Need help with lighting please!

[Pugrpooh]

We're in the process of completely redoing our website at work and we were meeting today to discuss what needs to go on it. We were talking about the need for good photos of all our products, etc. and someone asked who had a good camera? DH points to me and said that I did.

I said I have a good camera but not good lighting. So DH said since we will need at least 100 good pics, the company can buy the lighting equipment! (I know how to get what I want! )

So what do I need? I've just barely skimmed over the posts regarding lighting because that's not something I was going to buy anytime soon. Besides some pictures of employees, most of the items will be of laboratory instrumentation. A lot of stainless steel, glass, paint that reflects the lights (I've tried to get some good pics before and glare is one of the problems I had.)

I think this is going to be fun!

 

[ukcatfan]

Sorry, but I refuse to help based on the image in your signature Go Cats!!!

JK!!!

The reflecting light can be a real problem when it is a metallic surface. A CP filter will not help there. You will need the lighting to be off camera so that it does not reflect straight back to the camera.

 

[MICKEY88]

how big are the items you will be photographing, a light tent is usually the best option for product photography

 

[Pugrpooh]

Sorry, but I refuse to help based on the image in your signature Go Cats!!!

JK!!!

The reflecting light can be a real problem when it is a metallic surface. A CP filter will not help there. You will need the lighting to be off camera so that it does not reflect straight back to the camera.

Hey, I pull for the Cats (when they're not playing Louisville). They had a great game last night. DD is even trying to get into grad school there in the fall, and she's a diehard UofL fan and was previously a big Duke fan, but not so much anymore. But she never roots for UK!

Some of the instruments are not just metallic but they have a mirror back inside the chamber which has a glass door on front. Lighting in the building is also not good; it's a former car dealership and production is in the huge area where they did service on the cars. It'll be a challenge for sure.

 

[Pugrpooh]

how big are the items you will be photographing, a light tent is usually the best option for product photography

Most of the instruments are about the size of a medium TV, maybe 35" or so (not flat panel) and they're pretty heavy so they'll have to sit on a cart or lab bench.

And what's the easiest software to use to remove backgrounds?

 

[seashoreCM]

For a website you will rarely need a picture with more resolution than 1024x768 and that is a little less than one megapixel.

I would think that hanging a (bed) sheet for a background for your photo shoot will be a lot more expedient than any background removing program. (I haven't used any, though.)

 

[handicap18]

If the objects you want to photograph are still objects, then why not just use a tripod and a long exposure. Then it wont really matter as much about what specific lighting your using. You don't have to worry about the subject moving and getting motion blur. Just use a sharp f/stop and a low ISO (f/5.6 - f/8 and ISO 100-200).

 

[MICKEY88]

a lot of great advice as always



tripod and natural light will work best, less glare or reflection that way,

get a large piece of black or whote, material,{i'd personally go with black} hang it behind your cart, then drape it over the front, set your item on it, that way you isolate it on all black...

set up near a window, possibly hanging a sheet or large piece of white material over the window to soften your light, you can use a large piece of foamcore on the opposite side to reflect some light onto the shadow side, or you could try setting up straight out from the window, so that your tripod and camera are between the window and item , justr be careful to not cast shadows..

shoot at ISO 100 , f8 or higher aperture to get good DOF, and adjust your shutter speed accordingly..

 

[Pugrpooh]

Thanks, everyone! Great ideas as usual. I'll use some of these suggestions tomorrow. We've had videographers in to shoot some videos and they're leaving the lighting up. I get to play with it tomorrow to take some pictures of some of the instruments.

I didn't even think of taking the tripod. But I'll pack it now and see which way comes out best.

We've used a sheet as a backdrop before, but I never thought of draping it across the cart before putting the instrument on it. Sometimes I try to make things too difficult.