First Try and Product Shots

[KendallMartin]

Hey Guys,

I'm pretty active on Social Media so brands reach out to me to send me products that they want to get featured in my shots. I got sent a pair of rad hiking boots, that look like fashionable street shoes. I really like the brand, so I decided to send them a little extra something and take some product shots for their Social/Site. I've NEVER done this before, so take each shot with a grain of salt. I would LOVE your input. I don't plan on doing this as a career, so keep that in mind as well. I shot these at mid afternoon, so keep that in mind as well.

As always, please be constructive, not negative. I don't need you telling me something that in the end only hurts my feelings, and doesn't help me learn.

 

[Designer]

As always, please be constructive, not negative. I don't need you telling me something that in the end only hurts my feelings, and doesn't help me learn.

.

 

[The_Traveler]

I suggest you don't post images that are close duplicates.

The overhead light doesn't bring out the color in the shoes which look sort of blahhh in color and none of them is critically sharp.
For a social media shot, the objects will be too small in the frame, imo.

 

[KendallMartin]

As always, please be constructive, not negative. I don't need you telling me something that in the end only hurts my feelings, and doesn't help me learn.

.

? Im confused

 

[KendallMartin]

I suggest you don't post images that are close duplicates.

The overhead light doesn't bring out the color in the shoes which look sort of blahhh in color and none of them is critically sharp.
For a social media shot, the objects will be too small in the frame, imo.

Yeah, like I said, shot at mid afternoon, so I knew the light would be harsh. I shoot on a GH3 with Metabones adaptor to fit Nikon Lenses, so I'm manually focusing everything (bought the setup for video). So that would be why It's tough to get it sharp. I think you are assuming just Instagram when you say that it won't fit... am I right? I wasn't shooting for just Instagram. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Derrel]

I do not mind the hard light too much, but the purple color fringing on the hoghlights is something that, to me, looks very awful. It's a strange type of artifact that is caused by, at times it seems, over-exposure on brightly-lighted things. I do not think this is chromatic aberration, but rather a type of thing commonly called "sensor blooming"...or..birefringence. It is very distracting to some people. My guess is that the Panasonic camera would have shot images that did NOT have that artifact if it would have had a Panasonic-native lens on it...and that the adapter + Nikon lens is hurting image quality.

This location seems like a good setup for a shoe that has a water-proof or water-resistant sole/upper. I totally get the idea that these shoes can resist water.

 

[The_Traveler]

I'm not assuming Instagram, just that the shoes look small in the frame.
And, if you know the light sucks and the pictures look out of focus, why show them?
Show what you think is good and that way any feedback you get will be useful.

 

[KendallMartin]

I do not mind the hard light too much, but the purple color fringing on the hoghlights is something that, to me, looks very awful. It's a strange type of artifact that is caused by, at times it seems, over-exposure on brightly-lighted things. I do not think this is chromatic aberration, but rather a type of thing commonly called "sensor blooming"...or..birefringence. It is very distracting to some people. My guess is that the Panasonic camera would have shot images that did NOT have that artifact if it would have had a Panasonic-native lens on it...and that the adapter + Nikon lens is hurting image quality.

This location seems like a good setup for a shoe that has a water-proof or water-resistant sole/upper. I totally get the idea that these shoes can resist water.

That's so weird, I didn't see it until you mentioned it. It is quite ugly. I just went back into Lightroom and desaturated the purples and it disappeared. I guess my photographic eye hasn't gotten to the level where it will catch things like that yet. Thanks for pointing it out!

 

[KendallMartin]

I'm not assuming Instagram, just that the shoes look small in the frame.
And, if you know the light sucks and the pictures look out of focus, why show them?
Show what you think is good and that way any feedback you get will be useful.

I have a variety of shots shown here, with a variety of different zooms/crops so I don't know how all of these are too small in the frame. Also, I didn't say the light sucks, I just said it was harsh. I'm used to shooting a lot of run and gun, sometimes you can't control the lighting, sometimes you can. I don't feel it's appropriate for you to tell me I shouldn't be posting something because of the lighting. Especially when I don't think the lighting is as bad as you say it is.

 

[BillM]

As already mentioned, removing the purple fringe helps and you do want the product to be more prominent in the frame. I used this one as an example because the toe is in focus, all would benefit from some additional dof.

But this is just how I would have edited

 

[Designer]

As always, please be constructive, not negative. I don't need you telling me something that in the end only hurts my feelings, and doesn't help me learn.

.

? Im confused

How the heck am I supposed to know what might hurt your feelings? Either you're an adult or you're not, but you should tell us which you are.

 

[KendallMartin]

As always, please be constructive, not negative. I don't need you telling me something that in the end only hurts my feelings, and doesn't help me learn.

.

? Im confused

How the heck am I supposed to know what might hurt your feelings? Either you're an adult or you're not, but you should tell us which you are.

I clearly stated, "Constructive as opposed to being just negative" If you can't be constructive and will only leave negative comments, I don't need your comments.

 

[KendallMartin]

As already mentioned, removing the purple fringe helps and you do want the product to be more prominent in the frame. I used this one as an example because the toe is in focus, all would benefit from some additional dof.

But this is just how I would have edited

View attachment 103417

Cool! Thanks! Yeah I figured out the Purple thang. Weird that i've ever seen that before. I like the crop! The reason I left the full image was because I wanted them to be able to crop them how they saw fit when posting or using however they see fit.

 

[astroNikon]

There's small twigs (like the 3rd pic between the 2 boots) and stuff that you may want to remove before future shots.

Since you are manually focusing; use a remote and then you can hold a diffuser above to soften the light.

Also, I would try at all costs to make sure the product emblem is in focus and totally legible; see what The_Travler mentions above.

I'm a hiker, and have no clue on who makes this with that picture (without zooming in). And I have a variety of hiking boots that are thinsulate, goretex, etc. and seeing labels is very important when I'm "picture" shopping.

 

[tirediron]

...I clearly stated, "Constructive as opposed to being just negative" If you can't be constructive and will only leave negative comments, I don't need your comments.

Which reads to many people as you only want to hear compliments and or positive feedback. There is generally a lot more useful information in people telling you where you can improve than in, "Great picture" or "Like".