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Posted by Frank on March 04, 2000 at 19:30:12:
In Reply to: Digital still photo lighting posted by Scott Cowell on March 04, 2000 at 05:38:46:
: Having trouble lighting still photos of objects. I am using a Sony Mavica FD-81 to shoot pictures of antiques and collectibles. Sunlight works best but isn't available when I need to shoot. I have six-150 Watt halogen floods now but get a sepia tone to the color and they produce too much heat. What artificial "sunlight" can I use without buying mega-buck photo lights? Thanks.
Hi Scott,
How I take nice Digital photographs by Frank .................
everyone does it differently but this is my way.
I went and looked at your digital photographs (I knew right where
to find you!!) First, get rid of all that light. If you can see
it clearly and sharply so can the camera. You only need enough to
lighten the subject up. Next, get rid of the white background. A
local hobby store will sell light to medium blue construction
paper. Line a very sturdy shipping box (about 24 wide 36 high and
18-24 deep with the paper. Go and buy 3 of those clamp-on pivot
all different ways lamps with the silver reflectors at Home
Depot. Get three 75 watt soft white bulbs, the fancy ones with
the protrution squared off end and slightly elongated. Set the
finished $25.00 light box that you just built on a table, clamp
the lamps on either side about 14" high (give or take) with
the third pointing up at the white construction paper (top of the
box only)(either side) that I forgot to tell you to get. (all
paper is matte finish, not glossy) Then with your camera mounted
on an inexpensive tripod (Walmart) (a must for a good picture)
put you test item (something with a little color including black)
in the box about 8-12 inches deep. The camera is about 8 inches
from the box making you distance about 1.5 feet (to two feet
depending on how big you item is ... closer if needed)to the
subject. Now go to your white balance settings and try the
settings till the blue is blue and black is a rich black. Leave
it there since you will always be shooting in the same place from
now on. Always use the self-timer to get a shakefree picture.
Block any heavy reflections with a piece of paper that you
grabbed from your printer and try setting the EV setting to -25
(or -50 even) but you now have the basics for consistant digital
pictures of the highest quality. You just have to fine tune the
camera to your box. All my images are taken in a similar box
(mines wood) at only 640X480 with a 1.3 megapixel camera. I have
my camera and box "dialed in"
I forgot to mention. If you have manual control shoot at the slowest shutter speed (giving you the smallest aperture for depth of field) Remember, your on a tripod so it doesn't matter. The other thing is that you may have settings on your camera for things like sun, snow, inside, outside, rain, fog, insects. Just flip through them as you watch the changes on the LCD and bingo, you'll come up with the setting that likes those bulbs and gives you the truest color. The best part of the light box setup is that you get the shot the first time. Use the paper from your printer as you watch the LCD, you'll know just when you have the reflection gone, use the self timer and good luck. And yes,the "R" is going away on my keyboard.
Frank
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