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I take CRUMMY pictures. And it’s not my camera’s fault – as far as I know I have a fairly nice digi cam. I would like to get nice proffesional looking photos that I can put up in the gallery with it though…
If anyone can tell me what sort of lights and backgrounds they use, and maybe something about how to properly USE all the functions on my camera, that would be awesome……
Right now the best I’ve got is a pillow case taped up on the wall outside in the sunlight. 🙁
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom."
-J R R TolkienI’m not sure much how I can help, but when sunlight isn’t available, I take pictures in the fluorescent light downstairs. Supposedly that blues the color or something, but the pics look fine to me. As backdrops I use lengths of fabric. I only use macro shots for details. Otherwise I step back and zoom in on the critter, instead of holding the camera close enough to have the pictures filled with no zoom. Zoom helps stabilize and the pictures aren’t fuzzy. That’s all. I hope it makes sense.
I’ve tried all different functions on my camera too….and sometimes the pictures look great and sometimes they look like poop….
and it’s usually the accidental ones that look the best
I always try to use daylight,never directly. I have a bent light white backboard to give my cam as less excuse as possible to focus on the background. Works best with a non shine background. Sometimes I use a Molton blanket, its a rough beigewhite blanket used around here between matraze and matraze cover.
Besides of the sunlight I use an artificial light that I can point well, you have to take atleast 5 test shoots until you know where the light has to stand. Also, I use a stander for my camer, not by hand.
and last but not least: no flash
I only used flash one single time for a “special effect”.
also, check your camera for light adjustment and micro/macro, timer and so on. You’ll have to experiment a bit, and keep in mind, unless you are really really really professional doing this you will produce and average of 70-90% garbage. I still delete more than the half of my images. Thank god for digicams. I’m not gonna go into the depressing stories of my early days with the normal cam and no preview.
good luck!I would recommend getting a “portable photo studio”. I picked mine up on ebay for $50, but you canget them at camera shops for around $100. I would also recommend getting an adjustable tripod that goes from floor length to table.
When I am doing close ups I use the macro mode, no zoom. Otherwise I use the A setting alot. I also use the automatic “click” setting. For me, the tripod and the auto click thing have the biggest improvement in my pics.
A while ago we tested cameras. We looked at, bought, and took pics with Sony H2, Canon S3, Lumix F7. The canon had the best far away shots, but the sony blew the canon away for close ups & action shots. Since I mostly take close ups & pics of the kids we kept the Sony H2. I have pictures of morning glories where the actual pollen grains are visable!!
For my photos, I always have my camera set to full manual, with macro on, and fully zoomed out. I use pieces of mat board (white) to create a reflector box, take everything outside, and use AMBIENT light to take my photos. Natural light will almost always look the best because it’s the kind of light our eyes evolved to see. 🙂
I use a Sony Cybershot 828 on a tripod to keep camera shake and vibration to a minimum.Volunteer mod- I'm here to help! Email me for the best response: nambroth at gmail.com
My art: featherdust.comNambroth wrote:For my photos, I always have my camera set to full manual, with macro on, and fully zoomed out. I use pieces of mat board (white) to create a reflector box, take everything outside, and use AMBIENT light to take my photos. Natural light will almost always look the best because it’s the kind of light our eyes evolved to see. 🙂
I use a Sony Cybershot 828 on a tripod to keep camera shake and vibration to a minimum.yeah….I’ve been thinking about getting a tri pod….my hands shake so bad when I try to take the photos, that most of the time all I get is a blob…
Wow, thanks guys!! I think all this will help a lot…
Is the reflct-athingie box that Nam is talking about the same as a portable studio thingie, but homemade?
I know my camera has all this – now I just have to figure out how to use it…and yes, I DO need a tripod.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom."
-J R R TolkienArlla wrote:Wow, thanks guys!! I think all this will help a lot…
Is the reflct-athingie box that Nam is talking about the same as a portable studio thingie, but homemade?
I know my camera has all this – now I just have to figure out how to use it…and yes, I DO need a tripod.
Erm, kinda! I think what asinnamon was referring to was one of these: http://cgi.ebay.com/Portable-Mini-Camera-Photography-Photo-Lighting-Studio_W0QQitemZ230080370310QQihZ013QQcategoryZ3860QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Basically a backdrop with lighting, reflectors, and a camera stand/minitripot/whatever. Whereas mine is 3-4 pieces of matboard taped together with masking tape. XD I don’t know if I’d invest in the little studio just for taking photos of PYOs, but if you plan to get into pro photography….
Otherwise my setup works pretty well I think? I dunno, you guys can judge the photos in my PYO gallery. It wouldn’t win any awards but just for simple PYO photos it does okay. I know at the factory John sets up some sort of small studio with lighting and possibly reflectors/diffusers… that’s why the colors on the eBay auctions look kinda different than my photos. Different kinds (and temperatures) of light wavelengths makes colors look different.
In leiu of a tripod, you can also set your camera’s timer function and set your camera down to take the photo. Some of my best nature photos have seen me out in the woods with no bloody tripod and low light… so I will set the timer, set the camera on a rock (or whatever is available) and bingo! No camera shake. It’s not the best method ever but works in a pinch or if you don’t want to invest in a tripod!! 🙂
Volunteer mod- I'm here to help! Email me for the best response: nambroth at gmail.com
My art: featherdust.comYup, thats exactly what I was talking about. I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t make one yourself tho, I’m just too busy. I have a jewelry website so I needed something to help my photography skills….
lol, on the note of the reflect a box here’s what we- my dad and i- did. mind you he is a world class photographer who has worked for the louvre, the met etc….but he’s a pro of making use of nothing if you are in a have-nothing situation…. we made a set up on their dining room table.. windstone box at the back of the table and draped a piece of velvet or background paper over til it was smooth. he had his camera on a tripod and he did have one square umbrella behind him to reflect some general light, plus the flash of course. we had the room lights out. now, for reflectors for the piece to bring up the detail, we used white cheap-o paperplates, bottom of the line- folded slightly so they stood up!! always a super reflector and its totally moveable as to where you need some highlights! not to mention u can tear it up to make it smaller if you need the reflection in only a small area! we did that with the under jaw area on the pyo dragon, very shadowy down there normally. if you need a small prop to lift up the front of a piece, if its tilting ( like you made it yourself and the bottom isn’t level or in his case artifacts that wont sit level) use a piece of oil based clay, picture tacking putty or rubber eraser under your backdrop under your piece, its pliable so it will fit perfectly to the subjects needs and it stays clean since its under the backdrop, which should also go under the piece itself always.
normally we shoot outside in daylight- partly cloudy, plus we are blessed with a close neighbor with a white house as a HUGE reflector- but we did just as well inside. we still use the paper plate trick outside though, as there is always some little area that needs a tweek.
however as he always says, you can have the BEST equipment in the world and it won’t make you a better photographer. there is no sustitute for TIME TESTED EXPERIENCE!!!!!! it so true and so funny, cuz the gave me his “outdated” camera he shot all these big jobs with, with every photo super clear.. he gives it to me, and every photo i take looks like totally crap! always blurry out of focus or moving, with a rare one i get lucky on and its semi sharp. lol. same camera though, same setup, just different operator.Here are a few better photos of my keeper PYO – these show off her color A LOT better. Thanks for your suggestions, everyone!
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom."
-J R R Tolkien
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