How do I....take such good pictures?

[carolivy]

I had a request to show my secret for taking such good pictures of my tatting. My secret isn't my camera which is just a Kodak Easy Share C743 but it is a Lighting Studio that I purchased from Amazon. Originally I got it to take better photos of the cards I make but it works great for any small items. I also purchased some displays from Amazon for taking photos of my tatted jewelry.
I had my BF make the table I am using and I use a tripod for my camera. I always use the Macro Setting on my camera (little flower icon).
table for lighting studio.jpg

[squeeky]

Okay, now I feel really stupid. I've used those before. Not physically but in a digital environment working with 3d rendering to check textures on objects.

Do you think one would be terribly difficult to make? Found a small kit http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...GQ4DDPAGNBB835 Does that look like a decent one? What size do you suggest?

I've worked really hard to do better tatting, manage tension better and be more careful with joins, transitions and so forth so I'd like to take pictures that show the pieces off the best. I don't want to keep hiding my less than perfect work with fuzzy photos.

[carolivy]

This is the one I purchased.

[LizBird]

It's fairly easy to make a light box. My husband used some white sheets, some cheap heat lamp shades from the feed store with regular bulbs in them and some vise grip clamps on our art table when he was selling motorcycle parts on ebay.

[IdahoCanuck]

I've seen them made from a suitable sized cardboard box w/ the interior spray painted (back covered with poster board to hide seams) additional back drops hung with push pins.... and flexible necked desk lamps.
also, What I use to photograph my orchid plants and blooms is a tri-fold cardboard frame (3 adjustable hinged sides with open top) set up in daylight area with a drap of appropriate cloth draped over the sides and table top.... with the camera mounted on a tripod.... any camera will do if you have a tripod, and using the delay shutter setting helps too.

[Ireneho]

Or just wait for a sunny day, open the blinds/curtains, to take your pictures.

[carolivy]

Or just wait for a sunny day, open the blinds/curtains, to take your pictures.

This sometimes is not possible if you need to have photos done by a certain time when the weather won't co-operate.

I checked into making my own box, but by the time I priced out the lamps I would need, (can't have heat lamps because I am sometimes photographing for about an hour....depending on how much I have to photograph....would have gotten much too hot), it actually turned out cheaper to buy one premade. I don't have to worry about this one falling apart mid shoot either. Another great feature about this one is that it folds completely flat for storage if you don't have someplace to keep it up. I've had to replace one of the Halogen light bulbs already...dropped one of the lights before my BF made the table for me...light was under $2 at Amazon.

[Ireneho]

You must get terrible dark Winters, carolivy. Over here where I live on the coast, it looks like a sunny Summer's day, except its freezing cold at nite but warm during the day!! And its supposed to be Winter!

[carolivy]

For about 6 months of the year a LOT of the people in this part of the country have what is called Seasonal Affective Disorder because we get SO little sun during that time. It is caused by the decreased amount of Vitamin D that we get from the sun during other times of the year. It is (from my understanding) a form of depression and in some people can even be quite severe.

I live just below (about 25 miles South) of the 45th parallel.

[Antiquarian]

When I worked in a museum as a registrar I was taking photographs of all kinds of objects - I tell you trying to get the glare off a shiny painting is almost impossible. What I often did for jewelry and small items was us a large piece of black velvet and to directional lamps on either side. At home (when I'm not just being lazy using the web cam) I use the velvet and a couple of lamps with "sunlight" bulbs in them. I also recommend a tripod.