Is product photography possible w\ portrait studio equipment?

Ygrazi · 12-22-2009, 12:50 PM

I was recently asked to do a job taking pictures of watches. Until now I only did portrait photography. Would I be able to take these pictures with my current equipment? I have a softbox, umbrellas, absb800, and a nikon speedlight.
Do I need different equipment?
Oh and I have a Nikon D200 and 50mm lens.

**Big Mike** · 12-22-2009, 12:54 PM

I don't see why not.

Overread · 12-22-2009, 12:58 PM

A lightbox would be a good addition to your setup:
Strobist: How To: DIY $10 Macro Photo Studio

That would give you a good way to control the lighting in the shot. As for the lens side it depends what sort of shots you want to get - have a try with a watch and the 50mm and see where you get. If you find that you need to get seriously closer (ie that you are cropping a lot away from the shot) you might consider extension tubes/macro diopters or a proper macro lens to let you focus closer.

Ygrazi · 12-22-2009, 02:54 PM

Where would I position the light box? I imagine I'd use it instead of the softbox?
Also how do I achieve the look of the watch standing on its own?

Overread · 12-22-2009, 03:01 PM

Follow the link I gave - it will explain all you need to know about the lightbox

As for the watch standing on its own more tricky you could use some fine cables in the lightbox or a base the same colour as the background. I suspect some cleanup in editing would be needed, but so long as the main effect works it should not be too difficult

Ygrazi · 12-22-2009, 03:09 PM

Woops I clicked the link after I posted. It seems so easy! Thank you.

kundalini · 12-22-2009, 03:09 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Ygrazi

Also how do I achieve the look of the watch standing on its own?

Here's a method by Scot Kelby. It requires some photoshop skills.

The Digital Photography Book, Volume 3 - Video Downloads | Kelby Training

Scroll down mid-way to Special Wire for Hanging Products (video). Also have a look at the one above it Enhancing Highlights and Shadows in Post (video).

grafiks · 02-10-2010, 02:13 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by kundalini

Quote: Originally Posted by Ygrazi

Also how do I achieve the look of the watch standing on its own?

Here's a method by Scot Kelby. It requires some photoshop skills.

The Digital Photography Book, Volume 3 - Video Downloads | Kelby Training

Scroll down mid-way to Special Wire for Hanging Products (video). Also have a look at the one above it Enhancing Highlights and Shadows in Post (video).

Nice link. Thanks for sharing.

LearnMyShot · 02-17-2010, 07:57 AM

Yes, lighting equipment is very versatile. But when shooting products you need to look at the reflective quality of what you're shooting and light it appropriately. In other words, you cannot shoot a crystal object very well using a direct hard light, but that may work well on a fabric. I choose the type of lighting depending on what the object is. So look at each object as a separate lighting challenge and choose the type of lighting set up that is best for that object.

IgsEMT · 02-17-2010, 08:36 AM

Quote:

LearnMyShot.com - learn how to shoot anything

Very Nice

LearnMyShot · 02-17-2010, 09:57 AM

It's me again. One last important thing to know. You must remove the crystal of each watch so you can light the faces properly and without reflection on the glass. Just go to a jeweler and have them remove the crystals. In the final photo no one will know.
If you do this you're halfway home!

Battou · 02-17-2010, 10:04 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by LearnMyShot

It's me again. One last important thing to know. You must remove the crystal of each watch so you can light the faces properly and without reflection on the glass. Just go to a jeweler and have them remove the crystals. In the final photo no one will know.
If you do this you're halfway home!

I've always worked without a flash. Sure it takes longer in the exposure department but it saves a lot of time and effort having pieces removed from the watch. Another part about it is that this habit will prove useful when shooting glass ware.

Maybe later I'll do up a quick watch shot if my brother still has the watch I am thinking of.

I do have examples of some non watch shots taken and properly visible through transparent material without a flash for anyone who wants to see them, one of them was taken with my portrait lens.

Professional · 02-25-2010, 11:51 AM

Do simple watch shooting, i did many watches shots in the studio using one or 2 lights and i am happy with some results, just i am not into product photography yet, but i am planning to do it ASAP.

one of my crap simple shot of the watch

Watch on blue

12-22-2009, 12:50 PM	#1
Ygrazi No longer a newbie, moving up! Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 43 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts My Gallery: (0)	Is product photography possible w\ portrait studio equipment? I was recently asked to do a job taking pictures of watches. Until now I only did portrait photography. Would I be able to take these pictures with my current equipment? I have a softbox, umbrellas, absb800, and a nikon speedlight. Do I need different equipment? Oh and I have a Nikon D200 and 50mm lens.

12-22-2009, 12:54 PM	#2
Big Mike I am Big, I am Mike Site Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Edmonton Posts: 22,098 My Photos Are NOT OK to Edit Thanked 223 Times in 211 Posts My Gallery: (91)	I don't see why not. __________________ Edmonton Wedding Photographer Blog

12-22-2009, 12:58 PM	#3
Overread TPF Junkie! Join Date: May 2008 Location: UK - England Posts: 6,949 My Photos Are OK to Edit Thanked 140 Times in 126 Posts My Gallery: (0)	A lightbox would be a good addition to your setup: Strobist: How To: DIY $10 Macro Photo Studio That would give you a good way to control the lighting in the shot. As for the lens side it depends what sort of shots you want to get - have a try with a watch and the 50mm and see where you get. If you find that you need to get seriously closer (ie that you are cropping a lot away from the shot) you might consider extension tubes/macro diopters or a proper macro lens to let you focus closer. __________________ How to get critique and feedback on your photography! My blog My Flickr because its way more uptodate than my blog.. Gear list: Canon 400D+batterygrip; Canon 70-200mm f2.8 IS L; Canon MPE 65mm f2.8 macro; Sigma 70mm f2.8 macro; Sigma 150mm f2.8 macro; 580EX2; more teleconverters than is healthy! Do I own enough macro lenses yet?

12-22-2009, 03:01 PM	#5
Overread TPF Junkie! Join Date: May 2008 Location: UK - England Posts: 6,949 My Photos Are OK to Edit Thanked 140 Times in 126 Posts My Gallery: (0)	Follow the link I gave - it will explain all you need to know about the lightbox As for the watch standing on its own more tricky you could use some fine cables in the lightbox or a base the same colour as the background. I suspect some cleanup in editing would be needed, but so long as the main effect works it should not be too difficult __________________ How to get critique and feedback on your photography! My blog My Flickr because its way more uptodate than my blog.. Gear list: Canon 400D+batterygrip; Canon 70-200mm f2.8 IS L; Canon MPE 65mm f2.8 macro; Sigma 70mm f2.8 macro; Sigma 150mm f2.8 macro; 580EX2; more teleconverters than is healthy! Do I own enough macro lenses yet?

12-22-2009, 03:09 PM	#7
kundalini TPF Junkie! Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: State of Confusion Posts: 6,835 My Photos Are NOT OK to Edit Thanked 59 Times in 54 Posts My Gallery: (0)	Quote: Originally Posted by Ygrazi Also how do I achieve the look of the watch standing on its own? Here's a method by Scot Kelby. It requires some photoshop skills. The Digital Photography Book, Volume 3 - Video Downloads \| Kelby Training Scroll down mid-way to Special Wire for Hanging Products (video). Also have a look at the one above it Enhancing Highlights and Shadows in Post (video). __________________ The liver is evil and must be punished!!! Don't let your mind Post Toastee Like a lot of my friends did........... *Tommy Bolin*

12-22-2009, 02:54 PM	#4
Ygrazi No longer a newbie, moving up! Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 43 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts My Gallery: (0)	Where would I position the light box? I imagine I'd use it instead of the softbox? Also how do I achieve the look of the watch standing on its own?

02-10-2010, 02:13 PM	#8
grafiks Been spending a lot of time on here! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 191 My Photos Are NOT OK to Edit Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts My Gallery: (7)	Quote: Originally Posted by kundalini Quote: Originally Posted by Ygrazi Also how do I achieve the look of the watch standing on its own? Here's a method by Scot Kelby. It requires some photoshop skills. The Digital Photography Book, Volume 3 - Video Downloads \| Kelby Training Scroll down mid-way to Special Wire for Hanging Products (video). Also have a look at the one above it Enhancing Highlights and Shadows in Post (video). Nice link. Thanks for sharing. __________________ Carl Aapics Digital Studios

02-17-2010, 07:57 AM	#9
LearnMyShot No longer a newbie, moving up! Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: USA Posts: 84 My Photos Are NOT OK to Edit Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts My Gallery: (0)	Yes, lighting equipment is very versatile. But when shooting products you need to look at the reflective quality of what you're shooting and light it appropriately. In other words, you cannot shoot a crystal object very well using a direct hard light, but that may work well on a fabric. I choose the type of lighting depending on what the object is. So look at each object as a separate lighting challenge and choose the type of lighting set up that is best for that object. __________________ ____ Robert Grant LearnMyShot.com - learn how to shoot anything

02-17-2010, 08:36 AM	#10
IgsEMT TPF Junkie! Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: NYC Posts: 1,373 My Photos Are NOT OK to Edit Thanked 65 Times in 63 Posts My Gallery: (0)	Quote: LearnMyShot.com - learn how to shoot anything Very Nice

02-17-2010, 09:57 AM	#11
LearnMyShot No longer a newbie, moving up! Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: USA Posts: 84 My Photos Are NOT OK to Edit Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts My Gallery: (0)	It's me again. One last important thing to know. You must remove the crystal of each watch so you can light the faces properly and without reflection on the glass. Just go to a jeweler and have them remove the crystals. In the final photo no one will know. If you do this you're halfway home! __________________ ____ Robert Grant LearnMyShot.com - learn how to shoot anything

02-17-2010, 10:04 AM	#12
Battou TPF Junkie! Join Date: May 2007 Location: Slapamonkey, New York Posts: 7,341 My Photos Are NOT OK to Edit Thanked 8 Times in 8 Posts My Gallery: (28)	Quote: Originally Posted by LearnMyShot It's me again. One last important thing to know. You must remove the crystal of each watch so you can light the faces properly and without reflection on the glass. Just go to a jeweler and have them remove the crystals. In the final photo no one will know. If you do this you're halfway home! I've always worked without a flash. Sure it takes longer in the exposure department but it saves a lot of time and effort having pieces removed from the watch. Another part about it is that this habit will prove useful when shooting glass ware. Maybe later I'll do up a quick watch shot if my brother still has the watch I am thinking of. I do have examples of some non watch shots taken and properly visible through transparent material without a flash for anyone who wants to see them, one of them was taken with my portrait lens. __________________ Can't understand Deviant Art? Click banner for PL main site click here for my PL Gallery I shoot Film, Expect Grain and don't bother bringing it up. Last edited by Battou; 02-17-2010 at 10:14 AM.

02-25-2010, 11:51 AM	#13
Professional TPF Noob! Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Ajman - UAE Posts: 12 My Photos Are OK to Edit Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts My Gallery: (0)	Do simple watch shooting, i did many watches shots in the studio using one or 2 lights and i am happy with some results, just i am not into product photography yet, but i am planning to do it ASAP. one of my crap simple shot of the watch Watch on blue

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