Photography advice

[Mummytwo 10]

I currently have a 20mp Nikon Coolpix S3500 and I am trying to take photos of products for use on my website. Currently with it being dull outside I am taking them indoors but I can't seem to get the settings right to get a decent image. I know it's not the best camera and it's nothing professional but I should be able to get quite good pictures.

 

I was wondering if anyone could give any advice into how to get photos on either a plain white, or plain black background.

 

Main issues are:

 

1) when using flash It tends to drown out some detail with the white of the flash and leave part of the picture dark.

 

2) when not using flash it doesn't seem to focus very well.

 

3) struggling to get clear, in focus close ups

 

 

I have tried adjusting the light settings to match the indoor bulb, but although it looks good on the screen, the after photo tends to be off colour. I have tried standing further back and zooming in to avoid the close up of flash, also tried the opposite of standing close by with and without flash.

 

I have tried reading the instruction book but I tend to forget most of it straight away and I don't have the attention span to read it a lot.

 

 

Any advice on getting good photos with a camera like that would be much appreciated. Also if anyone has advice on editing photo backgrounds using either photoshop CC or paint shop pro X6 I'd appreciate that too

[Chrissoftley 10]

One of your biggest problems will be the background your using. If its white the cameras light meter will tend to under expose and everything else will look dark but with black the opposite will happen. When using the flash against a white background though the whites will tend to reflect back and overexpose. You could try to reduce the light from your flash when shooting against the white background by placing something over the flash on your camera like a piece of white tissue paper and experiment with 2 or more pieces till you get the image your after. What is it your trying to photograph?

Edited November 27, 2013 by Chrissoftley

[Mummytwo 10]

It is items of Jewellery that I made so detail is really important if I am to sell them. Unfortunately I only have black necklace stands to photograph them on. Have tried white paper and using fotofuze on them but they are still not very clear.

 

I shall give your suggestion a try and see if that gives better results. Thank you for your reply. If you have any other suggestions now I have said what I'm photographing please let me know

[Chrissoftley 10]

If you have a macro setting on your camera this will help with close focus.

[Mummytwo 10]

I do indeed, have tried it out, works good with some things but if I use flash I get the light reflection and can't see much. If I don't use flash t doesn't focus. I'm hoping that when trying your suggestion that solves that issue.

[Chrissoftley 10]

Ideally you need to get the light more diffused by bouncing it off something but thats not really possible with a built in flash. Failing that the camera could be put on a tripod and manually focused without flash but thats also not possible. Maybe your trying to get too close for the camera to focus, what about getting the subject as big as you can in the viewfinder while still in focus then crop the image in photoshop

[karl101 10]

looking on google, the Coolpix S3500 is a point and shoot camera, so there is limited control with the flash.

 

Things you could try....

 

Stick some tissue paper over the flash, this should diffuse the amount of light.

 

Make a photo tent, out of bedsheets, a bit of string and some clothes pegs and a couple of bedside lamps.., to end up with something like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/PhotoSEL-PPC124-Tabletop-Lighting-Photography/dp/B0030J0134/

 

Stick a little gutter to the flash made from tin foil to direct the flash upwards (use with the tent)

 

Get a small tripod, I don't know if your camera has a tripod hole, look at the base, is there a screw?. With the camera on the timer function, you can take longer exposures. Your camera should have a countdown timer before taking a picture, use this with a tripod gives the camera time to settle after you ahve pressed the shutter button.

 

K.

[Mummytwo 10]

Hi thank you for your replies, apologies for the delay in my response I got very distracted looking at cameras, particularly the new canon Eos 60Da, then I forgot to check. I shall try out these suggestions, fingers crossed.

[Nickscape 10]

you might try picking something like this up from eBay- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PORTABLE-50CM-LIGHT-CAMERA-PHOTO-STUDIO-KIT-TENT-BOX-TRIPOD-LIGHTS-4-BACKDROPS-/331026318170?pt=UK_Photography_Lighting_Kits&hash=item4d12b4c35a.. you can get just the box without the lights from under £10 and will work wonders to soften the light. If you don't have lamps just put the box next to a window and you will get nice side light & use some tin foil on some card on the other side to bounce some light back to fill the shadows a little. You can also use a hand held reflector (tin foil again) to bounce some light inwards from the front.

 

Make sure you use your camera on a tripod so it is nice and steady, a lot of jewellery photos are taken looking down on top of the items rather than straight on so you can either take looking straight down or put the jewellery at a 45 degree angle on a stand.

[GlassBox 10]

If you are selling products and the quality of the photo will sell the product, if you have lots of new products I would invest in a budget SLR and kit lens and hire a studio (they will set it up for you), you just come and shoot on a white or black background.

 

Bad photos = no sales

Good photos = good sales

 

Everything these days is online, so it may pay to invest to get the photos you want.

[Fogey 10]

I had a nikon coolpix 2mp camera back in the day.

 

I always found that I got the best low light pics using a tripod and the museum setting (not sure if thats still an option). It will disable the flash and expose for as long as the sensor decides it needs to take a good photo.

 

My old camera took truly amazing photos and to this day my dream camera would be that old 2mp with a wider angle lens and more compact, - sigh.

[jezzyjj 10]

I know it's not the best camera and it's nothing professional but I should be able to get quite good pictures.

Cameras don't take photos, people do. And to consistently get good shots involves time and effort, both for learning and practice, as well as some talent for the more creative stuff.

OK product shots can be done with the right kit and some basic knowledge, but really good product shots can be quite tricky to do. And as GlassBox says, good photos sell products, crap ones do not. If you are serious about selling your work, then it may end up being more cost effective to pay someone to do it for you. Just like paying for a good accountant can save you more money than they charge.