starting to play with #14

divamum

I know what I'd like to see, but I fear my equipment may not let me achieve it SOOC; however, I'll throw this out and see if anybody has any ideas I can try.

Light, light, light. Have none; need some. :huh

My lighting equipment consists of a bounce flash, a window, and a piece of white poster board (reflector). I have a clamplight around somewhere (one of these - the kind workmen use, but I have no way of modifying it... or at least haven't figured one out yet. If I can figure out how to turn it into a softbox, then maybe I can figure out how to get some more contrast on this and some WHITE! At the moment my choices have varied between under and overexposed, and I'm getting frustrated ....

Here's the idea, poorly executed though it is. A reshoot is not only possible, but vital. Help! (I know the dof is too shallow here... i needed the wider ap to get the light....) This one was all window light (coming from camera right) with a white paperboard reflector opposite

pyroPrints.com

This is a great idea. Some suggestions that I'd use if i was trying to reshoot this:
1. Don't use the white sheet, use something with some texture but enough contrast from the beans (light wood, sheetrock?, etc).
2. As far as light, you can try just putting a thin white sheet in front of the lights and/or in front of the flash to diffuse it.
3. composition - now this is highly subjective but for something like this, having it be in the bottom right corner while leaving a significant amount of space open would look really cool, but that just might be me.
4. maybe try playing around, adding other objects to the composition (spoon?) and maybe also laying out outlines in straight lines with the beans facing the the same way.

just my 2 cents here, but i really do love the concept, well done =c)

dlplumer

Very cool concept. You are on a roll

richtersl

I like where you're going with this. Pyro had a good suggestion about using something textured for the background.

If you google how to make a light box for photography you'll get plenty of tips on how to make a DIY light box.

achambers

I made my light tent with 1/2 inch pvc and white nylon fabric. Each corner has a tee (for the basic frame) and an elbow (to make the legs). Nothing is glued, it's just pushed together. I can vary the size as needed and the legs will fold over to make it flat(ish) for storage. The fabric is lightweight 'parachute' or ripstop nylon from the fabric store. I've spent less than $10.

The apple picture from a few challenges back was taken in it with a single speedlight dialed way down (a lot of light will reflect around in it).

I also use cheap lights like this for hot lights. I use GE Reveal bulbs and shoot a gray card for WB. I've made stands from 3/4 pvc for the lights also, my local Lowes carries a 3/4" tee fitting that snaps on. I can slide it up and down to adjust the height.

Trevlan

Diva. It was a pain for me at first to shoot without appropriate light. I still don't have enough light. Your concept is amazing! I have a suggestion, why don't you try shooting it outside in shade, you'll be able to use a faster shutter speed and a more closed up aperture. They only problem I see is wind, but you can shiled it with something. I would love to see a great shot of this. This is great!

divamum

Thanks everybody. I may try some of these things out if I have time!

As always when I try to use some kind of studio light (however primitive!) I feel TOTALLY out of my depth and it always winds up as trial and error, but presumably if I do it enough at SOME point I'll be able to figure out what gets what effect and set it up before the fact! Oy. :bash

In the meantime, continuing to play around with what I've got. Oh, and the daylight bulbs - DUH I can't believe I didn't think of that, because we have some here - brilliant sugggestion. I figured out that if I use the daylight-balanced bulbs with the tungsten setting on my camera I get closer to white. (I still have'nt figured out how to do manual WB. Time to read the manual, I think.... !)

Outside is a good idea except it is SO cold and icky right now - we had a bit of pale sun today, but in general it's been pretty nasty. If we get a nice day when I'm at home I might give it a try.....

Oh, and another thing I have to resolve: how do I get the camera over the object on the table when my (cheapie) tripod doesn't have one of those extra "arms" that extends and rotates so you can shoot straight down? I've had no choice but to handhold...

In any case as always, THANKS for helping this fledging get off the ground!

We're not there yet, but making small steps forward - I think this most recent attempt is a little better lit? This was using the clamplight on one side aimed so it's part bounced off the reflector on the other.



Can I say how much I'm missing post-processing just at this moment??! Oh, and Pyro, I too like the idea of more negative space, but using a 50mm lens and without being able to crop and add to the canvas in post, I couldn't make the coffee-bean-cup small enough to get that effect!

Dee

You've certainly made this a challenge for yourself -- dark beans against a white background? I'm with the use a texture/warmer background crowd. :-) How about some burlap as the background? or some canvas? I'd really like to see better exposure on the beans themselves, which you will have a problem getting against a white background.

I recently photographed some coffee beans and I used straight window light. I can't remember if I added a white paper for a reflector or not. Your problem will be avoiding shadows too. As I said, you really picked a challenge

Benjer

I love your idea - I can almost smell those coffee beans! The tactile nature of the beans and the arranged "coffee mug" really make it a sensory (or sensual) experience - especially with the coffee ground "steam." Ahhhhh.

I wonder if putting some related "real" objects in the frame, which the coffee bean mug could "interact" with, would strengthen the image, or detract from it? Or perhaps even putting the beans on top of a large print of an out-of-focus kitchen or cafe scene...?? Your image is great as is, it just got some ideas "percolating" in my head, so I thought I'd share.

richtersl

divamum wrote:

If this is the angle you want to go with, it's begging for something to tbe poured out of the cup. :slurp:D

Flyinggina

richtersl wrote:

If this is the angle you want to go with, it's begging for something to tbe poured out of the cup. :slurp:D

Also, shouldn't the smoke be rising roughtly straight up?

This is a fabulous idea!! It is such fun to watch you develop it. I know you are going to come up with a show stopper! You are almost there. Thanks for sharing.

Virginia

divamum

Benjer wrote:

Or perhaps even putting the beans on top of a large print of an out-of-focus kitchen or cafe scene...?? Your image is great as is, it just got some ideas "percolating" in my head, so I thought I'd share.

I was thinking that, too. Or a newspaper, perhaps. As it is, I have a sort of kitchen-y background I'll be posting in a moment or two...

Thanks for the kind words!

divamum

Dee wrote:

You've certainly made this a challenge for yourself -- dark beans against a white background? I'm with the use a texture/warmer background crowd. :-) How about some burlap as the background? or some canvas? I'd really like to see better exposure on the beans themselves, which you will have a problem getting against a white background.

"Challenge for myself"? Ha! You give me too much credit. I'd described it as "ignorance" Seriously, I didn't even think it through that far (lack of experience). In fact, this whole idea grew out of a trying a shot rather like the one you just posted - I was playing around wtih a full frame of beans and then just started footling around with them on the paper and... well, you see where I'm up to Challenging indeed!

Thanks for the input - and at least this explains to me WHY I'm having so much trouble with it!!

PS Also meant to say: the beans are, in fact, pretty accurate in colour on my monitor. We use a very dark roast in this house!!

divamum

Flyinggina wrote:

Also, shouldn't the smoke be rising roughtly straight up?

I was just WAITING for somebody to say that!! (I'd actually had my money on Pyry, but I knew somebody would call me on it!!! )

Thanks for the very kind words - appreciated!

divamum

Continuing the shooting marathon which is today... (if I'm going to submit this round I need to finish it in the next couple of days as things get crazy busy from the weekend on, so I'm pressing ahead out of necessity as well as compulsion! )

Different background. Not 100% convinced, but it has something going for it. I may try some others later... Biggest hassle right now is that one of the reflectors fell over and "broke" the cup (ie, coffee beans EVERYWHERE) so I need to create another one..... lol



And with a gold background. I like it, but wonder about the scuff on the plexiglass which shows a lot more in this version, but it's definitely another look. It makes me want to call it "Gold Blend" (which probably isn't funny except in the UK and Europe, but it amuses me.... )

pyroPrints.com

it's looking better. keep at it =c)

JAG

great concept! All you can do is play and play to see if something pops! I can smell the coffee brweing.

KCBearcat

Idea I had... might be good, might be crap...

A coffeepot of beans "pouring" into a real cup...

It's a thought...

pyry

divamum wrote:

I was just WAITING for somebody to say that!! (I'd actually had my money on Pyry, but I knew somebody would call me on it!!! )

Thanks for the very kind words - appreciated!

Who me?

I just did a few steam shots for 'Cozy', steam rising like that is more likely to tie itself into a knot than go straight up

Now then, I just saw what you had in the entry thread - wow. Love it. But I'd have you re-shoot it one more time: steam is white, like sugar

divamum

pyry wrote:

Who me?

I just did a few steam shots for 'Cozy', steam rising like that is more likely to tie itself into a knot than go straight up

Now then, I just saw what you had in the entry thread - wow. Love it. But I'd have you re-shoot it one more time: steam is white, like sugar

HA! Beat you to it on this one . I DID do it with sugar on the white background, but it didn't show up, so I abandoned it and that's when I came up with the coffee grounds... It might work on the newsprint, I suppose, however... ::muses::

divamum

Pyry, I tried it again with sugar-steam (omg, this thing has consumed me all DAY :confused), and it still didn't show up properly, alas (I prefer that as an idea too) viz (please ignore bad framing in this shot - just using it to show the sugar)



Btw, question for y'all: when shooting this kind of thing, is "completely shadowless" the goal, or are small, soft shadows to add depth considered ok?

Keep those comments coming, but I think I need to step away from the coffee beans for a a couple of hours ... too many beanalanches that required rebuilding the cup combined with the frustration of trying to figure out the lighting (I eventually created a sort of light tent by covering each of my cheapie Lowes lights with an old white slip... the pantyhose filter gave me the idea!) . I can tell you this - I have a lot of respect for magazine stylists after this adventure! Thanks for all the input guys -much appreciated!!

pyry

divamum wrote:

Pyry, I tried it again with sugar-steam (omg, this thing has consumed me all DAY :confused), and it still didn't show up properly, alas (I prefer that as an idea too) viz (please ignore bad framing in this shot - just using it to show the sugar)

Btw, question for y'all: when shooting this kind of thing, is "completely shadowless" the goal, or are small, soft shadows to add depth considered ok?

If you shoot it a bit less face on, it should show a little better - and you can back off the brightness of the paper a tad, and if all else fails put more sugar in (can't go wrong with more sugar, I've always said). Using the weather page is genius!

Some soft shadows is what makes the world go around

divamum

pyry wrote:

If you shoot it a bit less face on, it should show a little better - and you can back off the brightness of the paper a tad, and if all else fails put more sugar in (can't go wrong with more sugar, I've always said). Using the weather page is genius!

Some soft shadows is what makes the world go around

Thanks, Pyry. I'm going to leave it for a few days since yesterday became a little bit absurd (on my dining room table with NO space to move around, my lights (draped with assorted undergarments as diffusers) clipped to the chairs, me hoping all the while I wasn't at risk of starting a fire, the coffee beans realigning every time one of my reflectors fell over or my leg bumped the table....). But if I'm inspired next week, maybe I'll have a fresh go at it.

And next time, I'll use some of that craft spray glue to put the beans on some kind of backing instead just laying them out on the clear plastic sheet I was using over the paperboard (clear plastic = GREAT to let me slide different backgrounds underneath but = HORRIBLE for letting me use bounce flash on the white ceiling - the obvious lighting choice - since it REFLECTED and gave me horrid nasty lighting patches of blech. :bash And by the time I figured that out I was so far into it I didn't want to give up and start from scratch!!! :crazy)