First Impressions Are Unaviodable to Make That Sale!

How To take Good product photos
Of course you can go to the nearest camera store and just buy a light tent set up with a lighting and all, a decent set up will cost you well north of $100, for most of us who are not gearing for the new Macy's catalog, here are some simple solutions. Enjoy!

Side note: Everyday I hear the same thing, "I need a new camera, my photos look horrible", followed by, "I just spent a ton of money on a new camera, and my photos still look horrible". Even the most simple point and shoot cameras can take great product photos with good light. before you drive to the nearest electronics store and drop several hundred dollars (or worst, over $1,000.00) on a brand spanking new cameras, try these steps.

basics for product photos

Natural light:
1. get a piece of white foam core and a piece of white poster board.

2. Go outside during the day and find a spot in the shade (If the sun is out).

3. Place foam core flat on a table, or other surface, place the poster board behind the foam core, but upright (Back drop), use a bookend, wall, or any other object to hold it up right. Curve the bottom of the poster board so it curves under the foam core.

note: The white foam core background helps the camera distinguish white, and automatically sets the white balance when shooting in "Auto" mode.

4. Find the button on your camera that says "Macro" and make sure it is selected ("macro" loosely translates to "Close up").

5. make sure your flash is OFF.

6. Place item on the foam core and shoot away.Note: Be aware of your surroundings when shooting out side. If there is a blue (or any color) building behind you getting direct sunlight, that light may reflect into your shot (even though you are in the shade) and cause a tinting effect on your subject.

Note: Light may reflect from your clothing and tint your subject. Wear a black shirt when shooting in bright light or outdoors.

Option #2: Build a light tent, I can't recommend this enough.

(Light tent designed and modeled by Eric at SDPhotography)

Several methods of light tent construction are available, here are a few:
how to make a light tent
how to make a light tent
how to make a light tent

Here's a great video on product lighting using 100% DIY materiel, very informative.
Product lighting setup

(Video from the great folks at prophotolife.com)

If you build a light tent and you use more then one lamp make sure you use the EXACT SAME BULBS, and don't let light from other sources creep in (ex: turn off the kitchen light when shooting)

Focus:
This subject has come up several times. A common question I get is "What do I do when I can't get my camera to focus on a tiny object". While most cameras offer a Macro mode for shooting close up, this method may not always work. You may have to switch to manual focus. Many point and shoot cameras allow you to disable the auto focus, and manually focus the image. Manual focus will, in many cases, allow you to get considerably closer to you subject (as close a 1mm to the lens). Every model is different so it may be time to break out that manual (or download the PDF from the manufacturer's web site) and learn how to work the manual focus.

Also keep in mind that the brighter the light, the higher your camera will set it's aperture, which will result in a higher depth of field, improving the focal appearance of your total image.

White balance: Some cameras let you calibrate the white balance by pointing the camera at a white object and pushing a button. Other cameras refer to white balance as "Scene". Common "Scenes" are shown as: incandescent light, florescent light, portrait, sunset, etc. Once you figure out how to switch this, you just try each "Scene" to see which one works best.

Post Editing: All cameras come with software. look for how to adjust "White point", or "Color Balance" in whatever software you use. If you have a white background, the "auto color correct" edit works just fine in most cases. Adjusting the brightness and contrast can finish your photos with the extra "Pop" needed to stand out.

Hope this helps!

For more information, tips, tricks, and techniques, visit some of my other blogs.

• Using Aperture to get the most out of your camera.
• Shutter Speed, No more blurry photos.
• ISO, Control the amount of grain in your photos.

Examples of my work are available for sale at:

• www.sdphotography.artfire.com

*What are your tips and tricks for great product photographs? Share your ideas in the comments!