# Rosewood furniture issue



## Kkat (Apr 19, 2012)

Hi

I have an issue with taking pictures of cherry color rosewood furniture.

I want to bring out the real color of the rosewood in the photos taken in our studio, but when we take the pictures it ends up being somewhat brownish and too dark.

When we take the pictures of the furniture outside in the daylight, the cherry color comes out and it looks correct.

Is there a way to recreate that daylight lighting in the studio? Or is there any other options i can turn to besides continuing to take the pictures outside?

Thanks!


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## HughGuessWho (Apr 19, 2012)

Correct white balance


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## tirediron (Apr 19, 2012)

To expand on the above, you will need lots of diffuse light (ensuring that ALL of your bulbs are the same colour temperature) and when you shoot your first image, include a white-balance target (there are lots of specially made ones, but for your work, even a sheet of high-quality white paper should work), shoot your images in RAW format, and when post-processing, adjust the colour temperature so that the white target is actually white.


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## Mike_E (Apr 20, 2012)

Or it could just be that you're under-exposing.

A flash meter would be helpful here (if you're not using one) to nail that down.  Try bunching a bright white towel (or any bright white cloth really, towels are just easier) on your subject and taking a test shot of that.  You should be looking to get bright white With texture.  No texture means that you've over exposed and a dim white means underexposure.  Note that you can also check in the folds of the towel to make sure that you aren't getting blocked up shadows. 

You might also try an ND filter to bring out the colors.


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## KmH (Apr 20, 2012)

Be advised that most high quality 'white' paper is not white. A slight blue tint to the paper is very common, but it's difficult to know how far from photographic white (255, 255, 255) paper is.

That's why a calibrated gray card or a color checker is prefered and allows more precise white balance. A gray card has may be 210, 210, 210 - but all 3 RGB colors are equal, which makes a reliable reference for both white balance and exposure. 

GENUINE WhiBal G7 Certified Neutral White Balance Card - Studio Card (3.5"x6") 

X-Rite ColorChecker Passport Software

As mentioned the lighting is also critical. To that end application of lighting fundamentals always helps:
Light Science and Magic, Fourth Edition: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting


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## kundalini (Apr 20, 2012)

I suggest to send member Don Kondra a PM.  He is both a good photographer and custom furniture maker.

*http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/commercial-product-photography/262412-tall-chest-drawers.html

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...y-maple-macassar-ebony-wall-hung-cabinet.html


*I don't think he has been all that active of late, so be patient for a response.


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## HughGuessWho (Apr 20, 2012)

And does amazing work at both.


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## tirediron (Apr 20, 2012)

KmH said:


> Be advised that most high quality 'white' paper is not white. A slight blue tint to the paper is very common, but it's difficult to know how far from photographic white (255, 255, 255) paper is....


True, but I think in this case it will get them pretty close.


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## Big Mike (Apr 20, 2012)

Kkat said:


> Hi
> 
> I have an issue with taking pictures of cherry color rosewood furniture.
> 
> ...


Welcome aboard.  

My first question would be, what is your lighting situation when shooting indoors?  When shoot outdoors, what was your light source for the images you liked?  (direct sun, overcast skies, clear blue sky (shaded from the sun)?


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## Don Kondra (Apr 20, 2012)

The title "rosewood furniture" got my attention  

To the OP, can you provide some information of what you are using for lighting ?

My first guess is your lighting is underpowered and/or the shots are underexposed.

If you could provide us with an example of an indoor and an outdoor shot it would help to diagnose the problem...

For now this might help, a bit smaller scale but..

Shot in a light tent...







Shot with the light reflected off black paper..






The diffused light of the tent wasn't able to bring out the color in the ebony..

Cheers, Don


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## Kkat (Apr 25, 2012)

Here are some pictures of the lights we use indoors. Please keep in mind I'm on the basic level of photography.


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## Kkat (Apr 25, 2012)

This is the brand of the bulbs in used. Im pretty sure these aren't good lights to use, but thought that by having cool color bluish lights to the human eye would give the same feeling as the light from outdoors since the pictures taken outdoors have a bluish tint. We can't afford to spend too much, so if there's a more affordable option it would help greatly!

thanks,


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## Kkat (Apr 25, 2012)

Don Kondra said:


> The title "rosewood furniture" got my attention
> 
> To the OP, can you provide some information of what you are using for lighting ?
> 
> ...



Here are the difference between the pictures taken inside and outside of Rosewood furniture. We mainly have issues with the Cherry/Dark Cherry Color ones.


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## Mike_E (Apr 25, 2012)

Kkat, what you're running into is a lack of saturation caused by your shutter speed being to fast (yes, even being indoors).

It's like taking a picture of a glass marble.  Outside the sun is strong enough to bring the colored glass inside the marble up to about the same exposure value as the outside of the marble but inside the light is too weak to show the inside of the marble so you are left with nothing but the outside on your photo.  The fix here is to decrease the shutter speed with a neutral density filter.  What this does is to let your camera get the exposure on the outside of the marble correct but still collect light long enough for the weaker light to catch up and register on your sensor.  (ok, not catch up really but it makes more sense here than add up)

hope this helps

mike


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## Don Kondra (Apr 25, 2012)

Not sure where to start, sigh..

First of all, "Daylight Deluxe" could mean anything.  What is important is that the lights be 5500 kelvin, that is the equivalent of day light. 

As has been suggested, set a custom white balance and shoot in raw.  

I would highly recommend you invest in a 9' x 36' seamless paper backdrop.  Depending on where you are they can be had for $50 - $75.

You could try a ND filter and even a CP filter but for better results your "studio" needs some lights.

They can be as simple as off camera flashes, they run ~ $100 a head.  Bower, Metz, Vivitar, etc. 

Ideally you want to control the direction and intensity of the lighting and be able to modify the light source with umbrellas, softboxes, grids, diffusion panels, etc.

Your least expensive option for now would be to shoot outside *on an overcast day* on a seamless paper.

On a tripod set the camera to aperture mode, f 8 -11, iso 100.  

From the sides you could have some helpers hold large sheets of foamcore to act as reflectors. 

Cheers, Don


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## KmH (Apr 25, 2012)

Savage makes seamless paper in a multitude of colors.

Savage Seamless Background Paper, 107" wide x 12 yards, Fashion Gray, #56

Savage Seamless Background Paper, 107" wide x 12 yards, White, #50 

Savage Seamless Background Paper, 107" wide x 12 yards, Super White, #1

Product photograhy is not easy. The lighting aspect of it is the big challenge.

Professional product photographers have a lot of money investing in lighting, light modifying, and light controlling gear.


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## Kkat (Apr 25, 2012)

We're using a Fujifilm FinePix S700 Digital Camera 7.1 Mega Pixels for taking these photos. Is there a universal way to change shutter speed? Also the lights used in the studio i think are 6500 Kelvin (shown below)




Is this usable since it's more than actual sunlight? Also is FoamCore a specific type of foam to use as deflectors or using things like 4x8 white foam boards from home depot/menards works? 

We did have some umbrella lights before, but that made the rosewood have a yellowish color to it, which doesn't work out for us. Also the white reflectors outside seem to cause more of a whitish glare to the furniture rather than the fine red color of the cherry rosewood.


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## Mike_E (Apr 25, 2012)

Kkat, are you doing this as a manager or as someone who was tasked with the job?

If tasked with the job, was it voluntary or were you assigned?

I don't want to discourage you but to do this job with the tools you have would make a seasoned pro sweat.

If you volunteered  for the job, you have a lot of studying to do.  Start with Light, Science and Magic  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/02...mp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0240812255, as KmH suggested, proceed to Dean Collins  Photoshop Training and Photography Training Tutorials - Software Cinema - Training :: Photography :: Dean Collins :: The Best Of Dean Collins On Lighting and read and PRACTICE a lot!  You are also going to need to learn Lightroom (Photoshop would also be a really good thing) and Illustrator.

You are going to need to spend some money too, On a DSLR, some Lighting equipment, Background Equipment, the Adobe products I mentioned and various and sundry (did I mention that photography is expensive?)

You are going to need a year or three to get up to speed , too.  I'm not doubting your talent as a photographer but recognizing you skill level from the questions you've been asking.

If selling this furniture is your livelihood, or directly impacts your livelihood, (and Especially if it impacts the lives of others) may I respectfully recommend that you or your bosses if that's the case shop around for someone who is already up to speed and already has the equipment to do the work?

Again, I have seen no limit on what you could achieve but the amount of time that it takes to learn all of these things is great and I worry that neither you nor your company have the leisure to wait.


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## Kkat (Apr 27, 2012)

Someone that was tasked this job and assigned.

I've been working with Photoshop to attain the colors wanted for furniture pieces, just the cherry/dark cherry rosewood color has given me too much of an issue to resolve. I will take this feedback to the higher ups and see what we can do.

Any other feedback or options would be much appreciated.


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## Kkat (Oct 11, 2012)

Mike_E said:


> Kkat, are you doing this as a manager or as someone who was tasked with the job?
> 
> If tasked with the job, was it voluntary or were you assigned?
> 
> ...



I've been taking pictures of rosewood outside to go the cheapest route lately, but winter is approaching and issues will surface if i continue to go that route.

Is there a website that i can go to that has cheap equipment that will help me take better pictures of rosewood? Also what lightings or equipment would i need to get the results my employer wants?


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