Help arrange my photo studio [Pic Inside]

GSA_Jason · Dec 13, 2012

Hello all,

I have a Canon EOS Rebel T3 12.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with 18-55mm IS II Lens and will be taking a photo of an all black, tactical shotgun.

I have 2 lights, a green screen, and a roll of white thick stock paper.

I'm a complete newbie to photography and not sure how to maximize this small space with minimal supplies to take the highest quality photos.

Where should the table go in relation to the window?

Should I cover the window to black out the room?

What are the basic no-brainer settings I need to have on my Rebel T3 for such a shot?

All suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Mully · Dec 13, 2012

Do you want us to shoot it for you also?

GSA_Jason · Dec 13, 2012

Wow, thanks for the insightful post Mully!

I had to double check to make sure I posted this in the "Photography Beginners Forum"

Mully · Dec 13, 2012

Sorry I did not wish to be mean ....but you only could shoot small products in a small space like that..... you have no room to spread your lights for people. Yes you need to block out outside window light. You need to stay flexible and be able to move things around. you will need to experiment a lot with both camera and lights. Don't expect to learn overnight, keep notes, note your mistakes and shoot to correct them. Look around here and read others questions and learn from them.... ask one question at a time so people here will feel like answering.

pixmedic · Dec 13, 2012

Mully said:
Sorry I did not wish to be mean ....but you only could shoot small products in a small space like that..... you have no room to spread your lights for people. Yes you need to block out outside window light. You need to stay flexible and be able to move things around. you will need to experiment a lot with both camera and lights. Don't expect to learn overnight, keep notes, note your mistakes and shoot to correct them. Look around here and read others questions and learn from them.... ask one question at a time so people here will feel like answering.

he didnt say anything about people. he said he needed to take a picture of a shotgun.
tack the white paper to the wall and roll it out down and over the table, assuming it is wide enough to get the whole gun on.
since you have two lights you can use a smaller aperture to get the whole gun in focus. with a white background you aren't worried about trying to get bokeh. I don't know much about product photography, but there are several people on this forum that do quite a bit of it. hopefully they will give you some more information.

GSA_Jason · Dec 13, 2012

Cool thanks. It is just one small product only. I was thinking about blacking out the window and covering that entire wall with the white stock paper, pushing the table against it, and setting up the lights on both sides. I'm also going to suspend the product in the air as well to avoid shadows as much as possible. I'm just looking for pointers to get this started. I understand there will be a lot of experimentation going on, and I plan to better my shots every time.

GSA_Jason · Dec 13, 2012

thanks pixmedic. Yes, just the shotgun alone. no people. I plan to do exactly what you say by rolling the paper over the table as well. I appreciate the feedback.