Home interior / decor for online shop

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hattiephoto

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Name
Harriet
Edit My Images
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Hi I'm wondering for some advice - I have just built an online shop as I want to start selling home decor items but I am finding it hard to achieve the image results that I want for my stock photos.

I am using a Canon 500d and have just bought a Canon 1.8 50mm lens to get me started.. I do have an external flash and a small desk tripod, and have ordered a softbox kit which arrives tomorrow.

I basically want to achieve clean and crisp and relatively neutral shots. I am really struggling to get the lighting right and have read/watched a few youtube videos saying different things, is it best to use natural light and maybe the softbox to achieve this look or should I be closing off windows and doors and use artificial light only?

Is there a specific method of editing that could help me soften my images.

Any help / guidance would be really appreciated!

Thank you
 
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www.talkphotography.co.uk

Free lighting e-book

As per the title, this is my new e-book, Lighting Magic. Copies are available free to TP members You’ve guessed it, it’s about using and creating light. The book, which runs for 263 A4 pages (or a lot more Kindle pages), has been created mainly by me and with valuable contributions from other...
www.talkphotography.co.uk www.talkphotography.co.uk
 
As you've cross posted this to the editing and pp forum, I just thought I'd drop by and let you know it's not really the "done thing" to post to all intents and purposes the same question to multiple forum sections. As such, i've merged them and left them in the most appropriate section.

It's NOT really about the post processing, it's all about the initial composition and lighting. The "other peoples work" you've posted for reference (again, not really the done thing unless you give credit and links to the copyright owner...) appear to be reasonably professionally produced images from companies big enough to have a photography budget and most likely by a pro photographer. Not to be too disparaging about YOUR shots, but you've a bit to go in your understanding of lighting in the process of what is basically Still LIfe or Product Photography. Garry's e-book that Phil mentioned, and I linked above (it'd be okay for you to have linked to the thread @Phil V btw) WILL get you a good long way into the process of "thinking and understanding about the light", but its not necessarily going to be a quick process - interesting, yes, satisfying, yes, frustrating at times, very much so... but not a quick thing.
 
Thanks for your help Phil I managed to get a copy of this last night so will make a start on that.

TheBigYin - the image owners were clearly shown on the photographs that I attached but I have taken them all down now anyway. Feel free to delete my other post as it seems I am unable to do this myself.
 
The problem initially is a lack of skill & experience. You can't just buy a bit of cheap equipment and watch a few videos and then expect to turn out commercial grade images.

Lighting is paramount, post production is merely a minor polish.
 
I agree with the answers above. The problem (as I see it) is that very few people seem to appreciate that photography is a skill and that lighting is a separate subset skill. I don't think it helps that software programmes claim to solve problems magically and that even phone cameras include magic filters etc that claim to work wonders without skill . . .

The OP messaged me last night, I sent her the book and hope that she finds it useful. It will at least help her to get started on what, inevitably, will be a fairly long journey.
 
riddell said:
The problem initially is a lack of skill & experience. You can't just buy a bit of cheap equipment and watch a few videos and then expect to turn out commercial grade images.

Lighting is paramount, post production is merely a minor polish.
Click to expand...

Blunt but to the point. Quality product photography is way more difficult than most folks realise and has traditionally been one of the most skilled (and highly paid) aspects of the profession. Sure, technology has moved some things forward but 'light' hasn't changed, and that's the key. See this current thread https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/how-much-room.715237/

Having said that, questions like the OP's come up quite often and posters have had success if they're wanting to shoot simple stuff, where most of the products are similar and require similar treatment, they're prepared to take instruction, and put the effort in. Forget the common assumption that all you need is a good camera, a light-tent from Amazon, and that everything can be fixed in Photoshop.
 
riddell said:
The problem initially is a lack of skill & experience. You can't just buy a bit of cheap equipment and watch a few videos and then expect to turn out commercial grade images.
Click to expand...

Luckily this is very true. If it wasn't some of us would be out of a job.
 
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