Product Photos

Hi. I would like to get some feedback on my attempts on product photography.

1. Watch - Bounced on-cam flash was used with tissue for fill-lights.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-V...s800/watch.jpg

2. Sunglass 1 - One strobe used and card boards.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-s...sunglasses.jpg

3. Sunglass 2 - Light painting was used (http://mrgreenbug.blogspot.com/2013/...h-strobes.html)

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-A...or_display.jpg

Any C&C will be very much appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

Wow! I love your watch, it's nice and sharp and I also like the reflections and the colour of the sunglasses. Good lighting and processing techniques. It's great product photography imo. It's certainly something I can learn!

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Originally Posted by francongphotography

Wow! I love your watch, it's nice and sharp and I also like the reflections and the colour of the sunglasses. Good lighting and processing techniques. It's great product photography imo. It's certainly something I can learn!

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Thank you Franco for the kind words and great encouragement. Photography is a continuous learning experience and I still feel I need a lot to learn. :)

Superb job!

Dave

I really like the watch and the Oakley, but I find the brightness of the red sunglass' reflection too distracting. I like the gradient shading in there, but it's so bright it pulls my eyes away from the product proper.

Overall an awesome job though. Much better than I'd likely do.

Wow, I was just thinking to myself the other day we need a 'post your best product shots' thread. Although now there's no point, there's not getting much better than those ones, well done!
To disagree with David, I personally like the red sunglasses' reflections, although maybe it needs a bit more black above to put the sunglasses in the middle? (just my opinion).
I also love the watch, looks like something you'd see on a cardboard stand in a shop window, perfect lighting.
Oakleys at bottom also good, but i'm a sucker for the black reflective glossy-look.
Just curious what you used as the black reflective stand? I've taken small things using a portable HDD (of all things) with gloss-black finish, but I'd like options on getting something bigger one day, any suggestions?

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Originally Posted by Dave Throgmartin

Superb job!

Dave

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Thanks Dave! Those words are certainly a passion booster!

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Originally Posted by DavidEccleston

I really like the watch and the Oakley, but I find the brightness of the red sunglass' reflection too distracting. I like the gradient shading in there, but it's so bright it pulls my eyes away from the product proper.

Overall an awesome job though. Much better than I'd likely do.

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Hi David. Thank you for your thoughts. Now that you've mentioned it, I'll take note of that one and on my next attempts, I'd try using a grey cardboard instead of a white cardboard.

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Originally Posted by Dr Croubie

Wow, I was just thinking to myself the other day we need a 'post your best product shots' thread. Although now there's no point, there's not getting much better than those ones, well done!
To disagree with David, I personally like the red sunglasses' reflections, although maybe it needs a bit more black above to put the sunglasses in the middle? (just my opinion).
I also love the watch, looks like something you'd see on a cardboard stand in a shop window, perfect lighting.
Oakleys at bottom also good, but i'm a sucker for the black reflective glossy-look.
Just curious what you used as the black reflective stand? I've taken small things using a portable HDD (of all things) with gloss-black finish, but I'd like options on getting something bigger one day, any suggestions?

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DrCroubie, probably I was able to read your mind... just kidding. Thank you for your input. Do yo mean more negative space on top? I can try that and extend the top part and post it again when I get home for comparison. :)

As for the Oakley, the frame itself is matte and not glossy similar to the sunglass with red lens. If I can grab a glossy sunglass I'll try again for that glossy look. These glossy things are tricky to shoot as they pick-up reflection of everything in the room in -- don't want anyone to see how messy my shooting room is.. :D

The black reflective surface was a smoked/tinted glass about 3/4" thick of a table we have in our living room. I placed a black cardboard underneath the glass to minimize the double reflection it was creating and to get that deep black color. Alternatively, you can use black tiles or counter top slabs. I think these can be bought at hardware stores.

Again, thank you to everyone who have shared their thoughts.

G'day Angelo, great shots, really like the watch shot, I can't even see your fingers holding it on that angle. :-))
I like the red sunglasses shot, specially the reflection, new dawn, just like a sunrise.

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Originally Posted by Steve U

G'day Angelo, great shots, really like the watch shot, I can't even see your fingers holding it on that angle. :-))
I like the red sunglasses shot, specially the reflection, new dawn, just like a sunrise.

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Hi Steve, thank you for the kind words! On the watch image, I wasn't really holding it. I placed the watch on a black sort-of bean bag. To keep the shape of the watch bracelet, I inserted a little contraption -- it's actually a note holder with a suction cup on one end and a clip on the other end with bendable segments. I removed the suction cup and the clip and retained only the bendable segments to form a 'C' to shape the entire watch. :)

Excellent product shots and very nice job getting rid of the table/stuff from beneath the items. The watch would feel right at home as an advertisement image in any magazine! The last shot of the glasses is also very nice. There is something about the middle one with the reflection that doesn't quite get it up to par with the quality of the others. Maybe it is the black glasses on a black background they blend in maybe a tad too much. A little more definition on them by rim-light or something might have helped.

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Originally Posted by qwRad

Excellent product shots and very nice job getting rid of the table/stuff from beneath the items. The watch would feel right at home as an advertisement image in any magazine! The last shot of the glasses is also very nice. There is something about the middle one with the reflection that doesn't quite get it up to par with the quality of the others. Maybe it is the black glasses on a black background they blend in maybe a tad too much. A little more definition on them by rim-light or something might have helped.

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Hey Sampsa, thank you for your thoughts and the 'tap on the back' on my attempts. I actually had a hard time with the second photo and it took me about a hundred shots before I got a shot that I liked and I think I can keep -- which is the second photo. I didn't notice the need of highlights as I was so focused on getting a good reflection without me being in it. :)

By the way, I love your star trails. I couldn't imagine myself being out in the cold even for just 15 minutes. Great job on those star trails.

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Originally Posted by MrGreenBug

I was so focused on getting a good reflection without me being in it.

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Like most I think, the watch is my favorite. But that might also be just because I love watches so much. As far as your problem with reflection goes.. how are you lighting them? A higher shutter speed(1/250th +) and a narrow aperture should squash any reflections caused by your ambient light.

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Originally Posted by Rocco

Like most I think, the watch is my favorite. But that might also be just because I love watches so much. As far as your problem with reflection goes.. how are you lighting them? A higher shutter speed(1/250th +) and a narrow aperture should squash any reflections caused by your ambient light.

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Hi Rocco! Thank you for your comment. I'm kind of experimenting on what's the best way to light 'em with the limited gear I have. The watch photo was lighted by a single on-cam flash (bounced off from a wall/door -- can't really remember). The second photo was lighted by a single DIY softbox just slightly higher but towards the camera to light the reflectors (white boards) so the lens can get the reflected light. The last photo of the Oakley was shot by light painting -- 1 pop of light on the right side, another pop for top-front, and another for the left-side. The background light was lighted at the same time the first pop of light as it is a separate flash.

I usually work on 1/160 as my max flash sync is 1/200. I get the shutter into the exposure if I shoot at 1/200 or more. Also, I use about f/8 - f/11 for DOF. The last photo was an exception as it took me about 15secs to take the shot. Moreover, I usually work with a standard zoom lens (17-50mm) which isn't really ideal but with the space constraints I currently have I wasn't able to use my 85mm. ;)