A new photography gig

[Joel Eade]

Thanks....that would be interesting to see

[peety3]

One other challenge....I have to take the images in his shop

Mind if I ask why?

which is lit by rows of bare fluorescent bulbs

No it isn't. Turn them off and BYOL (bring your own light).

[Joel Eade]

Mind if I ask why?
They are custom ordered and quite valuable. He wants to take no chances.


No it isn't. Turn them off and BYOL (bring your own light).

That is my plan

[Joel Eade]

Will also point out with regards to lighting settings that in rooms where I don't like the ambient that I use settings that render it quite dark. Bounced lighting won't very often have the power to achieve this with one unit. I tend to think of bounced flash as a good source of fill light for the most part.
This dark room approach won't help with direct reflections though which appear as bright as the source with the size varying according to distance. Turning the lights off, setting up diffusion material, or even blocking it with opaque fabric are the only options if you can't position the position the camera to avoid the reflections.

Agreed....so far I have avoided the problem by removing one set of bulbs directly over my working space but this takes time and is an aggravation to him as well so a light diffuser and multiple light sources is going to be my next attempt....probably take 1-2 weeks before has more completed guitars to photo.

Thanks for everyone's input on this

[Joel Eade]

Was restricted to the basement this evening so not as comprehensive as I might have hoped. Lightsource, 14x63" with grid, was quite close, around 3', to the shelving unit with the height chosen to show the fall off at the bottom. Feathered to provide relatively even lighting across the shelving. Positioned to the right just out of frame and ahead of the shooting position. Finish is quite glossy as the moulding reflection indicates.

Attachment 2208

I do like the grid effect....I have a soft box so it would be inexpensive to add....thanks!