# Lighting For Tattoo Photos



## IDontDoPhotosGood (Dec 15, 2010)

Hi!

I'm definitely not a photographer. I'm a tattoo artist. I just want to be able to take decent photos of my tattoo work for promotional purposes. I own a Canon G11 camera. I don't own any other fancy stuff. I want to be able to take good photos of my work that are crisp without any glare (tattoo photos often get glare on them because the fresh tattoo is a little bit wet despite being wiped and cleaned).

The problems I have are that normally when I've finished a tattoo, it's late in the day and dark outside, so taking a photo outside isn't really a good option. If I take the photo inside with the flash on, the photo has glare because the fresh tattoo isn't totally dry. If I turn the flash off, the photo isn't crisp enough and it looks kind of dull.

If you're curious about what my photos currently look like, you can see some here... Allison Lawson | Facebook
I know these could be a lot better.

The most important thing is that the tattoo itself looks good. Smooth black and grey shading and rich colour tattoos. The way the rest of the clients skin looks doesn't really matter to me as long as it isn't horribly odd looking. I know skintones are normally really important in photography, but all I really want is smooth crisp tattoos.

What are some super cheap and fairly basic DIY lighting options that would be appropriate for this sort of thing?

I was thinking about getting a Halogen work light, but I'm a little worried about the heat and size. Something smaller might be more appropriate for me.

Could I just get some regular work lights with some flourescant bulbs and put a little tracing paper over them to diffuse the light, or is that crazy talk?

Any help is really appreciated.


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## mrshaleyberg (Dec 15, 2010)

I have been using very makeshift lighting for a more "stuido" look, without being expensive like some studio stuff can be. I just went to home depot and bought a clamp light, and a 100w daylight bulb. Attached it to a light stand and put a shoot through umbrella to soften the light a bit. It works pretty good for what it is! $8 for a clamp light, and a few dollars for a cheap light stand. Shoot through umbrella is cheap too.


You do good ink! I'm about to be getting my sleeve fixed.


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## Stradawhovious (Dec 15, 2010)

I'd say for fresh ointment coated ink, decent ambient lighting and a nice fast lens.  If the flash is giving you glare and reflection issues........

Don't use it.

I've taken a few pics of fresh ink, and with a flash its difficult.  It seems that something as transparent as that goop you folks slather up new tats with turns into the most reflective substance on eath in the presence of a camera.  My best results (which weren't great since they were taken when I knew less when I know now..... which isn't much) were taken in ambient light with a fast shutter speed, and fast lens.

YMMV.

I'm sure someone with some decent experience will be along shortly to tell you how to do it for reals.


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## IDontDoPhotosGood (Dec 15, 2010)

Thanks Mrshaleyburg,
I think something like that will probably be best at this point. Maybe one day I'll have some fancy stuff. 
Maybe I should have more than one light. Or maybe that doesn't matter.
Good luck with the sleeve fix!


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## IDontDoPhotosGood (Dec 15, 2010)

Thanks for the reply, Strawdawhovious. I don't put any goop on them until after I've photographed it. It's actually clear fluid that the injured skin is producing. I blot it away, but the tattoo will still be moist. Haha. Gross, I know. 

I have a G11. I normally use it with the flash off with the lights on in the shop. The result is kinda crap. The shop itself is fairly bright, but I think it needs more light. I don't have these problems when I can get outside in daylight.


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## Big Mike (Dec 15, 2010)

The G11 has a hot shoe, does it not?

Get an accessory flash that can tilt and bounce the flash off of walls and/or the ceiling.  You get the crispness of a flash photo, without the harsh look of direct on-camera flash.


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## Village Idiot (Dec 15, 2010)

You do tats, you have cash.

2x Lumopro LP160
1 radio transmitter
2x radio receivers
2x light stands
2x umbrella adapters
2x Westcott 43" shoot through umbrellas

I think that's it.

Fire flashes from left and right with the correct setting. ****ING masterpiece.


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## IDontDoPhotosGood (Dec 15, 2010)

Thanks Big Mike. Yeah, maybe buying a flash might be better than fiddling around with a bunch of stuff. Especially since I have no idea what I'm doing.

Haha. Village Idiot, most tattoo artists don't actually make much money. It's a common misconception. Unless your name is Kat Von D, the money really isn't so hot.


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## Stradawhovious (Dec 15, 2010)

I don't know how things work up there in Canadia.....  but here in the good ole US of A you would more than likely be able to write that stuff off as a business expense. 

Just sayin.


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## Village Idiot (Dec 15, 2010)

IDontDoPhotosGood said:


> Thanks Big Mike. Yeah, maybe buying a flash might be better than fiddling around with a bunch of stuff. Especially since I have no idea what I'm doing.
> 
> Haha. Village Idiot, most tattoo artists don't actually make much money. It's a common misconception. Unless your name is Kat Von D, the money really isn't so hot.


 
My tatto artist friend has several Harley, a nice shop, several nice cars, and a nice house. He must be doing something right.


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## IDontDoPhotosGood (Dec 15, 2010)

Yeah, I could write it off here too, but I don't actually have the money to buy it in the first place. I'm poor! I'd have to scrounge just to get a low end hot shoe flash let alone a bunch of other do-dads (I also wouldn't have space for the do-dads or the know-how to use them correctly). I

 bought the camera during busy season (summer) and that was a lot of money for me.


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## IDontDoPhotosGood (Dec 15, 2010)

Maybe he sells drugs on the side. Haha. Kidding. 

Really though, if you're in the right town you can do okay. I'm in a city where you can't spit without hitting a tattoo shop. I'm pretty good at what I do, but I still struggle.


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## Village Idiot (Dec 15, 2010)

IDontDoPhotosGood said:


> Maybe he sells drugs on the side. Haha. Kidding.
> 
> Really though, if you're in the right town you can do okay. I'm in a city where you can't spit without hitting a tattoo shop. I'm pretty good at what I do, but I still struggle.


 
He also owns an ambulance. IDK? Wierd fetish or something...


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## IDontDoPhotosGood (Dec 15, 2010)

I wouldn't mind having an ambulance as long as it was vintage. I like strange rides. What about a ring flash? Would that be good for something like this?


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## IDontDoPhotosGood (Dec 15, 2010)

Big Mike said:


> The G11 has a hot shoe, does it not?
> 
> Get an accessory flash that can tilt and bounce the flash off of walls and/or the ceiling. You get the crispness of a flash photo, without the harsh look of direct on-camera flash.


 
The shop I work in has red walls and a lot of black. It might not be good for bouncing light around. Do you think using a hot shoe flash with a diffuser would work just as well?

If so, if I use a diffuser over the flash, do I have to fiddle around with the camera settings to get it to work?


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## Big Mike (Dec 15, 2010)

IDontDoPhotosGood said:


> Big Mike said:
> 
> 
> > The G11 has a hot shoe, does it not?
> ...



A diffuser would help, yes...but you need to realize that just putting something small over the flash, won't really help.  What you are looking to do, is enlarge the light source and get it farther away from the lens (changing the angle, so that it doesn't directly bounce back to the camera).  If your area is too red, then maybe get a reflector and bounce the flash off of that.  All you really need would be a white sheet of something (foam core board, fiber board, even a white sheet etc.)

As long as you get a 'dedicated' (E-TTL) flash, you won't have to fiddle around too much.  The flash & camera can figure out how much light is needed, whether your bounce or shoot direct etc.  Although, you should still learn a bit about the camera settings like aperture, ISO and shutter speed.


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## doziergraphic (Dec 15, 2010)

nice artwork on the tats.


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## tom beard (Dec 15, 2010)

Big Mikes suggestion about a flash is good.  For most of them, you can get a separate plastic diffuser that slips over the flash head which will soften the light.  Could you clean up the work when it is finished and dry it, then photograph it before putting the Vaseline on.  Tom Beard


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## fokker (Dec 15, 2010)

Id seriously steer away from any flash suggestions for this scenario (compact camera, questionable ability to bounce the flash, always shooting in the same environment). Just do as mrshaleyberg suggested and get a cheap clamp light with some sort of diffuser (homemade softbox or an umbrella). I t doesn't matter if you have to rig it up with gaffer tape or something like that, it doesn't sound like you will need to move it around much. It will give you good results, just make sure you get the white balance right in the camera and don't use the built in flash.


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## kundalini (Dec 15, 2010)

Further on to what Big Mike mentioned about bouncing off something white..... if you get an external flash thumbsup, you can reverse fire (swivel the flash head 180°) it onto your something white.  This will increase the size of you light source, creating a softer, more diffused light.


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## Derrel (Dec 16, 2010)

Village Idiot said:


> You do tats, you have cash.
> 
> 2x Lumopro LP160
> 1 radio transmitter
> ...





*****ridiculous.


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## Emilymarie (Dec 16, 2010)

Stradawhovious said:


> I don't know how things work up there in Canadia..... but here in the good ole US of A you would more than likely be able to write that stuff off as a business expense.
> 
> Just sayin.


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## Village Idiot (Dec 16, 2010)

Derrel said:


> Village Idiot said:
> 
> 
> > You do tats, you have cash.
> ...


 
No it's not.


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## fokker (Dec 16, 2010)

Yes it is - the OP is trying to get decent photos of tattoos, not become a professional studio photographer :er: There is no need to spend anything more than a few bucks on a constant light source and some kind of homemade or cheap modifier.


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## Village Idiot (Dec 17, 2010)

fokker said:


> Yes it is - the OP is trying to get decent photos of tattoos, not become a professional studio photographer :er: There is no need to spend anything more than a few bucks on a constant light source and some kind of homemade or cheap modifier.


 
Hot light? Like one where they'll have to shoot with long shutter speeds or high ISOs? I didn't think they wanted crap quality.

And the list with the speedlights is my no means a professional setup. They could get along with one speed lights, and the rest of the setup for under $200.


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