| p>Dear Photo Experts, | | | | shots to focus on the details. And I mean getting the |
| I make lei, and sell them on auction web sites. I | | | | camera lens as close as you can focus to the lei, and |
| bought a kind of expensive digital camera to take | | | | getting close up detail shots. |
| pictures to put on the auction sites, but my pictures | | | | Now for lighting your product. Lighting for Table-top |
| still aren't so great. I make different kind of lei, some | | | | product photography is different for different |
| with yarn, some with feathers, and some with shells. | | | | products, but we're talking about products where |
| My pictures look flat and don't show details like I | | | | texture and shapes are important, and specifically, lei. |
| want them to. How can I make it better? | | | | So, I recommend not using the on-camera flash. |
| Lei | | | | Instead, I suggest you get some lamps that you can |
| Dear Lei, | | | | change the direction of their light output. You can |
| Depending on what equipment you have at your | | | | buy clamp-on light fixtures with reflectors at a |
| disposal, there may be a number of things you can | | | | hardware store inexpensively, and they work fine for |
| do to improve your Product Photography. That is | | | | this. |
| what we're talking about here... Product Photography. | | | | You are best off buying light bulbs that are made for |
| There are a lot of pros out there who have devoted | | | | photography. You can get them either at a local |
| their careers to perfecting their product photography. | | | | camera store, or online. But the main thing is that all |
| I don't want to mislead you here, if you want a truly | | | | your lights are the same kind, and wattage. Your |
| professional look to your products that you are selling | | | | digital camera has an automatic "white balance", and |
| on the internet, or anywhere else, unless you have | | | | will figure out the light you use as long as there is |
| plenty of time for practice, and money for | | | | only one type of light in use. |
| equipment, your best bet is to take your products to | | | | I recommend using two lamps. Position one a few |
| a professional commercial studio photographer. | | | | feet above the lei, and slightly in front, (on the |
| Meanwhile, for now, there are a few simple ways to | | | | camera side), pointed down at the lei. This will light it, |
| improve on what you've got. | | | | and the texture will cast a very slight edge of |
| First of all, make sure the lens you are using is clean, | | | | shadow defining the details. Place the second light to |
| and you are getting a good exposure when you | | | | one side a couple feet away. This light should be level |
| make your photograph! A dirty lens can obscure | | | | with the lei, and also just slightly to the front. This will |
| details, and lower contrast in your images. And make | | | | add highlights and more detail. |
| sure the product is well lit, so you can 1) see it | | | | Play with the placement of the lights within |
| clearly, and 2) you can get a good exposure without | | | | parameters described above, and take several |
| having to have a slow shutter speed. | | | | pictures. Change the camera position a little higher, a |
| You should definitely be using a good, sturdy tripod | | | | little lower, and see what looks best. And place your |
| for your product photography. You want to get full | | | | lei on a clean, solid color surface. |
| shots of your lei, but you also want to get close-up | | | | |