Help! table-top setup shots

I bought a simple set of (3) portable studio flash heads and stands (480 watt/second), with the goal to shoot simple table-top setups of my graphic design projects, but also for some portraiture. I tried one flash head, from the right side, to create a nice skim light, and the rest is natural light. I can't seem to get it right (see attached). Can anyone offer any advise?


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Are you talking about the shadow cast by the envelope? You can eliminate that by laying it flat on the sheet of paper. Or, if you do want the shadow but want it softer, use a modifier of some sort (reflector or shoot-through umbrella, for example) with the lights.

Thanks, I added blocks to raise each piece to create the shadows, but your right, it might be too much. I can't seem to get the entire shot tack sharp.

I tried mirror lock-up, stopping down the lens (i'm using a 24-105), I also made sure I turned of image stabilization and I'm focusing manually. I have the metering set at spot.

Yikes, these should be razor sharp, but their not!

Can you show an example of what you are trying to create? And a better explination for what is wrong with this shot. Other than the oversized shadow. And out of focus.

And post a bigger image.

puggle wrote in post #5810194
Thanks, I added blocks to raise each piece to create the shadows, but your right, it might be too much. I can't seem to get the entire shot tack sharp.

I tried mirror lock-up, stopping down the lens (i'm using a 24-105), I also made sure I turned of image stabilization and I'm focusing manually. I have the metering set at spot.

Yikes, these should be razor sharp, but their not!

I think your frustration is just a matter of your inexperience with this this type of shooting. When you are new to this, you don't realize just how shallow your DOF is when you focus close.

For instance, if you are focusing at two feet from your work and your 24-105 is set to 85mm at f8 you have just .8 inch of DOF. At f11 you have just 1.19 inch. Obviously not enough to get a large area in focus.

You may have to do a little focus stacking to get what you want. That means shooting different parts of your image that are in sharp focus and putting them together in an image editing program.

Hope this helps.

Yes, very helpful! Makes perfect sense to. What lens would you recommend for this type of shot?

Hi, I had difficulty trying to figure out how to attach another shot to a reply. Here's a link to an example of the photography I'd like to achieve..

http://www.palmerleede​sign.com/print/print4.​htm

None of thoes shots are from straight on top. They are all at an angle. Just the change in perspective will be the biggest change.

puggle wrote in post #5810432
Yes, very helpful! Makes perfect sense to. What lens would you recommend for this type of shot?

The 24-105 is a very fine lens for this type of work. It focuses close and most are very sharp. F8 at 2 feet is going to be the same DOF on most any lens until you get to the tilt-shifts that are designed for this type of thing.

I have an advertising agency and obviously do a lot of this type of layout. I never shoot it with a camera, I just lay the original image files out on layers in Photoshop and put the drop shadows where I like. I would suggest you try that instead of frustrating yourself with trying to do it with a camera.

Yes, thanks, and excellent suggestion and in fact I've done that often. I've become quite proficient at artificially creating the curvature of the pages, and adding the shadows, and only one with a trained eye can tell it was photoshoped. This time, I wanted a real photogrpah. I wanted to show the texture and subtle specks and tones in the special paper stock. I also wanted to experiment with creatively lighting it.

well, now you know what your challenges are.

Once again I have to recommend the book "Light - Science and Magic" by Hunter, Biver, and Fuqua.

Yes, although I was hoping someone out there has done this and there's a formula to follow, what lens, focal length, lighting equipment, etc...

I will keep reading and experimenting! Thanks to all for responding and for your assistance.

I greatly appreciate it.

jim - thanks for the book recommendation!

I just placed an order on Amazon for it.