photography lighting
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- gruntt
what would be a good and simple photography lightsource that i could use for basic tabletop product shots? my window just doesn't cut it in this harsh winter light.
- timajick0
how much do you want to spend?
- kyl30
I'm thinking about something like this for table top stuff
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/…
- timajick0
that should do you
get a tripod too and a cable release for your camera.
- gruntt0
thanks guys. anything even simpler than that?
- timajick0
gruntt if you find a photo as an example and link to it here i'll tell you what you need to get the same lighting.
- son_of_son0
maybe start with a reflector and work up from there
- kyl30
that should do you
get a tripod too and a cable release for your camera.
timajick
(Dec 13 05, 14:50)or tether it to your laptop and control everything from there
- cubanhaze0
timajick
i was really impressed by your work
May be off topic, but im looking into digital cameras, do you think that maybe you could recommend one ?
Price range around 1000$
What do you think about the D70?Thank you
- spiralstarez0
well looking at timajack's work, I'd listen to him.
I was going to say though, if you are looking for something with a little bit of multi-purpose you could buy a metz CL-45 ($2-300CDN) and a chimera softbox($300CDN).
the metz has a bracket you can attach to your camera and take just about anywhere, especially if you want to shoot outdoors at night.
Anyway, I have the above set up and am happy with what I can achieve with simple homemade cove for table top shots.
- StratusGD0
Or go totally ghetto and buy some clip work lamps from Home Depot, bulbs of your choice (I happen to use halogen floods), and let your camera handle the white balance (assuming you're using digital). Use white foamcore for backdrops/reflectors.
Why yes, my budget is non-existant, thanks for noticing.
- pixel_your_life0
Enter response: and most of all, don't forget that their will be no magic. becoming a photographer takes time, because you have to understand how to manipulate the light. If you, for example shoot and eggplant, you're photographing the light it reflects. That's why I strognly agree wih grunnt: show us some examples and we'll be able to help you more. Otherwise, if you put time throug it, you will success, all I wanted to remind you is not to skip the "there is a difference between equipment and knowlegde" part.
- timajick0
for affordable pro-sumer digital I would get a Canon 10D
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/…For 35mm size I use only Canon.
- BuddhaHat0
Great advice and photos timajick, thanks mate :)
*looks at dpreview*
- superbaka0
keep in mind a cable release is not necessary if your camera has a timer on it.
- inhaler0
well all this advice is good.... but I mean what do you REALLY want to do? Copy work? flat work? then yea go with that bh link.... it works fine.
But you really need only 2 lights for that, and prob some foam core...
make sure all is lit even (if not using a dig. camera, where you can preview your shots, get a meter, and make sure all is on the same f-stop.) 45 degree angles, full coverage... with white cards for fill... but yes.. it takes time to get good results... if you wanted to go absolutely nuts, there are led light panels that give off plenty of light with battery power, so that you could use for other things.
Last advice, get some sort of dimmer system which you could use with those hot lights (the b and h ones) which you could control at your will.
- inhaler0
btw.... forgot about this site
http://www.steves-digicams.com/
good thorough reviews of digicams....
also about the timer thing, listen a cable release, costs 10 bucks american. Which under working with hot lights, and waiting 10 seconds for each shot (with the timer option) will save you a ton of .... grief... Sure get a cable release, DONT FORGET THE TRIPOD!!!...hehehe but I guess thats a given... and if you are shooting film, and using (hot lights) use tungsten slide film... not DAylight.... or is this redundant?
- timajick0
For high end pro digital workflo this site riegns supreme:
- kyl30
white foam core is the key. great for reflective surfaces and even light.
- shutdown0
here's a great podcast about doing table top shots:
- UndoUndo0
get some of those garden lights, you can pick em up really cheap and they work really well, use board to deflect the light and tracing paprer to dim it