# Product photography ~ Second thread



## edmdusty (Dec 29, 2008)

Hi all. I've been having a lot of fun with my DIY product studio. I like shooting products more than people. I think it's because I like to take a couple hours and just mess around with the lighting. I feel kinda like a mad scientist in my laboratory. When I'm shooting people I feel so much pressure to do everything all at once. With products I can make the product look good, then move on to something else.   Here's a shot I did of my cell phone. Unfortunately my cell phone is old and grungy and also the sheet of glass I shot through was dirty and scratched even after I cleaned it up. I cloned out most of the junk in photoshop, but I had a lot of trouble getting the black gradation part to clean up nicely. Does anyone have a recommendation on how to clean that up?









Here's my set up for the shot;


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## Don Kondra (Dec 29, 2008)

Something like this ?






Dodge and burn in LightBox and crop and sharpen in FastStone, both free programs.

You can do to same thing in Photoshop, I like the air brush tool... 

Try angling your top light more towards the backdrop and the gray will go away  

Cheers, Don


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## Don Kondra (Dec 29, 2008)

For small stuff you may want to consider a light tent.

This quick and dirty shot is in a 28" light tent, 45w CF bulbs in 10" reflectors on each side, 26w CF from above, gray backdrop...






Cheers, Don


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## craig (Dec 29, 2008)

Love your shot. Especially the light fall off of the background and the detail in the black. Only thing I can say is next time try the shot way stopped down.  16 or 22 or whatever the sweet spot. As far cleaning it up you can clone in photoshop. May be easier just to re shoot with a cleaned or different product.

Love & Bass


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## Christie Photo (Dec 30, 2008)

Don Kondra said:


> For small stuff you may want to consider a light tent.



Heh heh.....  how are we EVER gonna get you out that tent, Don?

-Pete


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## Don Kondra (Dec 30, 2008)

Christie Photo said:


> Heh heh..... how are we EVER gonna get you out that tent, Don?
> 
> -Pete


 
LOL

In my defense Pete, it was the only way to get a shot without the lights showing up in the lens face  

Cheers, Don


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## edmdusty (Dec 30, 2008)

Thanks for the recommendations everyone. I agree about the light falloff. At first it was accidental but then I made an effort to maximize the spotlight effect. The cleaning up in the shadow I was referring to was the inconsistency in falloff and smudges from dirty glass. I like the idea of re shooting. I should find a friend with a new phone and get a brand spanking new piece of plexi glass. 

Does anyone know of anything that can get glass/ plexi glass spotlessly clean?


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## Christie Photo (Dec 30, 2008)

edmdusty said:


> Does anyone know of anything that can get glass/ plexi glass spotlessly clean?



Well...  I wouldn't try plexi.  It's just too easily scuffed.  I went to a glass shop and had them polish the edges of a lite of double-strength glass. That helps prevent getting cut while handling it.  I got a fairly large size and was afraid single-strength would be too thin to use as a table.

I wouldn't have thought of shooting through the glass.  I would try to suspend the product and then retouch the supports.

-Pete


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## Don Kondra (Dec 30, 2008)

Here's a thought, use a light tent :lmao:

Seriously, keep the plexi but use banner paper for a backdrop... it's thin enough to light from beneath.  Kinda the opposite of what you're trying though... 

Glass would give you less of a distortion problem than plexi.... 

A sample shot...











Cheers, Don


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## edmdusty (Dec 30, 2008)

That's not quite the same shot. I shot mine from through the glass from below the cell phone. I used that glass that was on my desk. If I have a brand new sheet it should be fine.


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## Don Kondra (Dec 30, 2008)

Don Kondra said:


> Seriously, keep the plexi but use banner paper for a backdrop... it's thin enough to light from beneath. *Kinda the opposite of what you're trying though... *


 


edmdusty said:


> That's not quite the same shot. I shot mine from through the glass from below the cell phone. I used that glass that was on my desk. If I have a brand new sheet it should be fine.


 
Cheers, Don


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