Photographing clothes?

[skydiver]

Hi Guys,

have been roped into photographing some female fashion outfits/garments which will be offered for sale on a website - so catalogue type stuff I imagine.

Some will be supported on a manikin but most laid out flat.

Thinking along the lines of using a Hi-lite with maybe a touch of padding inserted into the 'flat' garments to add a touch of 3D persective and maybe some close ups of any particular feature of the garment that could be added as an insert with the original full size pic.

(Planning on using a 5D MKII, and have a good range of lenses + studio kit...but will be shooting at the customers premises)

All new to me, so if anyone could offer any advice/tips on set up, equipment, camera settings, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Chee]

That sounds more like product photography. Easiest way is to have a solid background colour and enough light. If possible hang the product and have a distance to the background. If the photos are going online and you have "decent" lenses there is no need for Close Ups, because you could zoom in on the picture.
M mode is almost a must since you want same lighting. Would not "stuff" anything into the garments, this could change the overall look of the product and might be alright for you but not for your client (fashion designer are very fuzzy )

 

[nolano55]

+1 What Chee has already mentioned.... Hanging the clothes on the mannequin will save you taking countless details of the product lying flat. Another consideration... Make sure your monitor is calibrated so that if you are editing the shots, the colour of the garments in your images matches their true colours.

 

[Studi0488]

+1 What Chee has already mentioned.... Hanging the clothes on the mannequin will save you taking countless details of the product lying flat. Another consideration... Make sure your monitor is calibrated so that if you are editing the shots, the colour of the garments in your images matches their true colours.

Sorry that's wrong, do not calibrate your monitor these are for the web, not print, customers are not using calibrated monitors, so neither should you.

As for backgrounds, it's not an issue as all these types of shots need clipped out to get pure white.

If the person whose website this is wants it right, then they should get someone who has done it before, sales are tough enough at the moment without getting the imagery wrong. (No offence, we see this a lot)

You cannot hang a garment and treat it as a flat shot, it will look horrible, flat shots need to be styled on a flat surface with the camera above, or 45 if you can avoid slipping.

Don't forget this type of stuff is 70% styling, 10% steaming, 15% post production, the rest is taking the image.

 

[Studi0488]

If they want invisible mannequins shots, then be prepared for a lot of post production, putting necks back in and removing arms and legs etc takes a bit of time.

And hope you don't need to buy a mannequin, ours are £300 each

Ironically the first job on Monday for us is 280 garments flat the stylist is in forma shock when she sees the numbers, and there's about 2.5 hrs just in steaming and hanging.

 

[skydiver]

Thanks Guys,

food for thought, gives me some idea of what's involved before meeting the customer and discussing what she is looking for.

 

[dkh]

double post.

 

[dkh]

Sorry that's wrong, do not calibrate your monitor these are for the web, not print, customers are not using calibrated monitors, so neither should you.

As for backgrounds, it's not an issue as all these types of shots need clipped out to get pure white.

If the person whose website this is wants it right, then they should get someone who has done it before, sales are tough enough at the moment without getting the imagery wrong. (No offence, we see this a lot)

You cannot hang a garment and treat it as a flat shot, it will look horrible, flat shots need to be styled on a flat surface with the camera above, or 45 if you can avoid slipping.

Don't forget this type of stuff is 70% styling, 10% steaming, 15% post production, the rest is taking the image.

Sorry, but why is it wrong? Isn't it good practice to know that you personally have correct colours and brightness / contrast etc. And what if anyone of the pics are chosen for printing (promotions etc) ?