The LV Photography Clubhouse

momoftwins

momoftwins

Member
Aug 11, 2010
570
3
#1
I am starting this "Photography Clubhouse" for those who love photography, want to share photo tips on capturing Louis Vuitton products, or who have photography related questions. I will check back often and answer questions. Hopefully other hobbyist and professional photographers here can assist in helping too.

Please introduce yourself and let us know what photography equipment you have.

Welcome to the club.

Jodi

To see my photos click on my sig or here.
 
#2
I'm Jodi, starter of the Photography Clubhouse. I currently use a Canon 5D MKII and a number of lenses. The ones I like for taking photos of Louis Vuitton are: 100mm macro for closeup shots and the 50 1.2L for full purse and accessory shots. I also am an avid photoshopper, but for most product work, it does not need too much other than sharpening and a quick boost in curves to add contrast.

Look forward to meeting all of you.

Jodi
 
#3
Tips for photographing Louis Vuitton: A Beginner's Guide

1 - The most important thing is to take the photo in good natural light: my favorite place to shoot purses and accessories is near a window. You have indirect soft lighting. Look for a day where it is bright outside, not heavy overcast so you have enough incoming light. If you prefer take outdoor shots of your items, you want cloud cover, not super heavy, but some clouds to diffuse the light.

2 - No flash. Do whatever you can to avoid flash. It changes the color and texture of the items, especially the leather and the hardware on purses.

3 - Think macro. If you use an SLR, consider investing in a Macro lens. If you use a Point and Shoot Camera, use the flower icon, which is the macro setting. This will allow you to get close to the details like heat stamping and detail on the brass, etc.

4 - Pick a non-distracting background. Choose a background or environment that compliments the piece you are photographing. For most photos you want a very simple background, a wood floor, carpet, white board, black counter top, etc. You can also shoot against something busier if you blur the background.

5 - Consider your Depth of Field. When doing product shots, you can control your aperture when shooting in manual. Some point and shoots will allow this, but they will not do nearly as good a job as an SLR. You want to shoot close to "wide open" if you desire to focus on one small area. Wide open means the low number - so an aperture of 2.8 as an example, versus f11. If this is confusing, and you have an SLR, post a comment here and I can explain more. If you are capturing a whole purse or accessory and want the entire item in focus, then you would not shoot "wide open" - say maybe f5.6. But the settings also vary based on your distance to the object and the distance of the object to other things. I personally shoot most handbags and accessories at 2.8 to 4.0.

6 - Use an editing program. Once you take the photos off the camera, use an editing program, like Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. There are probably some other ones for free out there too, but I personally use Photoshop. Use levels, curves or brightness/contrast, to make the photo brighter or darker as needed, and add contrast if the photo looks washed out. Also sharpen, using whatever tools are available in your program. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY is to make the photo look like it did in real life - so not a lot darker or lighter - and not more or less detail. Often editing is needed to achieve this, since cameras can play tricks.

5 - White balance. If your camera has the choice, shoot RAW, so you can adjust the white balance easily. If using a point and shoot that does not have this option, choose the setting closest to what you are shooing in - for example daylight, shade, etc. If your photos come out super yellow or with strong purple/blue casts, your camera is guessing white balance wrong in auto.

*** This is just a small starter list ***

I will add more tips to this thread in the future.
 
#5
Great thread and I will sure ask for tips. I have used a small Leica C-Lux2 for three years and will upgrade to a Leica X1 (arrives tomorrow). It still has fixed lens but with more manual adjustments. I'm not sure if the pic below came out too dark taken with the C-Lux2?
picture.php
 
#6
Thanks for starting this, Jodi! :smile:

My name is Chel and I shoot Canons. I currently shoot with a EOS 60D and own only 3 lenses (all of which I really like): an EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro, the Nifty Fifty, and a Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 (my walkaround lens). My DBF shoots Canon as well, so am able to borrow from his arsenal.

Looking forward to sharing shots with everyone! :smile:
 
#7
oh this is great. i have been trying to take expert photographs but it is just not working for me. i hav a sony a33 with the kit lens and an addl. portrait lens as well. i am wondering if the issue with my pics is an addl flash thats needed. quite frankly i just want to know what is my next thing i need to buy for my camera to take great pics:
flash
lens (which one)
or is it just a setting i dont know how to use

here are some of my pics
DSC02756.jpg

notice the dark part at the bottom

DSC02750.jpg

no flash

DSC02752.jpg

with flash

DSC00895.jpg

dirty mirror glare

DSC00518.jpg

and another

sometimes i think i take better pics with my phone
9723182b.png
 
#8
it really depends on the mode that you're using on your camera. Are you using a DSLR or is it a hybrid point and shoot/DSLR?

There are plenty of factors and camera settings that we could go over, but will do so once I get home and have access to a full keyboard. Typing on a tiny phone keyboard is torture right now. or perhaps someone could chime in right now?

One good website that I normally refer beginners to DSLR: http://stopshootingauto.com.
 
#9
Very dramatic lighting in this shot. Great job, Elliespurse! :smile:

Elliespurse said:
Great thread and I will sure ask for tips. I have used a small Leica C-Lux2 for three years and will upgrade to a Leica X1 (arrives tomorrow). It still has fixed lens but with more manual adjustments. I'm not sure if the pic below came out too dark taken with the C-Lux2?
picture.php
Click to expand...
 
#10
Let me see what I can do to help.

For starters, I will say I am not that familiar with the Sony line of SLRs but an 18-55 kit lens tends not to open up wide. See my tips above to understand a little of that. If you could shoot wider open, you would let more light in.

Location is important. So move off the bed - and move near a window - and watch for the light coming in. Position the purse based on that light. See my collection shots, which I think you have seen before, and then watch where the light comes in and how I have the purses angled. You can see based on position if the product is front lit, side lit or back lit.

For the red cosmetic bag - TURN FLASH OFF. The bright spot is the flash. Again - get near a window.

The Damier Azur purse needs more light - not flash, but actual light. The second one of it, the flash trails off so parts in back are darker.

Does this help at all? Once you get the photo closer in camera, by trying to get better light, consider a few other lenses. Again not super familiar with Sony, but Canon and Nikon have great 50mm and 85mm lenses - I'd see if you can find a "prime" lens in a 50mm. This means it does not zoom - you will need to zoom with your feet. If you knew that already, I apologize, but this info can benefit all who read. And if you did not, it is good to know.

Also, eventually it will benefit you greatly to shoot in Manual or at minimum, aperture priority.

I help people all day long learn photography and editing, and a few guessed who I am in professional life, though I plan to try and keep it rather separate. But I know you are not a lost cause, and while good equipment helps, the photographer is far more important than the gear. So we will get you there. Start by finding a big open window. Oh - or get some foam core board and go in a garage - garage light is great too.

Jodi


drspock7 said:
oh this is great. i have been trying to take expert photographs but it is just not working for me. i hav a sony a33 with the kit lens and an addl. portrait lens as well. i am wondering if the issue with my pics is an addl flash thats needed. quite frankly i just want to know what is my next thing i need to buy for my camera to take great pics:
flash
lens (which one)
or is it just a setting i dont know how to use

here are some of my pics
DSC02756.jpg

notice the dark part at the bottom

DSC02750.jpg

no flash

DSC02752.jpg

with flash

DSC00895.jpg

dirty mirror glare

DSC00518.jpg

and another

sometimes i think i take better pics with my phone
9723182b.png
Click to expand...
 
#11
I really like the dramatic lighting here. I also love the use of shadows. If you exposed it more in camera, you would have actually hurt the highlights of the purse, as they would have blown out (lost detail). If you wanted to brighten areas, that would be best done in post processing. But actually, as I said, for this shot, it really works.

Jodi

Elliespurse said:
Great thread and I will sure ask for tips. I have used a small Leica C-Lux2 for three years and will upgrade to a Leica X1 (arrives tomorrow). It still has fixed lens but with more manual adjustments. I'm not sure if the pic below came out too dark taken with the C-Lux2?
picture.php
Click to expand...
 
#12
Another great reference is the book Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. Easily found in most bookstores and online stores - it is a great way to learn about light, shooting manual, and exposure, speed and aperture.

shelbias said:
it really depends on the mode that you're using on your camera. Are you using a DSLR or is it a hybrid point and shoot/DSLR?

There are plenty of factors and camera settings that we could go over, but will do so once I get home and have access to a full keyboard. Typing on a tiny phone keyboard is torture right now. or perhaps someone could chime in right now?

One good website that I normally refer beginners to DSLR: http://stopshootingauto.com.
Click to expand...
 
#13
Thanks, Jodi, for starting this thread. I plan to read your posts and learn from them. I have an auto-focus Sony Cyber-shot. I have the Photoshop program, but I get so confused with it! I really need to take a class to learn all that it has to offer. I am using a simple Kodak program for my photographs right now.

I really enjoy looking at your photographs and I admire your photography skills. I will try to upload a photo so that you can see how awful I am!
 

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#14
It is attaching very small. But from what I can see, I would use a more simple backdrop.

Stick around. I hope I can help you. If using a point and shoot, try and turn off the flash, remember macro mode, and get near some good light.

Do you have Photoshop or PS Elements?

Jodi

Venice04 said:
Thanks, Jodi, for starting this thread. I plan to read your posts and learn from them. I have an auto-focus Sony Cyber-shot. I have the Photoshop program, but I get so confused with it! I really need to take a class to learn all that it has to offer. I am using a simple Kodak program for my photographs right now.

I really enjoy looking at your photographs and I admire your photography skills. I will try to upload a photo so that you can see how awful I am!
Click to expand...
 
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