An Orange Gerber In My New Light Tent

Michael L. · Nov 24, 2007

I'm debating if I should take the little cup out of the picture in photoshop. I want to, but my mom doesn't think so. What do you think?

Taken with a Canon Rebel XT, 1.6 seconds, 50mm. lens, f/5.6, ISO 100, in my new homemade light tent.

Joey28 · Nov 24, 2007

It dosen't have much color and the focal point is dead center in the middle. Perhaps you could add some blue into the cup to compliment the orange. And crop a little of the negative space there is too much.

I'm good in art but just learning photography so you might want to wait until somone experienced can help you but thats just what I would do...

Joxby · Nov 24, 2007

I clicked on this just to find out what a gerber was, I was thinking something small and furry :lol:

.
The background isn't white, if your happy with the space either side of the flower I think it needs a little more space top and bottom to even things up.
Or crop, I kinda feel like pulling away from it a bit though, smaller in a big white space and using that glass.
The glass is kinda halfway, either make it part of the subject or lose it alltogether.
The flower head is nicely lit, maybe its missing a few petals, I think this is a little too damaged, it doesn't have to be perfect though.
Dead center is fine with me, its actually a little to the left.
Attention to detail is the name of the game in a frame where only the flower head exists.
Luv the concept of that orange on flat white...

Michael L. · Nov 24, 2007

How about this. It's a different flower, and I tried to get a little bit of a different effect. I might PS the shadow on the right out when I get to my other computer.

Dynamic · Nov 24, 2007

Its not bad but do you really need that cup in there ? How about finding something a bit more 'flower like' as this cup reminds me of ... beer :lol:

Can you leave the stem on the flower and photograph it with the stem and no cup ? Anyways, I like your idea of a 'home made light tent'. I think you've got something good happening, just keep experimenting and keep posting !

petey · Nov 24, 2007

what did you make your light tent out of, if you don't mind me asking?

Michael L. · Nov 24, 2007

A cardboard wine crate, some white fabric, and white posterboard. I can post a DIY thread later on.

petey · Nov 25, 2007

cool. i was just curious. it does a great job.

The Phototron · Nov 25, 2007

There's color cast on the white background from the flower. Fix it on photoshop.

Michael L. · Nov 25, 2007

Okay, so I'm going to fix the crop, the colour cast, and the cup as soon as I can. I used the cup intentionally, hoping I could PS it out. I figured it would be very easy to do after seeing the effects in photo one. Thanks for the comments.

Coldow91 · Nov 25, 2007

Michael L. said:
A cardboard wine crate, some white fabric, and white posterboard. I can post a DIY thread later on.

That'd be very helpful

Joxby · Nov 25, 2007

*sigh*

The idea is when using a light tent, or anything really background or otherwise, is to shoot the thing for real, as if what comes out of the camera is the finished article.
Bugger the glass for the time being, dont photoshop nothin, shoot the damn flower with a white background and no shadow using the light/reflectors/light tent you have.
This is what its all about, nobody said it was easy, I cant tell you how much more you'll learn by doing it properly.
Now I see your 2nd attempt, I think you allready upped the brightness in the first one, and it didn't work did it, the result will be the same with the 2nd one because you simply dont have enough light in the background.
Equipment can be a limiting factor, but photoshop puts the brakes on any kind of photographic learning process.
You will need to do some minor adjustments in an edit program, IMO photoshop is by far the biggest barrier to photo competancy you will ever have to deal with.
and it makes my arse itch....soooo bad..

The Phototron · Nov 25, 2007

Joxby said:
*sigh*

The idea is when using a light tent, or anything really background or otherwise, is to shoot the thing for real, as if what comes out of the camera is the finished article.
Bugger the glass for the time being, dont photoshop nothin, shoot the damn flower with a white background and no shadow using the light/reflectors/light tent you have.
This is what its all about, nobody said it was easy, I cant tell you how much more you'll learn by doing it properly.
Now I see your 2nd attempt, I think you allready upped the brightness in the first one, and it didn't work did it, the result will be the same with the 2nd one because you simply dont have enough light in the background.
Equipment can be a limiting factor, but photoshop puts the brakes on any kind of photographic learning process.
You will need to do some minor adjustments in an edit program, IMO photoshop is by far the biggest barrier to photo competancy you will ever have to deal with.
and it makes my arse itch....soooo bad..

Not even when shooting round metal?

Joxby · Nov 25, 2007

what like.....ball bearing, spoons ?
There are degrees of difficulty, a flower head on white, in the big scheme of things is a basic skill that will never be learnt if....well, you know what if.
Commercially, photoshop is why peeps are still in business, the emphasis is on making money, in that respect, its worth every single penny.
But we're not talking shooting for money, we're talking improve my photography, in that respect it is no help, its a temptation to wimp out on a challenge, and learn something that will help you in countless other photo tasks.
I never heard anyone learn anything about lighting still life or anything else by using photoshop.
I would certainly try to shoot a big ass ball bearing till my brain bled.....then use photoshop....or give up:meh:.

Some peeps cant be arsed, they just wanna move pixels about, I dont have a problem with that, if thats the focus, then I got this forum all wrong.

Michael L. · Nov 25, 2007

I didn't up the brightness on the first photo. I don't even own photoshop... it's my sister's on her computer. And who are you to tell me that using photoshop makes photography too easy? Photoshop is part of digital photography, whether you want to accept it or not. That's like telling a film photographer that using specialized darkroom tools is cheating.

Do you ever shoot in RAW? Have you ever had a once in a lifetime shot, then realized it was underexposed on the camera's LCD? No? I guess you don't need photoshop then. I commend you for that, but I'm not perfect, just like 99% of the other photographers on this site (not that I'm even close to as talented as them).

And quite honestly fixing what I wanted to fix shouldn't be that big of a deal. Cropping? Everyone crops. Don't even get me started. Colour cast? That's as simple as adjusting the WB, which is nothing special. Removing the cup? I took the photo with the intention of removing it. There's two ways I could have done it: Suspended the flowing using fishing line or something like that, or put it in a cup that would be easy to PS out.

Digital processing is part of digital photography. Get used to it. I by all means don't support photochopping, but if people were as close-minded as you, we wouldn't have HDR, interesting and unique advertising (see that Blak Coke ad in the commercial forum, or any other interesting digital wonders.