Watch shot

Carlh

Carlh

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Carl
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Its a bit scratched so I might put some time into cleaning up the image but I think its getting there (with the lighting). I need a boom arm I think to position the light better, my current setup isn't allowing me to position the softbox where I need it to be

Also, as the second hand was moving around I need to clean that out too. Funny how you spot these things <after> you upload them. Due to the strap, I can't position the watch in an upright position either which is a bit of a bummer. I might see if we still have the original box as it'll probably sit in there nicely.

F18, 1/40th sec, 160ISO, 105mm Macro Lens

16395696981_7ed40c59cb_b.jpg


Cheers for popping in
 
This for me Carl is quite a bit better that your last attempt, certainly the light is much better.(y)

If you don't mind a bit of constructive help/crit then I have a few little bits that might help you. You mention that you're unable to angle the watch upright because of the strap, when I have come up against a similar problem I have done one of two things that work pretty well.

The first is quite simple just a small ball of something like "Blue Tack" on the back of the watch (out of view) placed fairly low down should enable you to lean the back of the watch against part of the strap and it will then stand up on it's own.

The second is to make a pad/stand for the watch to strap on to (to simulate a wrist). I have made one before now out of a small piece of cardboard tubing such as an old toilet roll tube and then cover it in something like velvet or another non reflective material then strap the watch to it and hey! the watch can be positioned more or less however you want it and the watch looks nicely presented against it with the untidy strap out of view.

The third is to position the hands at ten-two and the second hand somewhere at the bottom of the face, it generally looks better like that. If you just wait until the second hand is in the place you want then pull out the time adjuster on the side a little, that should stop the second hand from moving and also enable you to position the other hands at ten-two.

The forth is if you are having problems reducing the reflections from the metal parts of the watch or any other very shiny bits of metal etc. One dodge that I have done before now is to get everything ready for the shot eg lights, camera, where you are going to position the item, etc etc and then put the item in the fridge (it really won't hurt it) while you have a coffee or tea, then when you take the item out of the fridge it will mist up a little bit reducing the reflections for long enough to take the shot. It helps to have a piece of tissue handy when shooting watches just to carefully wipe any misting from the watch face. This tip really does work.

Hope you didn't mind me passing these tips on to you. "Enjoy" :):)

George.
 
Very nice Carl , I can't add to Georges excellent feedback but the lighting looks good and as you say it will look better with some support to keep the watch straight
 
G.K.Jnr. said:
This for me Carl is quite a bit better that your last attempt, certainly the light is much better.(y)

If you don't mind a bit of constructive help/crit then I have a few little bits that might help you. You mention that you're unable to angle the watch upright because of the strap, when I have come up against a similar problem I have done one of two things that work pretty well.

The first is quite simple just a small ball of something like "Blue Tack" on the back of the watch (out of view) placed fairly low down should enable you to lean the back of the watch against part of the strap and it will then stand up on it's own.

The second is to make a pad/stand for the watch to strap on to (to simulate a wrist). I have made one before now out of a small piece of cardboard tubing such as an old toilet roll tube and then cover it in something like velvet or another non reflective material then strap the watch to it and hey! the watch can be positioned more or less however you want it and the watch looks nicely presented against it with the untidy strap out of view.

The third is to position the hands at ten-two and the second hand somewhere at the bottom of the face, it generally looks better like that. If you just wait until the second hand is in the place you want then pull out the time adjuster on the side a little, that should stop the second hand from moving and also enable you to position the other hands at ten-two.

The forth is if you are having problems reducing the reflections from the metal parts of the watch or any other very shiny bits of metal etc. One dodge that I have done before now is to get everything ready for the shot eg lights, camera, where you are going to position the item, etc etc and then put the item in the fridge (it really won't hurt it) while you have a coffee or tea, then when you take the item out of the fridge it will mist up a little bit reducing the reflections for long enough to take the shot. It helps to have a piece of tissue handy when shooting watches just to carefully wipe any misting from the watch face. This tip really does work.

Hope you didn't mind me passing these tips on to you. "Enjoy" :):)

George.
Click to expand...
(y) that is super, george, ta! cheers pete :)
 
Super George here can't say much more than that... the only other thing is try and avoid shadows falling on the watch face.

Keep going because you will get to somewhere where lighting bugs will be become easy.... lighting a watch will be harder than any bug, though the bug is a harder subject due to movement etc.
 
Tintin124 said:
Super George here can't say much more than that... the only other thing is try and avoid shadows falling on the watch face.

Keep going because you will get to somewhere where lighting bugs will be become easy.... lighting a watch will be harder than any bug, though the bug is a harder subject due to movement etc.
Click to expand...

don't watches have movement then :D:D:D

I love it Carl - given me an idea for some indoor Macro too

Les ;)
 
Usual trick is to pull the crown (winding wheel) out, which stops the hands in the correct place (may not work on all watches)

It's much improved Carl, but there's still a pretty strong reflection of you and your camera in the bezel.

Last shot I did, I actually cheated - i've got a few large "Flat Reflectors/Absorbers" (a sheet of polystyrene insulation painted matt black on one side, and white on the other) - I took the scruffiest one of those and made a circular hole on the centre of it, just big enough for the lens to poke through... Then I hung the "flat" over the lens and moved it around so that nothing reflected on the Bezel... Best of it is, depending on the desired effect, I can either reflect a bit of fill in light onto the face or "damp it down" depending on which side of the flat I use.
 
TheBigYin said:
Usual trick is to pull the crown (winding wheel) out, which stops the hands in the correct place (may not work on all watches)

It's much improved Carl, but there's still a pretty strong reflection of you and your camera in the bezel.

Last shot I did, I actually cheated - i've got a few large "Flat Reflectors/Absorbers" (a sheet of polystyrene insulation painted matt black on one side, and white on the other) - I took the scruffiest one of those and made a circular hole on the centre of it, just big enough for the lens to poke through... Then I hung the "flat" over the lens and moved it around so that nothing reflected on the Bezel... Best of it is, depending on the desired effect, I can either reflect a bit of fill in light onto the face or "damp it down" depending on which side of the flat I use.
Click to expand...
I did pull it out the winding wheel (but it is a battery watch) as it has stopped my watches in the past, whether or not it popped back in (which it does look like it did now I look at the image)

I really like your idea about that board/polystyrene, will keep an eye out for something like that. Shame we've thrown all the cardboard out from Christmas presents, I could have easily have used that. Lily's birthday next week so hopefully someone will give her something in a box that I can use
 
Nad earings lmfao... she would be constantly tea bagging herself though so something more creative may have to happen to the Nads.... lol
 
Nice work Carl. The immediate points I was going to mention are I wasn't ken on it being left on it's side (you pointed that out though) and the hands are covering the company logo (@G.K.Jnr. covered that bit, along with several other areas).

Nice image though, lighting, background and reflection are all really good!
 
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