I have increased the black using select colour in photoshop and using a grad of red and green ( manily because most folks think tartan is made of these colours;)) I dropped a layer over the photo to at least give it a little more interest.
I know you say you don’t use photoshop but I do think regarding sales literature you need to learn a few basics to give the pictures a little more impact.


hope this helps
Colin
test2edit.jpg
 
RevOnline said:
Entirely unrepresentative product shots are a very, very bad idea.
Click to expand...


I’m not suggesting anything of the sort, what I’m am suggesting if you wish people to stop and look you need more than an uninspiring 'black and white' photograph.
 
That's all right then. I'll let you off!

That lightbox thingy looks like it will double up as a tent! It's massive!

Personally I like the idea of named tables instead of Table No 1 etc......... we had our reception at the Golf Club of which I am a member - had open venues as Table names and golf balls in pyramids as the weight things for the balloons!

(That was my contribution to the planning of the reception!)
Click to expand...

It is massive, but seems to be quite handy.

She did a wedding recently where the table numbers where flight numbers from the grooms 'lads' holidays when he was single. Slightly geeky I think.

CYB. I understand what you are saying, and we want to get a photograph that looks natural without being obviously post processed. Changing the colour of the products just to suit the photographs wouldn't be a good idea, and black & white has been quite popular for weddings (in the limited time she has been doing this). This is one of 5 or 6 designs, and the only B&W one.

I also have to remind myself about who makes the decisions to buy these things for the wedding, it's rarely the groom!
 
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Cyb said:
I’m not suggesting anything of the sort, what I’m am suggesting if you wish people to stop and look you need more than an uninspiring 'black and white' photograph.
Click to expand...

so in that case, a colour image of what is being photographed as opposed to a psychadelic red green abonimation.

For a minute I thought my monitor had gone wappy, then i thought my eyes had!
 
The current colours in fashion for weddings are purples and browns.
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I hope you are getting married, otherwise you shouldn't know that sort of thing! :LOL:
 
Andy – I’m in no way suggesting you change the colour of the products.

Your black and white copy could be perfect as a photograph but selling the items is a different matter. Both backgrounds you are using don’t work.

I re-edited the picture to remove the cast over the items. To show how a little colour in the background helps – which is what my the first edit was all about.
Perhaps it would help if you did a bit of market research and print a few variations show them to some people walking up your local high street and ask which one would make then stop and look

I do look forward to seeing some of the colour designs and I like the product.


test2edited.jpg
 
awp said:
If you have 100 images - then you need to:

1. get it as near correct as possible - in camera
2. forget photoshop and use Lightroom 3 - it is so much better/faster than photoshop - you can process ONE image and copy/paste the result to all the rest. If all shot with the same conditions you could process 100 images in 5 minutes.
Click to expand...

you can do the same in photoshop with an action and a droplet then just drop them all onto the droplet

Also, that red green background thing above looks very garish, i'd avoid that if i were you!
 
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It's nice to see a collection together to see how it all looks but it would also be good to see it 'in-situ' as it would be seen on the day, a table plan on an easel, order of service on a church pew etc.
I think it would help people to visualise how they would look, if you can move their thinking from 'that looks nice' to 'ooh, i can see exactly how that would look on my day' then you'll get more sales.
 
t's nice to see a collection together to see how it all looks but it would also be good to see it 'in-situ' as it would be seen on the day, a table plan on an easel, order of service on a church pew etc.
I think it would help people to visualise how they would look, if you can move their thinking from 'that looks nice' to 'ooh, i can see exactly how that would look on my day' then you'll get more sales.
Click to expand...

Good idea. The current layout on the website is on the general collection page about 5 or 6 of them will have the whole collection (as posted on the first page), then each image links to another page where there will be images of each individual item and a description of materials used etc. I was going to photograph these all in the light tent, but what you have suggested is a good idea. I might keep the idea of the light tent, but also add some additional ones that show them in-situ! (y)

Table Planner - on an easel
Order Of Service - Church Pew
Thank You and Acceptance - Above the fire

For the name cards, I might get her to make lots of the same one, line them up and but them in rows tightly together,. I know how it will look, but can't describe it.

No but ever wedding cake made by my sister for the last 8 months has had some shade of brown or purple on it.
Click to expand...

She has a chocolate/brown and gold design, but no purple yet. I have mentioned this to her, and she will add it to the list. We have a lot to get done before the first wedding fayre in 5 weeks time!
 
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It seems to me like the problems with the lighting are

a) not enough light
b) no light coming from the front directly onto the items

and for camera settings...

c) underexposing by just over a stop.

more lights, more exposure and perhaps a softbox or umbrella from the front i would suggest (y)
 
bomberman said:
It seems to me like the problems with the lighting are

a) not enough light
b) no light coming from the front directly onto the items

and for camera settings...

c) underexposing by just over a stop.

more lights, more exposure and perhaps a softbox or umbrella from the front i would suggest (y)
Click to expand...

More lights! :eek: £££££££

I don't know what a stop is, but guessing it's the Aperture? Although I could have just typed something very stupid.

Anyone know where I can get more lights from (cheap)? I have 3X5000k in each light head as it is. I assume more lighting would help the contrast in shades from the back of the scene and the front (light to dark red or grey to white).
 
Andy1 said:
Aberfeldy could be a table name at a wedding (named after a number of villages perhaps). The Tartan is the colour of Menzies (near Aberfeldy).
Click to expand...

Cheers - Just thought I'd ask as I've lots of family in Aberfeldy & surrounding area. (y)
 
Cheers - Just thought I'd ask as I've lots of family in Aberfeldy & surrounding area.
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We also got engaged near Aberfeldy, and go there most years on holiday. I think that also might be why she chose to use that name.

Regarding the extra lighting that might be required. Could I buy some desk lights and put daylight lamps in them (to save money)?
 
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