Trying to improve my pictures...

[Elly3438]

I have been wanting to get my pictures better lately, I feel I can't capture my minis with photos very well. One of my main problems is I just can't get the clarity and the focus to be perfect. I even use the ten second timer on a tripod, and still... also I find I have to zoom to get close, and this creates parts of the mini out of focus...
I use a Canon 40D with the standard 17-85mm lens it came with. Do I need a macro lens? Also I just use one light, the light I paint with as the primary source. I read in another thread Einion suggested to use some tracing paper to diffuse some of the light and in test pictures this has worked out ok. But a decent lighting setup would help a lot too I think...
Anyways any suggestions would be much appreciated!
Thanks!
~Jeff~

 

[doyme]

When you figure out how to take better pictures please tell me!

The last photo I took I used two (daylight bulb) light sources outside a diffusing light box with a background that had white and black references to the side for leveling in photoshop. I messed about with it in photoshop (contrast, colours, levels all the usual stuff described in the articles on CMON). I used a DSC-W35 on macro and used the timer function. I'm still not happy with the results. I can still see reflections from some shadowed areas (thought the light box was meant to stop that) and my base is out of focus.

I hope you get some posts back for this thread so that I can sort out some of my problems too.

 

[SaintHax]

I find I have to zoom to get close, and this creates parts of the mini out of focus...

You are referring to a shallow DOF (depth of field). DOF is increased (deeper) by tighter Aperture and more distance from the subject. If you are using a Canon 40D, you can easily crop the picture in PS, instead of zooming in.

You may also want to shoot in Aperture priority, instead of P-mode. The smaller the number, the more light it lets in (not that important for still life using a tripod), the bigger the number, the more DOF. I'd start at f5.6, and adjust from there. I shoot in f11, but I have a ton of lumens I'm throwing at it too.

Do I need a macro lens?

The only significant difference is a macro lens has a closer minimum focus distance. Your minimum focusing distance is 13.8" with that lens-- don't get the lens closer to the mini than that, or you will always be out of focus.

Also I just use one light, the light I paint with as the primary source. I read in another thread Einion suggested to use some tracing paper to diffuse some of the light and in test pictures this has worked out ok.

That will give you a soft light, which is what's used for fill light. As much as I hate to recommend "Strobbist", b/c they are zealots for "cheap lighting is better than pro lighting; pro-lighting is a scam" sort of nonsense, they do have a lot of helpful information in setting something up like this. Google strobist, and read some of their blogs.

 

[jefcully]

First make your work good and solid ground by learning common words such as photography opening, shutter speed and exposure metering, ISO and depth to the photograph. etc. Read the manual camera carefully and try to be more comfortable with your camera.More photos, more confidence, more confidence, better work Happy shooting .

 

[xMANIGHTx]

I'm a photographer by trade. When photographing minis I tend to use available light. A skylight or normal window will work great. I set up a mirror of the dark side of the miniature to reflect light back. This gives a very diffused natural look which is hard to replicate with lights or flashes / diffusers etc.. and makes all that unnecessary. Quick and easy = good, especially if you've got a lot to photograph or photograph regularly.

I'd agree with other comments here too:

A macro lens or closeup tubes will get your lens a lot closer to the miniature but are an expensive faff that will hammer your depth of focus too. As above just get as close as you can and crop the image in close later.

I tend to shoot on the highest aperture f22 or f32 if you can, this will give a great depth of view so everything is sharp. May leave you with a several second exposure. But with a timer and tripod and no stomping past you at the time, this isn't a problem.

Some examples here

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Painte...8447971?v=wall

G

 

[Kretcher]

Hi, as previous post states to get a deeper field of focus you should change the aperture to a higher number, the lower you have the shorter the field of depth is. I am not usually as drastic as xMANIGHTx is. I believe it is enough if you go up to f11.

Try practicing with the manual settings to see what happens with different settings.

I also believe there is some good tutorials around photoboxes somewhere around this site Also what might improve the quality of your pictures is to change lens. Generally the lenses that are included into the basic packages are not top quality. Now you think to get a really good lens i have to pay a lot of money. Not always true, for the work you want to do I would suggest to buy a lens that doesn’t have a zoom on it.

One good site to perhaps look at reviews of different lenses is:
http://www.dpreview.com/
Properbly there is a lot of other sites in internet with reviews, it was a long time since i looked around.

 

[SaintHax]

I don't shoot above f16 either b/c of diffraction.