Product shots

spav

I'm having to do a few of these at work lately, and I'm struggling to get it right.

Part of the problem is light. The room I use has little to no natural light, meaning that I'm having to contend with the slightly gloomy, yellow-y bulb light. I don't have the option of getting in any additional studio lights, so really have to make do with my hotshoe flash (Nikon SB-600) and white card as reflectors.

The shots I've took so far tend to be a tiny bit soft (I'm using a tripod, remote shutter cable and as low an ISO as I can get away with), plus the whites have a slight yellowish tinge for obvious reasons.

I'm shooting stuff like brochure covers (which makes using the flash especially difficult), shoes, cans etc. Usually shoot at aperture priority at between f2.8 to f7.1 (judged by eye to the logos etc. is sharp and the background is out of focus), shot with a 60mm prime.

Any tips? I'd especially welcome any hints on how best to use my flash.

Borderfox

Try shooting the flash through a large white sheet, I usually use a light tent for stuff like this and the flash goes through the sides of the tent. Can brochure covers not be scanned and put into a shot?

trishw78

have you set your white balance on the camera to shoot for tungsten, alternatively shoot auto-white balance and shoot in raw and fix it in photoshop or other equally good programs

City-Exile

Have you tried to set a custom white balance?

Pete67

Try and get the flash off the hot shoe and out to one side - use a cable or remote transmitter. It does not matter if you lose the dedicated flash, you can adjust output manually anyway and take plenty of trial shots to get the exposure spot on. If you can get a second flash on the opposite side of the camera to fill in the shadows. Again, once its synched you can adjust the output manually, or just move it in and out to vary the light reaching the subject. Shoot in raw and adjust the white balance manually afterwards, you can also tweak the exposure by a stop or more each way if required. If you can't get hold of a second flash you can do a lot with a decent reflector.

Also, decide what depth of field you need and set aperature to suit. Switch off AF and focus manually at the midpoint of the required DOF.

mrmac

Get yourself down to Dunnes Stores and get yourself a white, pop-up, laundry basket!!!
I got one a few weeks ago, think it was €6.00!

Lay it down flat, on a white surface, and place your items inside. Place your flash, off-camera, to the right and about 45deg above your item (as good a place as any to start!). Shoot your pics through the opening. You should now be able to get a much softer light across the product, and as everything now has a white surrounding, it looks much better.

Play around with this set-up, perhaps using multiple table lamps, at different positions, instead of using any flash. The basket is great a diffusing whatever light you use.

HTH.

spav

Thanks all - some very good advice there.

Like the laundry basket idea particularly! Would never have thought of that, but it makes a lot of sense.

mrmac

Simple ideas are often the best!
And if you make a mess of it, well, you've a nice new laundry basket!

City-Exile

I have one of those laundry baskets too.
You can buy white card in easons.
Makes for a nice clean base and background.

ThOnda

If you have tripod, just take long-exposure shots. By doing so, you can control the light temperature and you can always see what you are recording through the lens :-)