Camers for woodworking shop

[Al Killian]

Hello,

I own a custommillwork/cabinet shop and I am looking to get a better camerea. Curently I am using a cheap $100 digital camerea and need to get a camerea that will allow me to take quality pictures of our work. I know lighting is a big issue. That in a way has been adressed. We made a photo tenet out of white tarps with a halogen light shining into it. This seemed to help, but still not anything to show off to others. I am looking to spend around $600 total. Any hel besides the camerea on how to get better picture are welcome.

 

[Patrice]

I do woodworking for income as well. I do custom furniture and also repair and refinishing. My woodworking photo needs, for brochure and e-mail attachments, is more than adequately met with my lowly d70 and kit 18-70 lens. Off camera manual flashes of the cheap kind provide functional lighting. You don't need a very high end camera for product photos for brochures, notice board adds, newspaper adds and e-mail attachments. Adequate illumination and image framing to show the details and you're good to go.

 

[Al Killian]

Thanks, Most of my woodworking is custom/reproduction moldings along with custom kitchen cabinets and matels. I dont do furniture repairs anymore. I will get the camerea and post some pics of what we do in the shop.

 

[Propsguy]

Do you intend to shoot the products after they are installed as well?... I find it helps to see products of this sort in context to make the photos better than basic product shots.... that may be a determining factor in what camera (and, possibly, lights) to invest in.

I've buit all kinds of crazy things over the years, and I've tried to stay on top of photographing my work, but deadlines usually get in the way... For shot of this type, I find a sense of scale is quite important, and some sense of context really helps as well. I find more and more that product shots taken against white or neutral backgrounds have to be beautifully exposed and very carefully lit in order to convey the sense of emotion that is the ultimate intention of product photography.

The best product photgraphy makes you want the product, regardless of whether or not you need it...

Cheers,

Paul

 

[Al Killian]

Paul,
I dont do many installs anymore. We stay fairly busy in the shop. Most of the pics I take will be either loaded onto the website that we are having made and/or getting printed out and going into a photo abum.