I hate to even ask, but.....

I have my first ever "professional gig" this weekend. Before I set myself up for an onslaught of skepticism and shattered dreams from your responses, I will let you know that it is my brother who is "hiring" me for this. He invented a marathon runner's bracelet and I am taking the pictures to put on his website. There's different color and style combinations, so all-in-all he anticipates about 300 pictures.

I'm typically just out shooting in nature, so I don't have any studio/lighting equipment. I'm aware and my brother is aware that these pictures may not look remarkable, but I need some advice on how to do the best I can with what I have. I'm fine with a trip to Home Depot to pick up some little odds and ends to rig something up, but I am not going to spend big bucks on any professional gear. Here's what I have:

Canon T2i/550D
18-55 lens
55-250 lens
Tripod
Remote Shutter Release

I was going to grab a couple of white linen tablecloths from work and try to shoot during the day with natural light; have the bracelets sitting on the linen with more draped up behind--also planned to use a white foam board opposite the window to bounce some light.

I would love any "cheap and dirty" tips that anyone has for me. And is the built-in pop-up flash out of the question?

Sounds like a basic product shoot then, no models will have these on? If its just the product, you can look into a putting together a cheap light box. I picked up 5 pieces of white foam core from dollar tree for $1 each and built a box out of it, then with a white piece of poster board (also from dollar tree) created a surfice to shoot on (attached at the back on the top and curved onto the "floor" to give a seamless look). My first try's with my light box I used a couple of work lights from Home Depot with the brightest bulbs I could find for them (you want something thats like daylight, I think they make a daylight balanced bulb). Set a custom white balance in camera then the lighting should never change, its set the camera on the tripod, place a product, snap, replace product, snap ... repeat till finished.

Take a few min to get the first one right in camera then there will be little to no post. Shoot raw so you can fix something if you need to then batch process. If you can pick up a flash it would help a ton.

Before you go shopping, spend some time watching these videos. These were absolutely made for your situation.

http://www.prophotolif​e.com/video-library/

Bob

If you use some kind of white card or reflector to bounce the flash into a home-made "light box" you could get pretty good results. Lots of trial and error, but it should work out.

http://www.petapixel.c​om …p-flash-bounce-reflector/

Since you will be shooting small, static objects, you can make a light box as previously recommended. The most common materials for a make-shift light box are either foam core (also previously recommended) or white disposable plastic table cloths that are large and cheap. Either material will allow you to fabricate a nice environment, where the light will reflect evenly around the bracelets you will be shooting. The nice thing about using translucent plastic sheeting, is that you can position your lights outside the box, to simply shine through the material.

For the lighting, there is no reason you can't use inexpensive constant light sources. Inexpensive incandescent shop lights (the type with a spring clamp and a thin aluminum reflector) can be purchased for just a few dollars. They can be arranged, moved, positioned, etc. any way you want, until you get nice even light reflecting within the lightbox. Since you will be shooting similar bracelets in a repeated manner, your lighting setup will remain constant. If you shoot a neutral gray card, your white balance adjustment will be a simple click of the mouse.

Spend some time deciding what type of surface you want the bracelets lying on for your shots. Also spend some time deciding how you want to arrange/position the bracelets on that surface. Your presentation of the product is an important consideration. While the lightbox & lamps will never show up in your images, the arrangement of the bracelets and the surface they are resting on will show up in every shot. Do you want them resting on a dark matte surface? Or do you want them on a light/white surface? Do you want the bracelets perched atop some type of support/prop? Or do you want them simply lying flat on a table? Something as simple as draping a bracelet over some smooth stones or a nice piece of driftwood makes a big difference.

Have fun and experiment.

RandMan wrote in post #15612982
Before I set myself up for an onslaught of skepticism and shattered dreams from your responses

You must have spent too much time in the wedding forums. We aren't that bad but we tend to get tough on people asking - "HELP! I have my first wedding this Saturday, should I rent a flash?"

I love you all! Alright, maybe I don't exactly love you per se but you are great people. I think I'm just trying to say thank you--so thank you!

Can somebody post a link to one of these inexpensive shop-type lights to use, just so I know what I'm looking for?

For a project like this Lightroom is your friend.
As mentioned, get reasonably good lighting on the subject.
Since they are bracelets you may want to shoot from a little lower angle. Spend some time looking at jewelry bracelet ads in magazines.

Big thing is to minimize specular highlights. Ideal is near a large north facing window with a sheer drape over the window and then white or silver (crinkled aluminum foil) reflector(s).

Once you get the look you want for the first one, just put the others into place and fire a shoot.

Then take the first raw image into Lightroom and get it were you want it for white balance color, contrast etc. even cropping if you're careful placing the bracelets on the white. Then make a preset in light room and use it to process the rest of the shots.

RandMan wrote in post #15613451
I love you all! Alright, maybe I don't exactly love you per se but you are great people. I think I'm just trying to say thank you--so thank you!

Can somebody post a link to one of these inexpensive shop-type lights to use, just so I know what I'm looking for?

http://www.amazon.com …words=CLAMPING+​WORK+LIGHT

You should be able to find them for less at someplace like Home Depot

Littlejon Dsgn wrote in post #15613594
http://www.amazon.com …words=CLAMPING+​WORK+LIGHT

You should be able to find them for less at someplace like Home Depot

You can pick those up at Walmart for about $8 in the tool/lightbulb section.

Jarhed27 wrote in post #15613783
You can pick those up at Walmart for about $8 in the tool/lightbulb section.

Yup walmart works too I just prefer Home depot lol (maybe thats because my ex wife works at our local walmart, and the current wife hates running into her there )

OK cool--I saw the image of the light. Thanks Littlejon--and out of respect for your current wife I will bring my business to Home Depot!

Hopefully my last question--how many lights do I need? And if I go with the whole white linen sheet option in a room with no sunlight or other light coming in, where do I position the lights? Do they shine right at the subject, or at the ceiling, or under my armpits? This studio setup stuff is whacky!!!

Oh! and bulb wattage--75? 100? 150?

You could probably get away with 2 of them, maybe 3. I was using 3 when I started. Place the linen between the light and the product (light wont be so harsh) then just move the lights around till you get the shadows or lack of shadows you are looking for.

You want something that looks kinda like this when your done http://www.amazon.com …r=8-10&keywords=light+box the light will come into the box and bounce all around in there.

As for bulb wattage, dont excede what the fixture is rated for. If it says it can do 150 I would get 150, you can always move the light further away if it is to bright.

Littlejon Dsgn wrote in post #15613978
You could probably get away with 2 of them, maybe 3. I was using 3 when I started. Place the linen between the light and the product (light wont be so harsh) then just move the lights around till you get the shadows or lack of shadows you are looking for.

You want something that looks kinda like this when your done http://www.amazon.com …r=8-10&keywords=light+box the light will come into the box and bounce all around in there.

As for bulb wattage, dont excede what the fixture is rated for. If it says it can do 150 I would get 150, you can always move the light further away if it is to bright.

So if I have the white cloth/linen under and behind the item (as in a "floor" and "back wall" placement), does that mean the light is aiming from the ground straight up under the linen "floor" or behind the linen "back wall" and towards the camera? I wasn't planning on making a box--just an under and behind white background.

digital paradise wrote in post #15613377

RandMan wrote in post #15612982
Before I set myself up for an onslaught of skepticism and shattered dreams from your responses

You must have spent too much time in the wedding forums. We aren't that bad but we tend to get tough on people asking - "HELP! I have my first wedding this Saturday, should I rent a flash?"

yep