Shooting Pickup Porn

[ken]

Hello all,

I'm curious as to the best ways you have found to take photos of your pickups.

Does anyone have any ideas or tips on how to make your creations look their best?

Thank you,

ken

[big_teee]

Hello all,

I'm curious as to the best ways you have found to take photos of your pickups.

Does anyone have any ideas or tips on how to make your creations look their best?

Thank you,

ken

If your talking about just regular digital camera pictures?
I like the camera set on Macro, and for inside shots, I put the flash on red eye.
The red eye seems to keep from washing out the picture, and helps on the glare.
Good Luck,
T

[ken]

I was just outside taking pickup photos since it's a beautiful day.

I set up a small white paper photo tent to diffuse the sunlight, got out my pickups, set up my digital camera, and realized I forgot my drink.

I went in the house to get it, and came back outside just in time to watch my tent blowing down the backyard because a breeze picked up.

There has to be a better way...

ken

[rjb]

It's all in the lighting, man. And always be aware of the background.

Seriously, I'm a lousy photographer. But a while ago, I found an online book on "Digital Macro Photography" that you can either read online or pay for a paper copy. Apparently, getting consistently good results requires some basic knowledge of photography, rather than just random tips. ;^)

Anyways, this book (which I can't seem to find right now) provides the basic knowledge, and gives "case studies" showing how to shoot different types of objects to best effect. You might try to look it up.

I struggle with getting fairly accurate representations of my "subjects"- never mind sexy effects like creating a halo by placing the pickup on a backlit sheet of frosted glass resting on two paint buckets. Or whatever.

That said, here's what I do for basic macro pics:

I avoid using flash. For lighting, I use sunlight and/or two hardware store variety 5000K fluorescent flood lamps in clamp-on reflectors, placed "wherever seems right". I sometimes use tracing paper "diffusers" (mounted in frames made from old GFR album covers) to soften glare and/or white posterboard or foamcore "reflectors" to bounce light into dark recesses. I place a piece of white paper in the frame (which gets cropped out later) as a reference for color balance.

I've tried using my GF's tabletop tripod, but found it a PITA. Now, I just brace the camera against whatever is handy, or use the self-timer to avoid jitter while pressing the shutter button.

[rjb]

...set up my digital camera, and realized I forgot my drink.

...came back outside just in time to watch my tent blowing down the backyard...

There has to be a better way...

Maybe give up drinking?
Oh, you said a better way.
Never mind.

[ken]

The drink was iced tea, triple strong and triple sugar. Really.

I'm thinking about buying a collapsible photography tent, with translucent nylon sides so the tent walls acts as its own diffuser.
I saw one of these at an antique store once, the store owner was using it to take photos of things to post on Ebay.

ken

[rjb]

I'm thinking about buying a collapsible photography tent, with translucent nylon sides so the tent walls acts as its own diffuser.

Hmm, that sounds like it might cost more than a dollar.
I made something like a cheap-o version of that - just a cardboard box with tracing paper "windows" - but I don't use it much.

[David Schwab]

Not cheap, but here's an entire setup, lights and all.

Photo Studio In a Box

[rjb]

Not cheap, but here's an entire setup, lights and all.

That looks an awful lot like my cardboard box setup. I bought solid color placemats and posterboard at Dollar Tree for backgrounds.
Walgreens used to sell clothing hampers (white translucent nylon bag in a collapsible metal frame) for about $9.99- probably less on sale.

[ken]

I like rjb's idea of the clothes hamper, I'll have to try that.

I tried to make a photo tent a couple of times with varying success. I tried a white bedsheet, but that wasn't really translucent so the light didn't diffuse very much.
Besides, the material got dirty very quickly too. Next, I bought some white nylon? sail material from a local that made windsurfer sails... too opaque.

Why am I so picky? I want my photos to be as nice as possible the first time, so I don't have to spend all day in Photoshop fixing shadows.

ken

[rjb]

I want my photos to be as nice as possible the first time,

Me too.

so I don't have to spend all day in Photoshop fixing shadows.

Have you tried using fill light or reflectors to lighten the shadows?

[Peter Naglitsch]

I found an online book on "Digital Macro Photography" that you can either read online or pay for a paper copy. Apparently, getting consistently good results requires some basic knowledge of photography, rather than just random tips. ;^)

Anyways, this book (which I can't seem to find right now) provides the basic knowledge, and gives "case studies" showing how to shoot different types of objects to best effect. You might try to look it up.

This one?
An online book of Macro Photography - by Rhett Stuart (Macro-Photography.org)

[rjb]

This one?
An online book of Macro Photography - by Rhett Stuart (Macro-Photography.org)

That's not the one I had on my shelf, but it still might be good.
Sorry, I haven't found the hardcopy & can't remember the author or title.

The one I have (or had) contained some hints on doing things on the cheap (like making diffusers from tracing paper, with art-store canvas-stretcher frames), and a bunch of "case studies" - like how to make an old Pez dispenser look like the Holy Grail, and so on....

I promise to report back if and when I find the title.

-rb

[rjb]

Not cheap, but here's an entire setup, lights and all.

Gee, thanks for the fish.
Hey, David, don't you do some kind of photography-related activity on a professional level?
Can't you teach us photography in a sentence or two?
Please?

[rjb]

I'm curious as to the best ways you have found to take photos of your pickups.

Does anyone have any ideas or tips on how to make your creations look their best?

Getting back to the thread's title-
Say you're shooting a pickup with a shiny metal cover.
You could position a nude model or picture of a nekkid lady so she's reflected in that cover.
Ya know, like, subliminal advertising....
Just a thought.

[LtKojak]

Not cheap, but here's an entire setup, lights and all.

Photo Studio In a Box

My first paying job was as a tabletop photographer's assistant. I was 13!

Having a portable setup like the one indicated would've saved me a lot of grief back then.

Less than a Franklin? I'd say PRICELESS!

[David Schwab]

I like rjb's idea of the clothes hamper, I'll have to try that.

I tried to make a photo tent a couple of times with varying success. I tried a white bedsheet, but that wasn't really translucent so the light didn't diffuse very much.
Besides, the material got dirty very quickly too. Next, I bought some white nylon? sail material from a local that made windsurfer sails... too opaque.

Why am I so picky? I want my photos to be as nice as possible the first time, so I don't have to spend all day in Photoshop fixing shadows.

ken

I sit my pickups on my work bench which is by a window. I use macro mode and usually turn off the flash on my Canon PowerShot A590.

I think I used the flash on this one:



I got fancy with this one and used some black fabric. Lighting was from a desk lamp.

[rjb]

I sit my pickups on my work bench which is by a window.

Facing which direction? What time of day?

I got fancy with this one and used some black fabric.

With camera on auto or manual settings? Doesn't auto freak out with black on black?

Lighting was from a desk lamp.

OttLite? Incandescent? Kerosene?

BTW, could you tell me how to play an "F" barre chord?

-rb

[David Schwab]

Facing which direction?

You can see it in the photo above.

What time of day?

The time that I take the picture

With camera on auto or manual settings?

Auto

Doesn't auto freak out with black on black?

Apparently not. That one wasn't by the window.

OttLite? Incandescent? Kerosene?

Florescent

BTW, could you tell me how to play an "F" barre chord?

Game as a G bar chord, but a step lower.

[rjb]

Facing which direction?

You can see it in the photo above.

I meant the window.
But I bet you knew that.

[Joe Gwinn]

There are many light tents available, and it's easy to make them (just copy the general details of the commercial tents).

They talk about all the wonderful properties of their fabric, but it's mostly hype. Any fabric or film that looks white by both reflected and transmitted light, and isn't too opaque, will do. Commercial tents are made of thin nylon or dacron fabric, or acetate/mylar drawing film.

Light Tent Kit for photographing jewelry: Studio & Lighting Technique Forum: Digital Photography Review

[David Schwab]

Another way if to shoot outdoors on an overcast day.

I'm not a photographer per se, but my older brother is professor of photography at Brooklyn College in NYC, so I grew up watching him do stuff. He always says that lighting is the most important thing, and takes the longest time.

[rjb]

Another way if to shoot outdoors on an overcast day.

We don't get those in sunny Baltimore.

...my older brother is professor of photography at Brooklyn College in NYC....
He always says that lighting is the most important thing, and takes the longest time.

So... it look's like my initial snarky answer "It's all in the lighting, man" wasn't too far off.
Wisdom from the mouths of boobs....

[Possum]

I nearly became a professional photographer back in the 80's until I realized it would mean shooting photos of stuff I had no interest in, all day every day, and that most photographers got into the field because they loved the art, but ended up making pretty pictures of cans of beans for a living, no thanks ;-) But I did alot of product photography for EMG Pickups for the ads and brochures and NAMM booth stuff I did for 12 years for that client.

You need to use aperture priority on the camera and many small point and shoot cameras don't have this option. You need aperture priority so you can use a small f-stop so you get as much of the product in focus as possible. Point and shoot cameras almost always default to wide apertures in macro mode so part of your product is in focus but most isn't. In general the smaller the f-stop the more will be in focus, your focus point will then have 1/3 of the focus field in front and 2/3's in back of the focus point will be in focus. For lighting, all I do is set up my product on my work bench, put a paper towel over the two desk lamps I use to soften the light so no harsh shadows or highlights, set up the camera on a tripod because your shutter speed will be slow, and position the lamps for effect. Use the self timer for stability. I use bounce cards or small mirrors in front to fill in dark areas etc. then shoot a ton of different setups and exposures. My desk lamps are Ottlites with daylight temperature. You can color correct and retouch in Photoshop to get rid of dust etc. This photo below was done my ancient Nikon Coolpix 1.2 megapixel, despite low resolution the camera has full pro features and a sharp glass lens.

[David Schwab]

That's a nice finish on those Dave. Are those covers plastic or metal?

[Possum]

Raw nickel silver that I do my own special finish on. The brown background is an old leather jacket ;-)

[ken]

You need to use aperture priority on the camera and many small point and shoot cameras don't have this option. You need aperture priority so you can use a small f-stop so you get as much of the product in focus as possible. Point and shoot cameras almost always default to wide apertures in macro mode so part of your product is in focus but most isn't. In general the smaller the f-stop the more will be in focus, your focus point will then have 1/3 of the focus field in front and 2/3's in back of the focus point will be in focus. For lighting, all I do is set up my product on my work bench, put a paper towel over the two desk lamps I use to soften the light so no harsh shadows or highlights, set up the camera on a tripod because your shutter speed will be slow, and position the lamps for effect. Use the self timer for stability. I use bounce cards or small mirrors in front to fill in dark areas etc. then shoot a ton of different setups and exposures. My desk lamps are Ottlites with daylight temperature. You can color correct and retouch in Photoshop to get rid of dust etc. This photo below was done my ancient Nikon Coolpix 1.2 megapixel, despite low resolution the camera has full pro features and a sharp glass lens.

How do you get rid of reflections like the ones on a pickup's metal cover? I have a great shot of a Tele rhythm pickup cover I took where you can see me and the camera very nicely in the photo.

I switched from film to a Nikon Coolpix myself... and now I have to retake all my photos because I lost the whole box of original film photos and negs in a move.

ken

[Possum]

By using soft light, the paper towels over the two lamps you won't get harsh reflections, then the other trick is hold a white card above the tele neck cover so it mirrors the white card, move it around for effect. What you're trying to do is make something look super real, as 3D as possible. If you buy one of the small enclosed photo tents that some hobby places sell, you'll only get reflections of soft white light because thats whats over surrounding your product. Its a good idea to look at catalogue shots of pickups to see how the photographer handled reflections, sometimes you'll see an umbrella light in the mirror finish, or a white tent, or bounce card etc....

[rjb]

...then the other trick is hold a white card above the tele neck cover so it mirrors the white card....

Or, for true pickup porn, use a French post card. ;^)

[SonnyW]

... I have a great shot of a Tele rhythm pickup cover I took where you can see me and the camera very nicely in the photo. ...

This is off topic I know, but would that Tele pickup be one of the ones you did for Big John Stannard? I have been dying for a chance to congratulate you on those, and on hooking up with him. Man is he good, and those sound great. I recently picked up an old pedal steel and poking around on you tube for pedal steel stuff it didn't take me long to run across some of his rehersals with David Hartley. I thought - who is that guy with the old red Esquire, and why haven't I heard of him before, he's about the best I ever saw. Then I started looking for info about the Esquire, that's when I found out you did those. Congratulations.

OK back to the topic at hand now.... -sonny

[ken]

How do you get rid of reflections like the ones on a pickup's metal cover? I have a great shot of a Tele rhythm pickup cover I took where you can see me and the camera very nicely in the photo.

Getting back to the thread's title- Say you're shooting a pickup with a shiny metal cover.
You could position a nude model or picture of a nekkid lady so she's reflected in that cover.
Ya know, like, subliminal advertising....
Just a thought.

Like I said in the top quote... I didn't want to scare my customers away looking at the reflection in my Tele cover. It's hard enough to get customers nowadays without scaring them all off. Maybe a nice photo of Marilyn Monroe or something would work? <kidding>

ken

[David Schwab]

Like I said in the top quote... I didn't want to scare my customers away looking at the reflection in my Tele cover. It's hard enough to get customers nowadays without scaring them all off. Maybe a nice photo of Marilyn Monroe or something would work? <kidding>

Just don't do like the "teapot man" did.

[StarryNight]

You need to use aperture priority on the camera and many small point and shoot cameras don't have this option. You need aperture priority so you can use a small f-stop so you get as much of the product in focus as possible. Point and shoot cameras almost always default to wide apertures in macro mode so part of your product is in focus but most isn't. In general the smaller the f-stop the more will be in focus, your focus point will then have 1/3 of the focus field in front and 2/3's in back of the focus point will be in focus. .

just to clarify (har har), the higher the f-stop number the more will be in focus in your shot - and the aperture ring is at its most closed. I.e. An f-stop of 22 give a very large depth of field and the aperture ring is closed tight like a pinhole. Low f-stop number means wide open aperture which means narrow depth of field. If you're shooting a pickup at a low angle you actually might want a lower f-stop number (wider aperture) to make the fore and background out of focus. If you're shooting from above the depth of field isn't as important and you may need to adjust your aperture for the sake of more or less light. I.e. if you're shooting without a tripod at a high angle you may want a lower aperture number so the aperture ring is more open which lets more light in, which equals a faster shutter speed, and reduces the chances of a blurry image due to hand shaking.

[ken]

just to clarify (har har), the higher the f-stop number the more will be in focus in your shot - and the aperture ring is at its most closed. I.e. An f-stop of 22 give a very large depth of field and the aperture ring is closed tight like a pinhole. Low f-stop number means wide open aperture which means narrow depth of field.

So... what you're saying is that the higher the f-stop the greater the depth of field or the more depth of the object you're photographing will be in focus. For example, you're taking a photo of a friend in front of a mountain. A low f-stop would make the friend sharp in the photo but the mountain would be blurry. A high f-stop would be used to bring both the friend and the mountain in sharp focus. Is this right?

Just don't do like the "teapot man" did.

David, I googled 'teapot man'. I saw the photo. EEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWW. No more photos for me, I have to go boil my eyes or something...

ken

[David Schwab]

So... what you're saying is that the higher the f-stop the greater the depth of field or the more depth of the object you're photographing will be in focus. For example, you're taking a photo of a friend in front of a mountain. A low f-stop would make the friend sharp in the photo but the mountain would be blurry. A high f-stop would be used to bring both the friend and the mountain in sharp focus. Is this right?

Think of a pin hole camera. it's a tiny little pin hole and they have infinite depth of field. As you open up the aperture to allow more light, you have a shallow depth of field.

So as long as your subject is not moving, you can use a higher ƒ-stop and a longer exposure.

Depth of field - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia