Photography help

Re: Photography help

David Smith

Here is an example with two bowls. I would have rather arranged them where the bowls were aligned more from the front to the back but then the larger one in back would have needed to be elevated. I tried using a block of wood but at times on other things it can be quite visible, looking for something more discreet.

Re: Photography help

John C Lucas

You can buy all kinds on plexiglas risers. I think the company i have.seen is Display Collections. Clear plexiglass even tbough its glossy is a good thing to use. I picks up the color of the backvround and is less obnoxious than most other solid colors.

Re: Photography help *LINK*

Ed Davidson

I've bought plexiglass store displays from this outfit on eBay many times. They have just about every shape and size you could imagine...link below




http://stores.ebay.com/displaystore987

Thank you

David Smith

Thanks John and Ed!!

Re: Photography help

Ric Taylor

A very light spray of clear matte on the plexiglass risers might help to reduce the glossiness. Experiment and don't go too heavy with the spray.

Re: Photography help

Don Evans

Or drape a white sheet over the stand leaving it pulled, in other words don't pull it tight.

Don

Re: Photography help

Ric Taylor

That's not really what I had in mind. I would want the plexiglass riser to fade into the background and not be so obvious, by dulling the gloss with a light flat spray or perhaps killing the gloss with some steel wool.

The photo should be simple and be about the turning, and any distractions such as supporting structures and backgrounds should be minimized as much as possible.

Re: Photography help

john lucas

Ric for platters you can simply set the platter upright on the background and then support it with something heavier from behind. The trick is to set it about 4 to 6 inches behind and use a stick or dowel to prop against the platter. I use a half a brick that has been covered with tape to keep from scratching the back ground. Then I tape a stick or what ever is necessary to prop up the plate. Sometimes you have to tape the stick to the back.

To raise bowls for a set of bowls the best way is to place bowls behind and somewhat to the side of the front bowl. Then set whatever you use for a stand out of sight behind the first bowl.

It depends a lot on what you are using the photos for. To enter Craft shows its best to just use one really niece piece and not a group photo. It's much easier for the judges to see the details in one large piece vs a group of smaller work.

Here is an example of shooting a platter or wall piece using the prop from behind.

Re: Photography help

Jorge

Good advice John thanks, where do you get the background rolls?

I used to pick them up in a couple photography shops, one in the west mid Manhattan and the other in east 14th on my way home. Since I moved out of NYC i have trouble finding them.I like a 20% gray best.

Re: Photography help

john lucas

I bought mine in Nashville at Dury's photo shop. I think you can get them at BHPHoto. I prefer the seamless background to the fade backgrounds. I can make mine fade just by proper use of lighting. The faded backgrounds scratch so easily that they are useless after a short while unless you are really careful. My friend Mike Gibson has used his quite a bit for a couple of years. I haven't seen it in person in a while but don't see any evidence of scratches in his photos. when you use those you have to be very careful when you set a piece down, and never never rotate it while it's sitting on the back ground.

the backgrounds I get are 52" wide. If you need them to be shorter it's very easy to cut them with a hand saw or circular saw.

Re: Photography help

Ric Taylor

Thanks John, I do all of those things with my photography at various times depending on the situation, and you can see my photos on my website:

www.RicTaylorArt.com

My earlier comments were simply to address the idea that was mentioned about using plexiglass risers. For anyone who wants to use those, I was only offering ideas that would make the plexiglass less obvious in the photos.

Re: Photography help

John K Jordan

For my little photo cube a piece of mat board from the picture framing store in Knoxville works. I bend it into a smooth curve.

JKJ

Re: Photography help

Jorge

Thanks John, seamless, yes, i prefer seamless too. Still have some black left, I used to have white and the 20% grey I like best but they worn out.