Some attempted product photography and a self-portrait

[Leilameat]

Any CC?

 

[Leilameat]

Oh, my bad. A toad isn't a product. XD

 

[tirediron]

Oh, my bad. A toad isn't a product. XD

Sure it is!

 

[tirediron]

C&C per req:


1. Two words: Polarizing filter! Get one - the glare here is killing an image which otherwise has some real potential. Electronics with digital displays are tough to shoot. I prefer to do them in two shots. One exposure for the bulk of the image, and one for the display only. Combine with a layer mask.


2. The lighting is fine, 'though I'm not sure I would choose white for a tomatoe's background (Think colour wheel here). Your DoF is too shallow here; you've got one small area in sharp focus, but the rest is soft As well, don't forget to arrange the leafy, green bits so they look nice.


3. Cute; a little more DoF and a slightly lower shooting position I think.


4. Very nice! Well lit ('though some might say it's a little flat), and properly exposed. The only addition I can think of might be a hairlight to give some separation between head and background.

Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

~John

 

[Leilameat]

C&C per req:


1. Two words: Polarizing filter! Get one - the glare here is killing an image which otherwise has some real potential. Electronics with digital displays are tough to shoot. I prefer to do them in two shots. One exposure for the bulk of the image, and one for the display only. Combine with a layer mask.


2. The lighting is fine, 'though I'm not sure I would choose white for a tomatoe's background (Think colour wheel here). Your DoF is too shallow here; you've got one small area in sharp focus, but the rest is soft As well, don't forget to arrange the leafy, green bits so they look nice.


3. Cute; a little more DoF and a slightly lower shooting position I think.


4. Very nice! Well lit ('though some might say it's a little flat), and properly exposed. The only addition I can think of might be a hairlight to give some separation between head and background.

Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

~John

1. Got it. I didn't know polarizing filters could be used for this– or rather, it didn't occur to me. I'll need to get one some time.

2. Ok, thanks. Once again, arranging the green bits didn't occur to me. XD They do look a bit rattled.

3. Ok, getting more DoF means raising the aperture, right?

4. Thanks. The only lighting I had was a window to a cloudy day, and a mirror. What does "flat" mean, in this case?

 

[tirediron]

Greater DoF is acheived by either increasing the aperture (larger f#), increasing the camera to subject distance, or using a shorter focal-length lens (Wide angle lenses have greater DoF at a given aperture and camera to subject distance than a telephoto lens). "Flat" in portrait lighting means "too even", lacking shadows which give definition and shape. My take on that image is that it's well lit; but I suspect others would prefer to see some more shadow.

 

[Leilameat]

Greater DoF is acheived by either increasing the aperture (larger f#), increasing the camera to subject distance, or using a shorter focal-length lens (Wide angle lenses have greater DoF at a given aperture and camera to subject distance than a telephoto lens). "Flat" in portrait lighting means "too even", lacking shadows which give definition and shape. My take on that image is that it's well lit; but I suspect others would prefer to see some more shadow.

All of the information was understood. Thank you.

 

[KmH]

The polarizing filter will only address part of the issue.

The biggest part of the glare problem is that the camera is inside the family of angles of reflection for the location of the light. It's just like shooting pool.

All this and more is covered extensively in the inexpensive book:
Light: Science and Magic, An Introduction To Photographic Lighting by Hunter, Biver, and Faqua

 

[Leilameat]

That sounds like an interesting book. I should get it.