The LV Photography Clubhouse

[momoftwins]

The scarf is beautiful and it may even match but your eye doesn't know where to go. Scarf or purse. You can combine multiple things but maybe do a more simple background and drape the scarf. Play with the styling a bit.

I have Adobe Photoshop Elements 8.0

I took that picture with the scarf as the backdrop because I collect Hermes scarves and I thought they matched! lol

 

[Venice04]

The scarf is beautiful and it may even match but your eye doesn't know where to go. Scarf or purse. You can combine multiple things but maybe do a more simple background and drape the scarf. Play with the styling a bit.

Yes, you are absolutely right about that! My battery is dead and I have my spare battery on the charger right now. If I have time tomorrow I will try a few shots in natural daylight. Thank you so much!

 

[CookieLady]

Yay for the Clubhouse, thanks momoftwins

I have a Canon 500D with a standard twin lens kit, I have stolen another lens from the DBF but for the life of me can't remember what it is!

I will hopefully take some pics soon of my goodies, I look fwd to reading all the tips and hints when I have time

 

[drspock7]

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

i have a 1.8/50 lens as well. is that the one you are referring to? my brother told me to invest in it for portraits but i rarely have in on the camera? it has been sitting in the bag and i think ive used it once or twice. i was supposed to take a photography course in the spring but allergy season was too bad. its dark now but i will try to change my lens and location and take a few shots tomorrow and see what happens

 

[ParisLV]

Wow... cool thread! Thanks!

 

[ETenebris]

I have a Lumix FZ40 camera that I am just learning to use, so I haven't tried anything fancy, but here are a couple of my attempts at "artistic" shots of my Galliera:

And one of my Speedy 30 taken in the spring:

Looking forward to trying out some great tips from this thread! What a lovely idea!

 

[shakeandbake]

Love this thread!!!! You take such gorgeous photos!!

Just recently I've started to get into photography. I've just got a simple Sony Cybershot point and shoot and I use iPhoto. Someday I would love to get an SLR and Photoshop. Unfortunately, it's really hard to find good lighting in my house so I mostly take pictures outside. When I take pictures outside I usually put my bags and SLGs on my patio table. It isn't a great background, but I haven't found anything better yet.

Here are just a few pictures I've taken in the past couple weeks:

 

[shelbias]

Tried some shots of my Speedy tonight but they all came out overexposed. Will try again tomorrow.

momoftwins: keep the tips and constructive critiques coming!

 

[illusions]

Hi momoftwins, count me in! I into photography too, well just a hobbyist really. I have the first version of Canon 5D, I use macro and wide angle lens for most of the shots of the for the forum.

Here's a couple using my 100L for details

Latest ones... also using macro

I use Lightroom3 most of the time; Adobe CS5 when more tweaking is needed. Rule of the thumb for me also is to avoid distracting background.

 

[MsFrida]

Oooh, I have a feeling I'm going to stalk this thread until it gets worn out and falls apart LOL


Well, my name is Frida (surprise surprise, it's not like my username gives anything away) and right now it feels like I'm sitting at an AA meeting. I have a Nikon D90 and the 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX that came with it (my father is a Nikonite so I sometimes steal various things for a day or two ). I still haven't taken the introduction course that came with the purchase and now I think it might be too late, so I just learn while I go along. It would be fun to become a good photographer later on, but for now I'm just having (lots of) fun (oh, and I shoot in RAW format and use Photoshop CS5)




These first few pics were taken with a white paper backdrop and some Elinchrom D-Lite kit

Photographing vernis is a PITA. Amarante is hard to capture in the first place, but then there's the glossy surface that happily shows off the umbrella. After 20 minutes or so I simply gave up.

 

[drspock7]

Love this thread!!!! You take such gorgeous photos!!

Just recently I've started to get into photography. I've just got a simple Sony Cybershot point and shoot and I use iPhoto. Someday I would love to get an SLR and Photoshop. Unfortunately, it's really hard to find good lighting in my house so I mostly take pictures outside. When I take pictures outside I usually put my bags and SLGs on my patio table. It isn't a great background, but I haven't found anything better yet.

Here are just a few pictures I've taken in the past couple weeks:

Love lomgchamp. I have a gold one in that size and just ordered another I. Green an sak's Sale last week. Maybe I'll try to photograph mine next. Didn't think of it before

 

[momoftwins]

Yes - for starting out - a 50 1.8 is great. Try choosing different apertures, focus on the purse, and have your background in the distance. The lower the number (closer to 1.8) the more out of focus the background becomes. Makes for a cleaner shot.

i have a 1.8/50 lens as well. is that the one you are referring to? my brother told me to invest in it for portraits but i rarely have in on the camera? it has been sitting in the bag and i think ive used it once or twice. i was supposed to take a photography course in the spring but allergy season was too bad. its dark now but i will try to change my lens and location and take a few shots tomorrow and see what happens

 

[momoftwins]

The indoor ones are underexposed and the white balance I referred to at the top of the thread, is off. If you can add more light, and correct white balance, you will be on your way.

For the outdoor one, right idea. It appears your flash went off and it really was not needed. You can see it is almost too harsh because of the flash. make sense? Again these are critiques - so you can imporve. I do like the overall composition of the 1st and 3rd.

I have a Lumix FZ40 camera that I am just learning to use, so I haven't tried anything fancy, but here are a couple of my attempts at "artistic" shots of my Galliera:

And one of my Speedy 30 taken in the spring:

Looking forward to trying out some great tips from this thread! What a lovely idea!

 

[momoftwins]

Ironically the best background of those pictures is the one your dog is on. Gently lay your purses on the sidewalk after you see which direction the light is best in.

Love this thread!!!! You take such gorgeous photos!!

Just recently I've started to get into photography. I've just got a simple Sony Cybershot point and shoot and I use iPhoto. Someday I would love to get an SLR and Photoshop. Unfortunately, it's really hard to find good lighting in my house so I mostly take pictures outside. When I take pictures outside I usually put my bags and SLGs on my patio table. It isn't a great background, but I haven't found anything better yet.

Here are just a few pictures I've taken in the past couple weeks:

 

[momoftwins]

Frida,

Your pictures are great - you are definitely on the right track. Your composition, especially on that 1st shot, is fabulous. The backgrounds look really good on some of them. On a few they are a tad yellowish - basically a little too warm. If you shoot Raw, this is a super quick white balance dropper correction. If not, you can use that yellowish white backdrop in Photoshop CS5 to correct the color (using curves or levels and the droppers). I really like what you did with some of these.

Please keep sharing with us too. You have the eye for product shots for sure. And is addicting.

Jodi

Oooh, I have a feeling I'm going to stalk this thread until it gets worn out and falls apart LOL


Well, my name is Frida (surprise surprise, it's not like my username gives anything away) and right now it feels like I'm sitting at an AA meeting. I have a Nikon D90 and the 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX that came with it (my father is a Nikonite so I sometimes steal various things for a day or two ). I still haven't taken the introduction course that came with the purchase and now I think it might be too late, so I just learn while I go along. It would be fun to become a good photographer later on, but for now I'm just having (lots of) fun (oh, and I shoot in RAW format and use Photoshop CS5)




These first few pics were taken with a white paper backdrop and some Elinchrom D-Lite kit

Photographing vernis is a PITA. Amarante is hard to capture in the first place, but then there's the glossy surface that happily shows off the umbrella. After 20 minutes or so I simply gave up.