# Newbie Here, Needs Help



## dccollectors (Jan 14, 2014)

I just received my first DSLR, a Nikon D3200.  I take pictures for my website of action figures, but to me the images look horrible.  The images are to yellow (even after trying to lighten them in photoshop) and grainy.  I have a custom built lightbox with squares cut out on each side (white paper covering those holes), with lights I purchased at the local wal-mart shining in.  You can see the images below...




My question is, how can I improve these?  I want to get rid of the grainnyness and keep it from looking so yellow and dark.  Any help with camera settings would be helpful...  Right now from what I can remember, the ISO is set to 400, light is set to Incandescent.

Thanks


----------



## ronlane (Jan 14, 2014)

First, welcome to the site.

Second the yellow is because you have the white balance (wb) set incorrectly. To get the wb correct, you can use a wb card to take a picture in that light and then set it from there.

As for the lighting, I'm not sure that it is bright enough. When you bump up the ISO, you are going to get grainy photos.

Search youtube for product lighting and product light boxes. That should help you learn more about it.


----------



## dccollectors (Jan 14, 2014)

thanks, I will look into the lighting!


----------



## Designer (Jan 14, 2014)

I can't read the EXIF, so I don't know the camera settings.  

1. Not enough light on the fronts.  Move the lights toward the front.
2. If low-power incandescents or compact fluorescents, your camera settings will have to show that.
3. I don't have an answer for the graininess.  With ISO 400 you should not get a lot of electronic noise.


----------



## dxqcanada (Jan 14, 2014)

Yes, as they said ... set your white balance.
Incandescent light bulbs have a low colour temp so it is very yellow ... I think you should have a custom white balance option on your Nikon.

Get a tripod. You can then set for the lowest ISO and shot at any shutter speed (no camera shake from handholding).


----------



## dccollectors (Jan 14, 2014)

Check this out and see if it is getting better...


----------



## 480sparky (Jan 14, 2014)

Underexposed and too red.


----------



## dccollectors (Jan 16, 2014)

So what about this one?  I have one light on each side and one coming from the top...  100watt compact flourescents


----------



## wyogirl (Jan 16, 2014)

still underexposed (too dark) 
use a tripod and a longer exposure time if you can't open up the aperture more.  Its not like your subject is moving.  You can adjust the white balance in photoshop if you can't' get it right in camera.


----------



## wyogirl (Jan 16, 2014)

OH and zoom in more... and its ok to turn the camera to portrait orientation.  You have a lot of dead space around your subject.


----------



## dccollectors (Jan 16, 2014)

Thanks Wyogirl.  I am using a tripod for these.  The dead space will be photoshopped out.  I was trying to zoom out to avoid pixelation, but hey I am new, so I am probably wrong about that as well LOL.  Let me play with exposure and aperture.


----------



## wyogirl (Jan 16, 2014)

when you crop in photoshop you "lose resolution"....meaning you cropped out a big % of your overall pixels.   Its better to crop in camera and get as many pixels on the subject as possible.


----------



## tirediron (Jan 16, 2014)

Buy this!


----------



## dccollectors (Jan 16, 2014)

wyogirl said:


> when you crop in photoshop you "lose resolution"....meaning you cropped out a big % of your overall pixels.   Its better to crop in camera and get as many pixels on the subject as possible.



Good to know!  Thanks for that information!


----------



## dccollectors (Jan 17, 2014)

how about this?


----------



## Ihatemymoney (Jan 19, 2014)

dccollectors said:


> View attachment 64730
> 
> how about this?



To dark. 
Not enough light........ Once you get enough light you will have allot of reflection or glare . 

You were provided a link to a book above, TiredIron that was a very good piece of advise, and I hope you have ordered it in.

Trying to photograph the toy in the package has major drawbacks. And you will find that out if you ever get enough light on your subject.

We cannot help you if we don't know what mode you are shooting in..................................
What is your shutter speed set at ?
What is your f stop set at ?

Use a flash light ! put a paper towel or tissue over the lens of a flash light and shine it on your subject.
If one flash light is not enough get another one !
Once you get enough light you will have problems with refection or glare. 
Flash lights are cheap to cover with linear polarized film but you will need a CPL for your lens.


Shoot in raw and Jpeg, shoot tethered.

With what you got now 
I would be in manual mode . 
Custom white balance, if you don't know how to set your custom white balance read your manual, or look it up on you tube.
I don't know what lens you are using but I would not go below F 12. I would start with your highest f stop, and use your shutter speed to get your lighting right. Do not go above 400 iso , and I really think it should be set at 200 max.
You have left everyone guessing on what setting you are using.

I also think your camera is to far away from the subject.


----------



## Ihatemymoney (Jan 19, 2014)

dccollectors said:


> View attachment 64730
> 
> how about this?



To dark.
double post sorry


----------



## bianni (Jan 19, 2014)

Still dark and too red. With levels, choose the white eyedropper and click on the lowest portion of the background.
Then choose the black eyedropper tool and click on the right lower portion of the package which will have a result as the image on the right.


----------

