Need help--product shoot

lizzard_nyc

My little brother is trying to get into an art school. His portfolio was stolen and he has since been drawing like a maniac. He also did a couple of sculptures to show variety.
He asked if I would photograph his two pieces for his portfolio--I'm new as is, but a product shoot is something I've never done before. Not even sure if it's called a product shoot.
This is what I came up with and I'm not happy with the results--some help for a reshoot please. No idea what I'm doing but I want to help him.

Also for these I was unprepared as he showed up at my door with the sculptures and was in a time crunch--I laid out a black sweater (bad idea) needed something solid.

Thank you in advance.


1.

Aperture priority
-3/10 EV
f 5.6
ISO 800
61MM focal length

I did a little PP work to make the background solid black.


2.



3.



4. This one is the WORST of the bunch--the pp work is ridiculous--The whites are overexposed and burn my eyes--When I reshoot I will likely not do PP work on it, hopefully it won't need it.

divamum

Liz - make a "light box" to do this. It'll take a little time, but is easy and virtually free.

There's LOTS of tutorials on the net, but essentially you need to take a cardboard box, cut one side of it to leave it open, and then put tracing paper or thin white fabric on three of the remaining sides (leave one to be the "bottom" which needs to be closed so it's stable).

Then, you can shine lights - any lights at all (do a custom white balance in camera so that they'll look right) - through the diffuser sides and presto... shadowless lighting!

Here's one from Strobist which is the basic idea http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/07/how-to-diy-10-macro-photo-studio.html

There are loads of other diy tutorials out there - it's not difficult once you get the concept that you're trying to create a space that can be lit all round, but lit THROUGH diffusion material of some kind.

HTH!

PS For "backdrop" purposes, you can use scrapbook paper if you want something fancy, or just a piece of black construction paper or thin card/poster card (just kinda roll it up from floor onto the back "wall" -kinda like a roll of seamless would hang in a studio). My light box setup owes a great deal to the dollar store...... I think grand total (including some parachute nylon which is awesome diffusion material. and a tad more robust than tracing paper) was maybe $5?

pathfinder

If these are small enough, you can fold 3 pieces white printing paper in half, and stand them on three sides of the subject, and use a flash or a light source through each of the three sheets of paper, to create a shadowless light tent for small objects very easily.

Match your camera's White balance to your light source, or create a custom white balance with a 4th sheet of white paper as well.

lizzard_nyc

divamum wrote:

Liz - make a "light box" to do this. It'll take a little time, but is easy and virtually free.

There's LOTS of tutorials on the net, but essentially you need to take a cardboard box, cut one side of it to leave it open, and then put tracing paper or thin white fabric on three of the remaining sides (leave one to be the "bottom" which needs to be closed so it's stable).

Then, you can shine lights - any lights at all (do a custom white balance in camera so that they'll look right) - through the diffuser sides and presto... shadowless lighting!

Here's one from Strobist which is the basic idea http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/07/how-to-diy-10-macro-photo-studio.html

There are loads of other diy tutorials out there - it's not difficult once you get the concept that you're trying to create a space that can be lit all round, but lit THROUGH diffusion material of some kind.

HTH!

PS For "backdrop" purposes, you can use scrapbook paper if you want something fancy, or just a piece of black construction paper or thin card/poster card (just kinda roll it up from floor onto the back "wall" -kinda like a roll of seamless would hang in a studio). My light box setup owes a great deal to the dollar store...... I think grand total (including some parachute nylon which is awesome diffusion material. and a tad more robust than tracing paper) was maybe $5?

Thank you Divamum,
That is quite a bit of information and I love it!
Now I know what to do with all my remaining scrapbook paper:)

I will shoot it this weekend. I appreciate the tutorial and the link . Thank you.

lizzard_nyc

pathfinder wrote:

If these are small enough, you can fold 3 pieces white printing paper in half, and stand them on three sides of the subject, and use a flash or a light source through each of the three sheets of paper, to create a shadowless light tent for small objects very easily.

Match your camera's White balance to your light source, or create a custom white balance with a 4th sheet of white paper as well.

Pathfinder,
The sculptures are relatively small--smaller than my hand. So if I can't build the lightbox, I can make do with your idea in a pinch! I will reshoot and repost to this thread.

Thanks for your input.
Quick question--About the white paper, since the sculptures are white, won't that kind of blend in with the scultpure and the borders of the sculpture blend in with the paper?

pathfinder

I agree that you don't want to use the white paper diffusers for your background. I liked your black background, but it does create higher contrast ranges to manage. You might consider an out of focus, pastel of some sort, tan or aqua as an alternative. Use a 13 x19 in piece of colored paper supported in the rear, like a seamless background, with light via the folded paper from either side.