My first try at product photography.

[f50fan]

These were taken right next to me using a couple sheets of computer paper and some masking tape. All lighting was coming in from the sun, diffused through my curtains. So, how did I do?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/f50fan/GGcloseupwithcase.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/f50fan/GGcloseupnocase.jpg

[NZDoug]

Need more depth.
Eye wear, especially sunglasses look best on a light table as it shows the tint.
The reflections are a no no for catalog.
Flaring the logo and keeping it crisp would be preferred by the manufacturer or promotor.
The case sunglass combo is a little muddy, wouldnt print well on crappo paper stock.
More flare on the arms might enhance shape.;)

[f50fan]

Thanks for the comments! I'll try to remember those tips. These were taken just to accompany the craigslist posting for the glasses. Haha.

[Dream Merchant]

BRAVE ATTEMPT...and decently clear shots!

Product photography, (especially with certain plastic objects) is one of the most demanding disciplines. I recall one shoot of a pax shot of a white, electronic toothbrush. The photog (pro) originally scheduled 2 hours...we ended up taking half a day, with the help of 2 other assistants, 4 lights, over 8 additional stands for reflectors and shims with the both of us improsioned on the floor of the studio because all the light stands were around us! LOL!

You were brave...

[f50fan]

wow. im sure it was a huge product? big brand i mean.

[bieber]

Not necessarily. Lighting small objects like that can just be immensely difficult, especially if they show off specular highlights too well. I also get the feeling that they were probably over-solving their problems a little, but the simple, elegant lighting solutions always come to you after you finish the shoot, never during ;)

[Dream Merchant]

It was a white, semi-flat, semi-gloss electric toothbrush. The main problem were exceberated by the factors - small, completely white, semi-gloss, semi-flat.

Small objects - light direction control needs to be immensely aqccurate. Remember that an electric toothbrush has both a skinny stem as well as a disproportionately fatter, large handle.

White - how do you shoot a completely white object and make it look 3 dimensional?

Surface finish - Coupled with the 'small' problem, placement of highlights, midtones and shadows become crucial


Bieber, we started with the simple, classical lighting set-ups of soft-box, fill (with and without grids, barndoors) and reflectors and tried and tried and tried till we eneded up with all that gear.

Ironically, we found that the softbox caused more problems than helped. The result belie the amount of effort and equipment - it looked just like a real-life, white, skinny electric toothbrush on the product packaging instead of a digitally rendered/manipulated image.

[f50fan]

Thank you for all your comments. I've gained so much insight!