Hello,

I have this quick question: some people use light boxes (fluorescent light below translucent, mostly acrylic, surface) for macro/product photography to isolate the background.
Where can I find those? Can I use one of those slide viewing systems?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/...G/Porta_Trace_Gagne_1618_4C_16_x_18_Light.html

Thanks,
Simone

It's a light cube, translucent, lit from outside.

I am shooting still objects, latest was jewellery, but yes I know it's the worst stuff ever ;-). It's a general product shoot station.

light is not enough, because those 28W bulbs I have are for a smaller light cube. Light doesn't look even.

Hello,

what lighting do you use for a 28x28x28in. light box?
I have fluorescent daylight bulbs, but they aren't strong enough. How are you doing this?

Simone

Ha Great!

Everything was on by default, only the menu bar is gone.
I still, as usual, can't get 123RF to work. haha. It's always the same. Tried deleting all history/cookies, restarting and so on. But I have almost nothing there, so whatever.

Thanks for this great post!!!!

Simone

Has anyone tested FF4 and picNiche?
It installs fine, but I can't find the options anymore, hence cannot add my accounts.

Thanks!

Awesome, they even imprint your logo!! Love it, thank you so much.
I hope they ship to Canada.

Hey Claude,

yay, Montreal! Are you from MTL too, did you change your username?
great idea!!! I had a look on their webpage right now. I don't even know how to call it... Passe-partout in French is like Mattes in English. How would you call something like this? Isn't that something every photographer uses for their clients?

Simone

Hi,

I don't know where to post this...

I am looking for presentation folders for prints pro photographers use when they sell prints to clients, just like a passe-partout kind of folder with maybe pocket space for 2-4 prints or so. I used to get these when photographers did photos for me.

Where can I buy such folders? I can't find them anywhere, but I am not anglophone, and so I don't know the exact term.

Thanks!
Simone

Hi,

I got myself a cheap photo printer (just for samples, proofs, etc, the rest I print in a lab). Nevertheless I'd like it looks somewhat color corrected, now the contrast is pretty bad, the blacks are quite gray.
So I am wondering....do you know one of these services in Canada that you can send a printed test page too and they send you back a profile? How much does that cost approximately? It has a scanner too, maybe there is a combo ;-).

Thanks,
Simone

Hi,

sorry, this is not a microstock topic...but...

I am in an urgent situation. At a conference I am supposed to shoot a portrait of around 100 people. It was supposed to happen indoors but now they insist on having it outdoors, and in a way it is unfortunately somehow against the sun. It is cloudy and probably gonna stay cloudy, so...ok.

I would like to know how to fill in the shadows.

I have three portable flashes (2 nikon SB-900, one SB-800) with three 60in umbrellas. I hope the wind won't kill them, i wasn't planning for outdoors.

What settings do I use? camera and flashes?

I am posing the people in 4 rows and shooting from slightly above.

thanks.
simone

I am a professional. Not for long, hence the wish to exchange a bit.
I would mainly like to exchange on the business aspect and stuff like studio lighting or so.... mostly amateurs don't have sofboxes and the like, even if they are often very good (no doubt).
yeah, and crappy snapshots with compliments afterwards...hahahah. i wouldn't want that either.

Hey guys,

on which other forums are you concerning pro photography?
I mean where professional things are discussed, like here, but not only for stock?
(sorry...this is of course the best forum but i'd like to know more about the general photography forum sites).
I'd like to chose one good one instead of following up on 20. And in a way I'd like it to be professional, not too many amateur questions.

Simone

Hey,

is anyone submitting to Lonely Planet Images? Ok I know it's not microstock...
Is it worth, hard to get accepted?

Simone

Hello,

my brother found this camera deal. It seems totally cheap, what do you guys think of it?
Anyone knows this company?
I guess the 28-300 are the 18-200 adjusted to full-frame.
If cameras are really that cheap in the US, I leave Canada . (joking ---- NEVER )

http://skypointdigital.com/skypoint/product_info.php?products_id=320501

Simone

wow that link looks fantastic, thank you guys!!! now i gotta find out how it works for getting the stuff to canada.

Hello,

I need to buy a backdrop support. I am on a budget, but still I am drawn to something that can be extended in a way. I've seen these Manfrotto systems that you can configure the way you want. Is it worth the price?

Is this one one that you can extend?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/648381-REG/Manfrotto_1314B.html#features

There is also
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/31774-REG/Lowel_SP_93.html

But it seems Manfrotto is easier to find if you want to extend it.
I'd like two or three bars for different backgrounds. I don't need to buy them all now but I want it is possible in the future at least.

Being on a budget, how can I get cheap backgrounds? I am always reading about these white roles from Home Deopt, what is it exactly?
And for a formal portrait background, something dark......can't I just use some fabric?? Just to start off - later I can buy something serious? Why are these things so expensive?!

Thanks,
Simone

I use Lightroom - which makes the difference between RAW and JPG processing really really marginal. Setting levels, contrast, vibrance, etc. is a matter of very short time, and you would do it for JPGs too I guess, so in practice the time remains almost the same. I would never go back to JPG, already for the loss in dynamic range.

Quote from: OM on August 14, 2010, 00:58


Depending on many factors, I would investigate the possibility of renting a (local) studio with an egg-shaped cove; the type used for car shots. With spotlights directed at the walls ceiling and floor, reflections/highlights can be controlled perfectly. Not a cheap option though.

no...i can't, they have all their stuff there. i will just do a standard white backdrop thing i guess.
but that egg-shaped idea is really good for other things. product shoots in small format also i guess.

Quote from: kimba on August 13, 2010, 00:27
Beautiful photos - can I ask what lighting you ended up using for them?

well....white cardboard as background...
small speedlight for blowing out this white background (from left, didn't work out well )
main light: bigger speedlight with umbrella from rear right.
reflector gold (i liked the warm tone) from front left (opposite of main light), almost from 90 degrees at the left side.

Quote from: gostwyck on August 12, 2010, 21:57

How do you get a fat girl into bed? Piece of cake.

HAHAAHHA. sorry. maybe i shouldn't laugh but it is funny.

that is why i am not fat. i wasn't even intrigued by those cakes....... everyone i showed the pics to would say... "OMG now i am hungry". Means I can be a food photographer without problems. Maybe that is why I am thin like bones .


thanks for the compliments!!! Nice to hear that from people like you. Well I've stepped up in level and have my photography service now, so I guess I'm kinda better. Thanks!!!

just one little question: would you rather send a plain cake without decoration or a decorated cake for iStock application?

Thanks! Simone

Hello,

thanks so much for your answer.
it had to be fast, and the client wanted white background...for a catalogue.
so this is the result, for a first time i guess it's ok and some of them really do work for stock i think. (have to remove logos and stuff)
http://eyecatchlight.zenfolio.com/p947849365

Simone

So for an iStock application would it be more suitable to have a cake isolated or with decoration?

http://eyecatchlight.zenfolio.com/p947849365/h15f48cb3#h15f48cb3

OR

http://eyecatchlight.zenfolio.com/p947849365/h690cd83#h690cd83

Thanks!

2nd question: later i would like to use some of the shots for stock. how do i formulate that in the contract? I grant Royalty-Free rights to the client?

Thanks!
Simone

Hi,

I have to do a cake photography job. Thing is I gotta do it tomorrow night (Wednesday), so I am looking for a simple lighting solution.

What about using a light tent/box?

Equipment:
- SB-900 flash
- 46" umbrella (reflector or shot-through)
- gold/white reflector
- light tent/box
- two light floods (something like this: http://www.opusprophoto.com/products/lighting_kits/hot_light_kits.html)
- cardboard various colours for backdrop

I can rent another flash and a softbox if needed.

The cakes are not high as far as I know. I guess I'd make a seamless backdrop on a table and against the wall. Color to decide. I would shoot from a relatively low viewpoint with a DOF so that it is nice and blurry but still visible what the cake looks like. What do you think? If the customer wants that I could also cut out a piece and bring it into the composition but I guess all the cutting would create ugly things.

I am just not sure about the lighting. Please help. :-)



Simone

Quote from: click_click on August 10, 2010, 13:50
Sounds like there are a lot of fires to be put out.  

Pro photographers have spread sheets of of monthly costs, expenses, number of jobs and how much those pay in order to keep track of what their work is worth. If you don't know what your work is worth, it's getting complicated.

Guess what, I am at the beginning with commercial photography.... I have a set of rates for other situations - portraits, events, weddings. But this is the first shoot of such a type, and of course it is hard to find a rate.

Quote from: click_click on August 10, 2010, 13:50

Such a job would hardly be handled on an hourly basis. More of a day rate or even (if you have experience in this) a flat fee for the whole project.

ok...no hourly basis then....

Quote from: click_click on August 10, 2010, 13:50

Next thing is the lighting/reflections. It will help you to actually have a look at the pieces you are supposed to photograph. It could be brushed metal which would be a little easier to handle than polished chrome surfaces.

In any case, the internet is loaded with tons of tutorials, youtube videos and other tips how to take picture of highly reflective objects. It can get quite complicated with those things.

I guess I am more comfortable for the technical aspect. I am confident to handle it, but I'll read up a lot I guess. It is brushed I think, luckily I think not polished metal.

Quote from: click_click on August 10, 2010, 13:50

This would also be something to consider when calculating your day rate (or final cost). Shoots of this caliber require proper preparation. Lots of exchange with the client to achieve their vision and knowing what your part will be to get there.

It's nearly impossible to throw a number at you what you should be charging. Some photographers are happy with $200 in their pocket at the end of the day, others won't even pack their camera bag for the job if they don't get at least $6000 a day (plus equipment rentals, props, MUAs, models etc.).

I am meeting the client later this week and I will get a better idea. However, I think at that meeting they expect at least an estimate of a number I can throw at them, and I am just lost.
I will not do this job for 200$. Not for 6000$ either of course. But I am wondering what would be a reasonable amount for a day or half-day rate (depending on how much I will have to shoot)?
Sorry, I am just kinda new to commercial product photogaphy.

Thanks,
Simone

Quote from: click_click on August 10, 2010, 13:50

Looks like a god opportunity to jump into the water with this one and see how it pans out. Good luck!

yes indeed. i will not turn it down.
last time they called me to photograph at the Black Eyed Peas concert in our big concert hall, huge event, I was hired by Blackberry. wouhou. You just need to go and do it.