# Total beginner. Need advise on my setup!



## jay2k6ie (Jun 22, 2012)

Hi,

I am a total beginner and I need to learn to take product photos for my online store. I will mainly be shooting various types of phone cases. I went and purchased a few cheap lamps and some decent photography bulbs 3X 42w 5500k cfl. I only have an iPhone 4 as my camera with the camera+ app. Here is a pic of the basic setup I have: 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





At this point I'm really just looking for pointers on how to use what I have to best effect. I'm looking for nice clean images on white backgrounds with no glares or shadows. I have a moderate level of photoshop knowledge should that also be a factor.
If wondering why the bulbs do not have their reflectors on its because they will not fit around the large bulbs, if necessary I will make some reflectors if it is a big issue..

Any help and advice for me is greatly appreciated!


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## Designer (Jun 22, 2012)

jay2k6ie said:


> Hi,I am a total beginner and I need to learn to take product photos for my online store. I will mainly be shooting various types of phone cases. I went and purchased a few cheap lamps and some decent photography bulbs 3X 42w 5500k cfl. I only have an iPhone 4 as my camera with the camera+ app. Here is a pic of the basic setup I have:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Is that lightbox gray, or it is white?  On my computer it looks gray, but you wrote "white background".  So I'm guessing that your white balance is off.  As to reflectors; you only need them if the bulbs do not provide enough light.  Reflectors simply redirect some light toward the subject/lightbox.


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## Trever1t (Jun 22, 2012)

First of all if you have to use constant light at least place the bulbs so the max amount of light is reaching your subject! Turn them so they are sideways to your subject or place reflectors behind them to focus the beam to your subject...second, an iPhone?


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## jay2k6ie (Jun 25, 2012)

Trever1t said:


> First of all if you have to use constant light at least place the bulbs so the max amount of light is reaching your subject! Turn them so they are sideways to your subject or place reflectors behind them to focus the beam to your subject...second, an iPhone?



I'm on a minimal budget and only need a setup to take decent product photos.. I would have a budget of around $100 to try and find a second hand digital camera if there was one that came recommended for product photos.. I know an SLR is ideal but not ideal for my budget.. I'm not even sure the iPhone app I'm using has the ability to adjust white balance and I'm guessing thats pretty important..


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## gsgary (Jun 25, 2012)

By the look of it those bulbs dont even light the room they are a total waste of time, can't begin to give advice on lighting because you don't have any


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## unpopular (Jun 25, 2012)

I am guessing that those are 42w equivalent bulbs. I have a 60w florescent lamp, it's practically blinding. You can safely put larger wattage bulbs into those sockets, provided that the ACTUAL wattage does not consume more than what the fixture is rated at. If these are fixtures are rated at 75w, you can pretty much put any normal, self-ballased CFL into them. Bulbs with a 200w equivalent consume only like 50w of electricity and output a very relatively large amount of light.


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