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The Dark Room -- Photo Editing and Picture Taking. Advice, tutorials, questions on all things photoshop, photo editing, and taking pictures of beads or glass. |
2006-05-27, 1:54pm
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Taking pictures of sets....HELP !
Need some tips for taking pictures of sets. The one thing that has helped a bit was adjusting the f stop. Any other ideas? THANKS
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Ellen
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2006-05-27, 2:01pm
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A True Woofer
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Since you mention F-stop, I'm assuming you're talking about focus.
I put mine in a circle and focus on a bead toward the middle of the right or left. Then I bring the focus of the camera into the middle of the circle and snap the picture. Then in photoshop elements, I sharpen twice. This way most of the beads are in fairly good focus. Also I have my Fstop at like 18 so there's depth of field.
Here's an example. I probably would focus on the most brownish bead on the very right.
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Ellen
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2006-05-27, 3:40pm
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yes, I decided to think about it like I was using my old 35mm. I would change the f stop/aperture priority to get better depth of field. As long as you use a tripod, because of the slow shutter speed.
Your photo looks real nice ! I have Photoshop Elements version 2. I didn't even know about the sharpen feature. THANK YOU !
Very nice beads by the way.
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Ellen
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2006-05-27, 7:30pm
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A True Woofer
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Thanks! Post some photos when you get a chance.
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Ellen
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2006-05-27, 7:55pm
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Ellen, beautiful beaeds.
Sorry, don't have tips on the photo stuff, just compliments.
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Lara
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2006-05-28, 12:35am
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Maria B @ Indone6ix
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Javagirl, goddess set!
.
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2006-05-28, 4:50am
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A True Woofer
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Thanks, Lara and Adeline!
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Ellen
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2006-05-28, 6:49am
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Detail G-Mama!
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Join Date: Jun 10, 2005
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Nice beads and great photo Ellen! Are those under a light tent or ? What kind of lighting do you use?
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2006-05-28, 7:51am
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A True Woofer
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Thanks, Anne! Yes, it's in a cube, on graduated background paper. I use light stands and bulbs that came with that kit from tabletopstudio. I tried to make my own, but the photos still looked like crap, so I spent the $ for the kit 2 years ago and I love it. They sell everything separately, too.
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Ellen
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2006-05-28, 8:02am
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Detail G-Mama!
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Did you buy the one off Ebay for $275?
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2006-05-28, 8:42am
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A True Woofer
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Yes, something like that. It's a lot of $ and people will come on here saying "oh, you can make it yourself for 5 bucks" but I tried and I failed so I caved and bought the stuff. And I'm very happy I did.
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Ellen
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2006-05-28, 8:48am
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Oh, and you can also buy the stuff separately off their website. Like if you just want the light stands and bulbs or the tent. The kit I bought came with a tripod that I never use, so I might have saved some money by buying the stuff separately, I'm not sure.
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Ellen
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2006-05-29, 11:25am
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I have to read back and see which website you are talking about for the tent.
Anyway, today I have been taking photos. I have the Sony F717. I adjusted the f stop/Aperture, when I first got the camera. Using the automatic setting made the focal beads appear as if they were floating off the surface. I hade it set at 4. So I moved it up, AND IT MAKES A FANTASTIC DIFFERENCE, creating a much better depth of field. Thank You !
Edit to add, I have it set at 6 something. When I set it all the way to 8, the shutter speed was to slow for me to hand hold. Could use the timer on a tripod. But even set at 6, there is a nice improvement.
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Ellen
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2006-05-29, 1:33pm
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A True Woofer
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Excellent!
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Ellen
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2006-05-29, 3:56pm
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Ellen, what size tent do you have?
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Ellen
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2006-05-29, 4:06pm
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A True Woofer
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Hmmm I don't have a ruler handy but if I had to guess, I'd say it's 12" by 12" by 12" or so.
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Ellen
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2006-05-29, 4:46pm
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Entropy increasing....
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I bought a light tent from Kitz camera yesterday for $149. It comes with two lights. It folds up into a frisbee sized thing.
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"I am an artist… I am here to live out loud." Emile Zola
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2006-05-29, 6:09pm
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I'm finally going to get one. I have the PVC set up, with a white cotton cloth. Would have been better to have just gotton the set up.
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Ellen
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2006-05-31, 1:42pm
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I photograph nothing but sets and have mostly struggled with the lighting over the years. I'm too cheap to buy expensive lights and my cheap ones caused the pictures to be so off in color that it took me forever to fix.
I found a cheap fix! I have a daylight table lamp I got at Costco a year or so ago. This weekend I was in Home Depot and was looking at the Ott lamps. I thought.... Mmmmmmm, that light bulb looks like my daylight lamp. One isle over I saw they carry the same daylight table lamp for $18. The one I have is called "Sunlight Lamp", Lamps of America.
Anyways, I came home and propped up my tent on a chair just underneath this table lamp. This was the only light on in the room. I use a macro lens with a tripod and timer. All I had to do is go to Photoshop and brighten and lessen the contrast. VERY GOOD photos and the colors are clear as can be.
Here is an example:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=8942647688
It's worth a try!
Rose
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2006-05-31, 1:50pm
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Rose those beads are beautiful ! And so is the photograph.
So you have a tent also? What size. I was debating the 12 X12 or the 12 x 20.
What do you adjust your f stop to?
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Ellen
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2006-05-31, 2:07pm
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Ellen,
Thanks! I got my tent for $25 through the bulk buy they had here a couple of months ago. I usually just prop it in the windowsill in morning warm light and that works pretty well. But there are other times of the day I need to photograph so this works great now. I put the lamp close to the top of the tent, by the way.
Either size you mentioned will work for you. It doesn't need to be big. I bring my camera in the tent over the top of the beads as much as I can to photograph, with the beads on white computer paper. Except some colors, like blues or whites, need to be photographed on gray photography card.
I use a Nikon Coolpix 4300 and set it on Manual. It's also set to take "Best Shot" so the light meter reads around the beads. I don't think I have an F Stop, I remember looking for it.
A friend of mine went to her local photography store and got a tent and lights (kit) for $100. That could be an option for you. Another thing you might want to look into is getting the gray card from a photography store and use it. I think you focus your beads and put the card down in front of the lens and press the button half way down, take the gray card away (without letting up on the button) and snap your picture. The gray is neutral and that might help.
A tripod is critical to getting a clear picture.
Rose
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2006-06-01, 9:11am
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There is nothing like natural light for sure !
I called one local photoshop, Helix. The guy didn't even know what I was talking about. Pretty strange response from one of the biggest dealers in the Chicago area.
I'll get one on line.
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Ellen
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2006-06-01, 11:23am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellen Black
There is nothing like natural light for sure !
I called one local photoshop, Helix. The guy didn't even know what I was talking about. Pretty strange response from one of the biggest dealers in the Chicago area.
I'll get one on line.
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Ellen - If you're doing small stuff, like single beads take a look at the tutorial that I have out on our website. (www.dawnandevan.com/tutorials.htm) . The one that's out there now shows how to turn a bowl into a photo studio with a camera holder for around $5.00. You can up-size it too, to a much larger bowl or translucent wastebasket for just a couple of bucks more and they work great.
Ev
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2006-06-23, 9:12pm
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Thanks for a great tutorial Evan.
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Ellen
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2006-06-24, 10:55am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellen Black
Thanks for a great tutorial Evan.
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My pleasure... I'm working on a new one... hopefully something in the next couple of weeks depending on time. Good seeing you up at Bead & Button!
Ev
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2006-06-24, 11:34am
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Hi, Page 45 , f stop/ Aperture same thing. the black little wheel in front of the shutter release. Picture on page 43.
I leave the camera always set on A now. I also adjust the white balance too , page 54 and 55
I'd be lost without that manuel. Wish they had printed it bigger thou, tiny print.
Saw how you changed the ISO for your pictures, I was trying that last night too.
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Ellen
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2006-06-24, 7:14pm
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On manual can you set everything yourself? Like shutter speed ? I'll have to look at that.
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Ellen
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