# high key type product shots



## tamckee (Mar 14, 2010)

I shot these today using a two flash setup its my first try at this type of photography to getting the background to look like it does was a journey in its self. C/C more then welcome.






















The coasters are the last thing I shot today and I think they turned out the best. I learned that dust really shows up on these type of shots.


----------



## Josh66 (Mar 14, 2010)

LOL, I have the same can of powder sitting on the loading bench right now... 

OK - actual C&C...

Powder can looks good, but I would pull back some and spill a little on the 'ground' so we can see what it looks like.
(Just my personal preference/idea.  I think it would look good though.)

'Dad' picture frame looks like it needs at least another stop of exposure.  (Easily fixed in PP.)  Other than that - looks good.  There is 'something' off to the side of the last 'd' that needs cloned out though.  (Little mark on the background.)

The mouse - I think I would have turned it the other way (pretty much a mirror image of what you have), but that's debatable.  Get rid of the dust though.

edit
About turning the mouse - I think it would be more inviting to a right-handed person that way.  Like you could just put your hand on it and start using it.


----------



## tamckee (Mar 15, 2010)

The Dad picture frame I just noticed that mark on the back ground and I did a quick edit for exposure 






I am left handed so its funny that you would say if the mouse was flipped it would be ready to use for a right handed person. I placed it with my left.I know the logo is not corrected but I'm was going for overall look here. 






I did a retake on the powder Idea mentioned what do you think? I couldn't get the background to go white without blowing out the glossy finish on the case though.







And one more Can't let a little work slow a good photo session


----------



## Josh66 (Mar 15, 2010)

tamckee said:


> The Dad picture frame I just noticed that mark on the back ground and I did a quick edit for exposure


Much better.




tamckee said:


> I am left handed so its funny that you would say if the mouse was flipped it would be ready to use for a right handed person.


Well, that explains it then!  



tamckee said:


> I did a retake on the powder Idea mentioned what do you think? I couldn't get the background to go white without blowing out the glossy finish on the case though.


I like it.  You could still probably selectively brighten just the background.
I have a few pictures _very similar_ to this that seem to be doing OK on a couple micro-stock sites (the money _sucks_ on those though, lol!).
One thing I did on those shots was I made sure to actually use the amount of powder that I would load in that cartridge - just in case someone was really anal, lol!  I also placed a completed cartridge in there too, so you can see what the finished product looks like.

The binder clips look good - well exposed and all that.  Could maybe use a little more DOF though.


----------



## Garball (Mar 17, 2010)

First of all, love BL-C2 great stuff.

Now, your first attempt was a study in contrasts - from a silver surface of high reflectance to black products with a great deal less reflectance. Really different huh?

You want to render "dad" between the two examples but overall you nailed it.
Both the canister and the mouse are black - right? And what does the camera start with? Black right? In the camera no light (exposure) everything is black. Ok, now our job is to create some highlights and textures in the black areas so they will render the black objects and create shape and contrast. This could be accomplished easily with a third light (skim light) placed off to the side and behind the product pointed in the general direction of the camera. 

Or you can use a mirror if you can pick up and bounce some of your main. Plan on a piece of cardboard to act as a gobo and protect the lens from flair. 
The idea is to create a 3D effect and render the blacks while maintaining your correct exposure for the rest of the product. get it?
g


----------



## tamckee (Mar 17, 2010)

Garball 

thanks for the advice. I think my next round I will use a mirror to get a little more detail into this. I am going to try another round tomorrow evening or over the weekend and will post when I get them done.


----------



## LearnMyShot (Mar 24, 2010)

great work!....if I can possibly help a photographer who seems to have it down...LearnMyShot - learn how to photograph anything


----------



## tamckee (Apr 8, 2010)

I have watched your videos and you are the one who seems to have it down I am going to be switching from flashes to clamp lights and giving that a go here shortly


----------



## FishDracula (Oct 9, 2010)

I like your shots. I have tried couple times to make some product photography and I have tried both with continuous and strobe studio kits. I'm not sure why but for me continuous lighting works better than flash. Probably because I have more control on light. 
What was your configuration of the flashes on the "dad" picture?


----------



## thatfornoobs (Jan 24, 2011)

I was intrigued in photo #1 as it is a photograph of a photograph. I love the shots.


----------

