# Clothing product photography shooting on to light box...inaccurate colors.



## adrianalaskan (Jun 13, 2014)

Hi,

After trying a few different approaches, my current setup is to shoot with my articles lying on the light box, which has a white plexiglass panel and led illuminated inside. I have three compact flourescent lights on stands with softboxes attached to light the product. I'm finding that I have to have the exposure on the product higher than I'd like it to be to overexpose the background (the light box), then I'm bringing the exposure back down in lightroom. I'm shooting raw with a D90.

My problem is, that often when I bring the exposure back down to where it should be, I can't seem to get the colors just right, even though I'm taking a picture of a gray card and using the color picker in lightroom to set the white balance from the gray card. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make this work better, with the equipment I already have?

Thank you for your help...I need this store to be successful for my two little girls' sake.

-Adrian


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## sscarmack (Jun 13, 2014)

Post some photos so we can see what your referring too.

Whats nice about Lightroom, there are color channels, so you can specifically adjust just the reds, or just the blues.


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## adrianalaskan (Jun 13, 2014)

okay here is an example...i wanted to post the raw but even with a 12mp camera it's too big. so with this item the color is pretty close, but i need to be able to shoot around 100+ products a day, and it seems like things with different colors are requiring different kinds of white balance and tint adjustments to make them look more accurate. the lighter pinks, yellows, and creams are even harder to get the colors right with compared to the denim.

-Adrian


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## sscarmack (Jun 13, 2014)

Nothing should change. 

Are you manually setting your shutter? aperture? iso? White balance?


Set everything to manual. 


The only thing I see wrong with this, is the photo is lacking contrast and way too much negative space.


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## adrianalaskan (Jun 13, 2014)

I'm shooting completely manual. Should i be increasing contrast in my raw processing? This one was shot at f/6.3, 1/8 s, iso 400, with my 12-24mm Tokina at 12mm. Color temperature is 5300. Will I have different results using color picking in lightroom on the gray card I shoot as the first image of every session, than to take a picture of the gray card and set color temperature that way?


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## sscarmack (Jun 13, 2014)

I would just add contrast in Lightroom.

1/8 is pretty darn slow, hoping you have a tripod.

I always fine tune my colors in Lightroom, even if I do 'get it right in camera'.


I never use a grey card. I just select a grey or neutral point in the photo with the color picker and then manual adjust.


Nice thing about Lightroom is you can sync all your photos so you don't have to edit each and every one.


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## adrianalaskan (Jun 13, 2014)

I do have a tripod, with an arm attached to center directly over the light box, and I'm using tethering to import directly into lightroom; so the only movement would be from mirror slap. I do know about syncing and/or copying and pasting settings in lightroom.

Any suggestion for how to get colors right without having to manual adjust?


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## sscarmack (Jun 13, 2014)

With the photo you posted, I honestly don't see anything wrong with other than lacking contrast.

Maybe post a photo your not "happy" with.


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## Designer (Jun 13, 2014)

With LEDs, CFs, and maybe some general room lighting, it is no wonder you are having WB issues.  Are you just guessing at the light color?  Even with the best guess, you have mentioned two different light sources already.  

My suggestion is to invest in some strobe lighting if you can at all swing the purchase.  It sounds as if you are already needing more light, so get some strobes and leave the other lights in a drawer.  Or give them away, because they are hurting your efforts now.


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## Braineack (Jun 13, 2014)

shooting that much product, without a color check system like x-rite is odd to me.


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## Light Guru (Jun 13, 2014)

adrianalaskan said:


> After trying a few different approaches, my current setup is to shoot with my articles lying on the light box, which has a white plexiglass panel and led illuminated inside. I have three compact flourescent lights on stands with softboxes attached to light the product. I'm finding that I have to have the exposure on the product higher than I'd like it to be to overexpose the background (the light box), then I'm bringing the exposure back down in lightroom. I'm shooting raw with a D90.
> 
> My problem is, that often when I bring the exposure back down to where it should be, I can't seem to get the colors just right, even though I'm taking a picture of a gray card and using the color picker in lightroom to set the white balance from the gray card. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make this work better, with the equipment I already have?
> 
> Thank you for your help...I need this store to be successful for my two little girls' sake.



Wait a minute you are asking about color accuracy and yet it sounds like you have not even calibrated the screen of your computer.

FIRST STEP IN COLOR ACCURACY IS CALIBRATING THE SCREEN. 

Calibrate so that your workflow is consistent, but keep in mind that 99.99% of computers out there do not have calibrated monitors so you cannot control if what people see online is perfectly accurate. 



Braineack said:


> shooting that much product, without a color check system like x-rite is odd to me.



Yup shooting a color chart would definitely be a help to you.


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## Scatterbrained (Jun 13, 2014)

Couple of thoughts:

Why are you shooting product at 12mm?     If you need to shoot at 12mm to get the whole product in the frame then chances are you'll be introducing perspective distortion as well.  

As Light Guru pointed out, make sure your screen is calibrated.  

Get a ColorChecker Passport kit from X-Rite.  This will allow you to get both accurate white balance and accurate colors.  The color checker will allow you to make a profile for the camera and lighting that will compensate for spectral deficiencies in the light.  

You have to light the background separate from the subject if you want the background to be pure 255 white.  If you can't do this you're better off exposing for the subject and adjusting the background in post.  This is something that is very quick and easy to do in Ps, but still a pain if you're having to do dozens of images at once.  

If you want the most control and consistency in lighting, get some strobes.   Aside from the spectral deficiencies of CFLs, if you can't control all the other ambient light sources (room lighting, sunlight from outside) then you'll always be fighting contamination from other sources.


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## KmH (Jun 13, 2014)

FWIW - Raw image files cannot be displayed online.

You need to hang the garments and keep it several feet in front of the background, then light the background separately from the lighting on the garment.


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## Designer (Jun 14, 2014)

adrianalaskan said:


> Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make this work better, *with the equipment I already have*?



Oops... I seem to have overlooked this part of your post.  

Yesterday I recommended getting better lights, and using only one color (type of light) at a time, but since you probably don't want to purchase strobes now, I now suggest you turn off all extra lights, and use only one type of light for the photography. Pick one; CFL, LED, incandescent, whatever, just leave everything else turned off.

Yes, you will not have enough light, so you will have to have some fairly long exposures.  Good luck!


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