And here is my beloved watch collection :)

goodguy · Mar 11, 2013

Hope you will enjoy this, my watches, my passion.
Saw a post with someones watches so it was a great idea just take photos of my own watch collection.
Weather too back in Toronto to go out so I am stuck at home playing with my camera.

1.Cartier Roadster Chronograph

2.Omega Planet Ocean Chronograph

3.Ulysse Nardin Marine Diver

4.Omega Seamaster

5.Panerai 104

My favorite shot is the last one and I think the forth one is over exposed with the back not focued (should have used a bigger F number).

TATTRAT · Mar 11, 2013

Why the time/date stamp on the images? Makes them instantly snapshotish to me, imo.

Kudos on some fair chronographs, I am a HUGE watch wore, they are the only man jewelry I am into.

As I am on my tablet, its tough to really critique, but I think the staging and lighting could be better. Of all, I prefer 3, though a little dim, but the detail is nice and the backdrop is nicely dark and almost wrinkle free...the cropped time stamp bugs me , as does the center of frame shot...imo, would be better of to the side with the watch face angled in the direction of the crop.

Thanks for the inspiration though, home on medical leave and never thought to shoot my watches. I think I have a project now!

goodguy · Mar 12, 2013

TATTRAT said:
Why the time/date stamp on the images? Makes them instantly snapshotish to me, imo.

Kudos on some fair chronographs, I am a HUGE watch wore, they are the only man jewelry I am into.

As I am on my tablet, its tough to really critique, but I think the staging and lighting could be better. Of all, I prefer 3, though a little dim, but the detail is nice and the backdrop is nicely dark and almost wrinkle free...the cropped time stamp bugs me , as does the center of frame shot...imo, would be better of to the side with the watch face angled in the direction of the crop.

Thanks for the inspiration though, home on medical leave and never thought to shoot my watches. I think I have a project now!

My D7000 is on mediacal leave too at the Nikon service spa so I am using my wifes camera.
I like to have time stamp when my wife takes pics because that gives us date which helps to use as reference to our trips.
Most of photography done by me but I will keep one or two of my wifes as I said for time reference.
Why didnt I just disabled this function for these shots ?
Because I am lazy of course LOL

Thank you for the feedback on the pictures, my improvment curve is slow but steady, my main problem is finding the right way to make the light look interesting, still didnt get the right receipy.

I would love to see your watch collection.

KenC · Mar 12, 2013

Nice watches and settings, but you need more diffuse light. There are a lot of distracting reflections in these, a little less in the last shot, which is nicely done except that the buckle is cut off and the other end of the band is right up against the edge.

techniker · Mar 12, 2013

I like watches 2 and 3, really old school.

goodguy · Mar 12, 2013

KenC said:
Nice watches and settings, but you need more diffuse light. There are a lot of distracting reflections in these, a little less in the last shot, which is nicely done except that the buckle is cut off and the other end of the band is right up against the edge.

I know I know, I still cant find the right receipy of how to make the lighting look good in my photos

techniker said:
I like watches 2 and 3, really old school.

Thanks

CaptainNapalm · Mar 12, 2013

Cool. Omega is my favourite.

It looks like you used flash in all of these. All you need to do is not use flash and adjust your shutter speed accordingly to compensate for the lack of flash. Also, if you don't want strong reflections, keep your watches further away from the light source.

ronlane · Mar 12, 2013

CaptainNapalm said:
Cool. Omega is my favourite.

It looks like you used flash in all of these. All you need to do is not use flash and adjust your shutter speed accordingly to compensate for the lack of flash. Also, if you don't want strong reflections, keep your watches further away from the light source.

See post #3, where these were taken with a P&S.

Overread · Mar 12, 2013

Have a look at this video for some ideas, I'd also suggest looking at his other videos as well as he has a variety of lighting methods for various products and subjects.

goodguy · Mar 12, 2013

CaptainNapalm said:
Cool. Omega is my favourite.

It looks like you used flash in all of these. All you need to do is not use flash and adjust your shutter speed accordingly to compensate for the lack of flash. Also, if you don't want strong reflections, keep your watches further away from the light source.

Looks like my way of lighting the watches really fooled few here.
I didnt use flash at all, I used a lamp pointing directly to the watches and had my son put a white paper in front of the lamp so to try and not have harsh light but it looks like it didnt really work

Keeping the watch further from the light is a good advice I will take for my next shots, thanks.

ronlane said:
CaptainNapalm said:

Cool. Omega is my favourite.

It looks like you used flash in all of these. All you need to do is not use flash and adjust your shutter speed accordingly to compensate for the lack of flash. Also, if you don't want strong reflections, keep your watches further away from the light source.

Click to expand...

See post #3, where these were taken with a P&S.

Well my P&S is really like a little DSLR, the Canon G15 has all the function of a DSLR but in a small package, smaller sensor and fixed lens.
I always shoot in manual mode on my D7000 and G15.
In the past I used to shoot only in shtter speed mode and today I have no idea how I got away with it, now its full control over my cameras! and I love it

CaptainNapalm · Mar 12, 2013

How's your d7000 anyway? Did they figure out what was causing the blurry pictures?

goodguy · Mar 12, 2013

CaptainNapalm said:
How's your d7000 anyway? Did they figure out what was causing the blurry pictures?

Its currently at Nikons service spa getting some R&R, I really hope I will get it in good working condition, to celebrate its return (hopefully soon) I bought a new lens a Nikon 24-85 VR so I am even more eager to get it now because I have a new lens to play with.

I MISS MY BABY