TableTop Studio Blog

Setting Manual Exposure - How To video

2011-08-02T10:55:00.000-07:00

I often advise folks to use Manual Exposure if their camera has that feature. Manual Exposure gives you the most control over the exposure (lightness or darkness of your images). At first it seems intimidating, but it is actually easy to learn and after you have used it a few times, you probably won't want to go back to using any of the automatic exposure modes like Aperture Priority.

We created a short video tutorial to show how to set the exposure manually on a digital SLR camera. In this case we used a Canon Digital Rebel T1i, but the procedure is very similar for most other digital SLR cameras. The only difference is that the dials and buttons might be located in different locations. Below is the YouTube version of the video. It's not the most professional video on the web, (we are product photographers; not videographers) but hopefully you will find it helpful. Your feedback is welcomed:

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Photofly 2.0

2011-07-14T12:18:00.000-07:00

Just read in the NY Times about Autodesk Photofly 2.0. It looks like our 3D Spinning Photgraphy Kit with the EZSpin Turntable will be perfect for capturing images to use with Photofly. I will give it a try and post the results soon.

There are lots of reasons why it's important to use a tripod

2010-02-19T09:42:00.000-08:00

As you read through the How To Guides on our sites you will notice that we continually stress the importance of using a tripod for product photography. The number one reason to use a tripod is that it will help you get sharper images. It doesn't do you any good to have the camera's lens focused correctly, if the camera is moving when you press the shutter. Even the slightest amount of camera movement will make for a blurry image. Therefore it is critical that you have your camera mounted on a sturdy tripod when taking product shots. (A tiny tabletop tripod or a cheap department-store tripod might be slightly better than no tripod; but they are not likely to give you a really sharp image. It is important that your tripod is sturdy).

There are also other benefits to using a tripod that go beyond just helping to get a sharper image.

- Using a tripod forces you to slow down a bit and spend a little more time composing your image. It is amazing how simply placing the camera on a tripod will cause you to evaluate the scene more closely than if you were just pointing and shooting. When the camera is on a tripod you are likely to give more thought to the angle of the camera, the angle of the subject, what the background looks like, and so forth. All of those elements will contribute to a better final image.

- Using a tripod gives you the opportunity to take several shots from the exact same location. This can be especially useful if you will later use image editing software to composite (combine) several shots. When there is a wide range of tones from light to dark in a scene it can be very useful to shoot the subject twice using different exposures. You can then composite the light areas of one shot with the darker areas of another shot of the same subject. If the camera has not moved between shots, the task is much easier. Compositing images from handheld shots are much more difficult.

- There are still more reasons to use a tripod, it makes it easier to use a remote shutter release, allows you to change the position of the subject without moving the camera, it allows you to shoot subsequent shots of different subjects from an identical camera angle, and so forth. So for whatever reason you decide is important, there are lots of benefits to taking product shots with a good sturdy tripod. The only real downside is that you need to acquire a good tripod and you need to expend just a little more effort to actually use it. But once you have it and see the improvements in your images, you will find the effort well worth while.

Photographing Gift Baskets

2009-04-21T10:46:00.000-07:00

We recently had a question about photographing gift baskets. Of course an EZcube light tentworks great for shooting gift baskets. And keep in mind that baskets are fairly large so you will probably need a larger size EZcube to allow you some flexibility with your shooting angles.

But here's the real tip. When taking a photo of a gift basket, shoot it without a cellophane wrapping. The cellophane might be critical for shipping and it probably gives your basket a nice finished look. However, cellophane wrapping is very difficult to shoot. Because cellophane is so reflective and sections of it are positioned at alls sorts of crazy angles, it is nearly impossible to avoid unwanted glare when shooting a subject covered in cellophane. And loose cellophane creates even more of a glare problem. So do yourself a favor and shoot your pictures of gift baskets before you cover them with cellophane.

To convince yourself that even professional photographers remove the cellophane before taking a photograph of a gift basket, visit a site like Harry and David. You'll see they have removed the cellophane for their photos.

Is an inexpensive lens OK for jewelry photography?

2009-01-28T14:49:00.000-08:00

We frequently receive questions like this one from Gary M.:

"I just purchased a Canon Rebel XS with EF-S, 18-55mm lens. I will need some of your items such as the EZCube and other products. First I need to know if this lens is sufficient for jewelry photography."

This question comes up a lot because the entry level digital SLR cameras like the Canon Rebel, Nikon D40, D40x and D60 series are often bundled with inexpensive lenses. These are really nice cameras which are now selling for very affordable prices, including a basic lens.

Quality wise, the inexpensive bundled lenses should be OK, especially if your are shooting images that will end up on a web page. The main issue with lenses for shooting images close up is the minimum focusing distance. As long as the lens can focus on a subject which is about a foot away from the front of the camera, it should be fine. (It needs to be able to focus that close when it is zoomed out to 55mm, not when it's in wide angle mode.)

If you aren't on a tight budget, then a 60, 100, or 105 mm macro lens can deliver better images. But considering that a good macro lens often costs $500 or more, many of you will want to stick with the lenses already bubdled with the camera.

... More on long necklaces

2008-09-11T16:08:00.000-07:00

Using a mannequin to show scale for long necklaces works really well. I shot several more necklaces today using this method. One thing that I noticed today is that I liked the necklace best on very simple clothing.

For consistency, if I had a jewelry website, I would try to shoot all of my pieces against similar clothing. If I chose white, I would purchase a few similar white tops, and alternate styles in between shots. Keeping the same color ties it all together.

Dressing the mannequin is getting much faster and easier. In these two shots I was happy I had purchased a long curly wig so that I could use the hair to cover the seams where the arms join the torso.

Tomorrow I will work on the close-up shots of the same items. If they were for sale, I would want buyers to see the mannequin shot for scale, but then a close-up shot to show the necklace detail. They are both quite elaborate in design, and have beautiful stones that will look great in a macro shot.

Solution to photographing long necklaces?

2008-08-26T18:24:00.000-07:00

In our last jewelry photography workshop we had a number of people frustrated with shooting extra long necklaces;wishing to have a way to show a sense of scale. I promised to get to work after the workshop trying out a few ideas I had, to see if they worked.

I purchased a life sized 5'9" female mannequin & wig, dressed her in my own clothing, and photographed her using two of our largest Kuhl Lite 120R softboxes, measuring 20" x 30". The photo I took today is shown here. Do you think she looks real? To suspend the belief this is a real model, I cropped her just below the chin. Her face does not look real, and is not needed for the necklace scale. I think this works really well for showing a sense of scale. If you used an image like this, you would still want a nice closeup to go along with it of course.

The upside is that a mannequin stands stone still, is always on time and allows even an amateur to get good results.

The down side is a mannequin doesn't dress itself and a quality mannequin and wig will set you back a few hundred dollars. Still, this is less expensive than a live model, who would need to be scheduled and paid every time you recieved new merchandise.

What is the best image editing software?

2008-08-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

We recently received an email asking about software.

"I am currently using Picasa to edit my photos, but I am wondering if there is a particular software you recommend using?"

Here is my reply:

Picasa may be fine, I am not familiar with its features. Since I believe it is free, so I'm assuming you are looking for an inexpensive program. There are many good image editing programs on the market but we normally recommend Adobe Photoshop Elements. It is very powerful, fairly easy to use, and costs less than $80 (sometimes less than $60 with a rebate). Photoshop Elements has nice editing features, a very useful cataloging feature, and there are often local adult education or community college classes available to help you learn it. It shares many of the features of its more more powerful(and much more expensive) sibling Adobe Photoshop. So if you later outgrow Photoshop Elements, stepping up to Photoshop should be a smooth process.

The bottom line is if you already have a program that you like, and more importantly that you already know how to use, then you might want to stick with it. But if you are looking for a new image editing program, you should consider Photoshop Elements.

Jewelry Photography Workshop with Brooks

2008-08-06T07:57:00.000-07:00

The last Jewelry Photography workshop at Brooks Photography Institute was a big success. We are always thrilled to hear feedback from workshop attendees; and find some of our own TableTopStudio customers were there! This workshop group had some questions about ways to photograph long necklaces.

We will be exploring a few ideas this month, to see which one works best. One idea is to use a mannequin designed for clothing. This larger size form may work better than the small jewelry busts designed for store display use. The small busts are odd looking on the web because of their headless shape, and do not look natural. This detracts from the actual necklace on display.

The challenge is to find a way to achieve a more natural "drape" of the longer necklaces and show a btter sense of scale. Keep in mind you will always still need a close up photo to show more detail. We'll search for a better way to shoot your necklaces and let you know here. A special thank you from Tabletop Studio to Connie Myers {a student at Brooks Photography Institute} for providing the above photo.

Brooks Photography Institute Workshops

2008-02-27T13:13:00.001-08:00

We recently completed our fourth jewelry photography workshop with Brooks Institute. The workshop is a hands on experience working with relatively inexpensive lighting equipment combined with fantastic Brooks instruction. The last several workshops have sold out, due to the increasing popularity and class size restrictions.

For more information about the next workshop coming up in July please visit Brooks Institute of Photography workshop website for the full calendar and registration information.

Our customer is a finalist in a huge competition

2007-06-21T11:20:00.000-07:00

We have just heard the great news that one of our recent EZcube customers has been nominated in a huge online contest being run by Yahoo. The site, Made In Heaven By Missy was selected from a pool of 9,000 small businesses and it's down to just five finalists. Three of the final five will win $25,000 in marketing funds and a $10,000 site makeover. This is really exciting for us since the great pictures on this site were shot by photographer Mark Combs using EZcube light tents and our custom backgrounds.

The winners are decided by the public in an American Idol format. You can get more info and vote here. The contest ends on June 24th so it's important to get your vote in right away!

Folding an EZcube light tent video now on YouTube

2007-02-15T22:23:00.000-08:00

We have just uploaded a video demonstrating how easy it is to open and fold an EZcube light tent. The quality of YouTube video isn't the highest, but the video should be clear enough for you to follow.

2007-02-13T10:42:00.000-08:00

Do you need both a small EZcube and a large EZcube light tent?

Judy M recently wrote. Most of the pottery items I plan to photograph will be from 8” to 12" in diameter or height. I ordered the 30" EZcube kit because I make a few items in the 16 - 24" height/diameter range. I assume the 30" EZcube would work just as well for the smaller items as for the larger items? (I know a 12" cube comes with the kit, but for things that are less than 12” will I need to use the smaller EZcube? Will the 30’’EZcube work just as well for smaller items as for the larger items?

Our reply:

8-12’’ subjects will work fine in a 30’’ EZcube. For really small items like thimbles, rings, glass animals, beads, etc., I recommend using the 12’’ EZcube though. (That’s one reason why we include both sizes in the kit.) The 12” EZcube is easier to work with, and takes up a lot less space. The smaller EZcube will also give you a bit more control over highlights when shooting small shiny subjects.

So the bottom line is that if you are trying to decide between a larger or a smaller EZcube light tent. You can always put a smaller item in a large tent, but you can’t fit a large item in a light tent that’s too small.

What's best white acrylic or clear acrylic?

2007-02-09T10:45:00.000-08:00

Warren recently asked: "Is white acrylic preferable over clear acrylic for use as a jewelry background?"

My response : You can create a beautiful, yet subtle, reflection of a subject in your product photos by laying the subject - be it jewelry, metal parts, perfume bottles or whatever - on a piece of reflective acrylic or Plexiglas. [Plexiglas is a brand of acrylic].

The reflective effect can be acheived by using clear acrylic or glass. However, a clear reflective surface may cause a double reflection since the subject will reflect off both the top and the bottom surfaces. Using white acrylic rather than clear acrylic or glass, avoids the double reflection, because the camera will only pick up the reflection from the top surface.

By the way, we call this the "Tiffany Effect" because it is an effect you will often see on the Tiffany web store and in Tiffany ads. (For examples look here and here.) The effect can also be created in Photoshop, but we find it's easier to do it photographically. And if you are wondering how to suspend ear rings, pendants, or any subjects, like it was done in these shots, then take a look here.

How to pronounce Swarovski

2006-10-10T13:27:00.000-07:00

This might seem like a strange post in a product photography blog. However, we hear from quite a few folks interested in bead phtography and have noticed that many of them seem to struggle when pronouncing the name "Swarovski". Swarovski makes a popular brand of "crystal" (cut glass) beads and other beautiful objects. The difficulty in pronouncing the name may come from the fact that in many Eastern European languages the "W" is pronounced like a "V" in English. However in English, a "W" is pronounced as a "W", so the English pronunciation of Swarovski is actually very easy. The best advise we have seen is to simply say, "swore-off-ski".

We can help you with the pronunciation of Swarovski, now you will need to get the spelling correct. Among the many variations of incorrect spellings we have seen are: Swarovksi, Sawrovski, Sarovski, Sswarovsky, Svarovski, Svarovsky, Swarski .

While we are on the subject. Swarovski also makes high quality optical instruments .

White Balance Settings for Fluorescent Lights

2006-10-02T19:11:00.000-07:00

Suzanne B. recently purchased one of our light sets with daylight balanced bulbs. She asked if she should set her digital camera's white balance setting to the fluorescent setting.

Although it seems logical that fluorescent bulbs would require a digital camera's white balance to be set to the fluorescent setting, that is not the best setting for daylight balanced fluorescent bulbs. The fluorescent setting on digital cameras is normally meant to be used with the type of fluorescent bulbs found in offices and commercial buildings. Those bulbs typically have a slightly yellowish or greenish color cast. The daylight balanced bulbs which we sell (and which are typically found at photography stores) are daylight balanced bulbs. Daylight bulbs normally don't require color correction.

The standard white balance setting for daylight balanced fluorescent bulbs is Auto White Balance (typically marked as AWB). Should you find that you are getting a color cast with AWB, then you could try the Daylight setting.

If your camera has it, then Custom White Balance, is the best setting to use. The procedure for using Custom White Blanace varies depending on the specific model of camera, but it normally entails shooting a test picture with a gray or white background, then "telling" the camera to use that picture as its basis for color correction. Custom white balance takes a minute or so to set up. But it should deliver the truest colors.

And don't forget that if you set your camera to custome white balance for product phtography, be sure to return the camera to Auto White Balance for other uses, like family snapshots.

Photokina

2006-10-01T20:33:00.000-07:00

We just returned from Photokina, the huge photography show held in Cologne, Germany every two years. The show can be overwhelming - 1,600 vendors and over 150,000 attendees.

We didn't see any real breakthrough products for product photography, although the trend to daylight balanced fluorescent lights is picking up momentum.

The most impressive technology was Fujifilm's new "Face Detection" system. The system, is supposed to allow future versions of Fuji digital cameras to automatically recognize any faces in a scene and then set the camera exposure and focus based on the position of the faces. If it works as billed, it should prevent a lot of snapshots with underexposed and out of focus people in the photo. We don't see any immediate application to product photography, but hope that it is an indication of camera maker's desire to move beyond simply adding more megapixels or more "scene" modes and instead adding truly useful features. Fuji expects to have cameras with the new technology shipping by November.

Another potentially positive development was Samsung's introduction of digital SLR cameras with built-in image stabilization. Samsung calls it OPS (optical picture stabilization) and describes it as "Shake reduction with image-sensor shift mechanism". What that means in plain English is smply that the camera's image sensor can move in order to compensate for camera movement. That should lead to sharper images. The significance of this announcement is that by building the image stabilization into the camera image stabilization will always be available. In other systems like the Canon and Nikon systems, the stabilization is built into costly lenses. So in order to get image stabilization with thoses systems special lenses are required.

We are hoping that other camera makers also build cameras with image stabilization features. Motion blur is always a potential problem with product photography, especially for close up images common in jewelry photography. So anything to help reduce motion blur, will be welcomed.

Of course, there were the usual dog and pony shows taking place in the various booths. But one that really stood out from the others was the Swarovski binocular and spotting scope distributor that had a large number of very impressive birds of prey on hand. Even though we weren't there to look for binoculars or scopes, I couldn't help but be attracted to the big birds.

This will probably be the only picture of Stephen you will ever see on this site.