New photo tent...opinion's needed!

[omb76]

The pictures that I've been taking with my homemade light box have really been frustrating me. I've tried various ways improve them and finally broke down and bought a light tent kit. Found this one for a reasonable price - $90 w/ free shipping. Comes with the tent, 2 lights with stand and bulbs, 4 backdrops, camera stand, light covers, etc. So far it is a huge improvement over what I was able to do before. Now it's time for all you pro's to chime in and let me know what you think and what improvements need to be made. I'm working with a Canon Powershot S5IS camera.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Rmartin]

You are very close. I'm certainly no expert, but here's a few issues I think you can improve on:

It looks out of focus. You may be in too close. Set up so there is plenty of background on all sides of your pen. Shoot in the highest quality. Then crop out the edges. Then optimize for web posting.

It's a little too dark, but you really don't need more light. Increase your exposure. I have found with my Canon the image looks brighter in the viewer than it does when I upload it.

Your pictures look very much like mine before I made the changes I'm suggesting. Here's one I took recently

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

Hope you don't mind but I took the liberty to play with one of your photos.
Don't know if you have any photo software but you sometimes can take a fair photo and make it a good photo with just a little tweaking. Picasa 3 is a fee download.

 

[AKPenTurner]

David, your photos are looking good. I would agree to try and work on the focus a little bit. The only other thing would be there is a crease in the fabric that the pen is on. Maybe that was intentional, whatever your opinion is on that, it's up to you. Now you get to start having fun playing with different backgrounds and techniques. Good luck!

BTW, where did you get the photo tent? I'm still thinking about getting one. That sounds like a pretty good deal...

 

[AKPenTurner]

Hope you don't mind but I took the liberty to play with one of your photos.
Don't know if you have any photo software but you sometimes can take a fair photo and make it a good photo with just a little tweaking. Picasa 3 is a fee download.

You did good working with that photo, I like it... Maybe I'll have to try Picasa 3. How much is the fee?:biggrin:

 

[Mack C.]

Hope you don't mind but I took the liberty to play with one of your photos.
Don't know if you have any photo software but you sometimes can take a fair photo and make it a good photo with just a little tweaking. Picasa 3 is a fee download.

You did good working with that photo, I like it... Maybe I'll have to try Picasa 3.

How much is the fee?:biggrin:

Methinks he meant free!

 

[Mack C.]

The pictures that I've been taking with my homemade light box have really been frustrating me. I've tried various ways improve them and finally broke down and bought a light tent kit. Found this one for a reasonable price - $90 w/ free shipping. Comes with the tent, 2 lights with stand and bulbs, 4 backdrops, camera stand, light covers, etc. So far it is a huge improvement over what I was able to do before. Now it's time for all you pro's to chime in and let me know what you think and what improvements need to be made.

I'm working with a Canon Powershot S5IS camera.

Hi David; I love my S5IS, but my pics come out with the same look as yours, not as white as I would really like.

I shoot on M, @ f8 (smallest ap. of this camera), white balance set, macro on, timer (2 sec.), on a tripod, 4 6500K Compact Fluorescents under my homemade tent. I try 3 pics over exposed +1, +1 1/3, and + 1 2/3, then pick the best one from there. I have PSE 3 and crop the photos somewhat, but I don't usually do any other photoshopping.

Just as a side note to photo experts, this camera is autofocus, so no manual focus setting. A green rectangle tells when you are within the depth of field range. Yellow says no go.

I'm not attempting to put myself forward as a photography expert, just offering the way I utilize my camera which is the same as yours. Hope it helps somewhat!

 

[omb76]

Thanks for all the tips guys! I think I have the focus problem fixed. I wasn't using the macro feature of the camera because I couldn't get close enough to the pen when the camera was on the tripod (can't zoom when using the macro), so I'll just move the pen closer to the camera.. duh. My biggest challenge I think is getting the exposure and white balance set. I would like to be able to have the picture turn out the same way that my eye sees it with no alterations. Should be able to do that huh?

The photo tent came from Adorama.com. Ordered it on Monday and got it on Wednesday. So far everything seems to be really good quality. I did crack the tripod housing already, but really it's wasn't designed for the type of camera I'm using (too heavy). Other than that everything works really good. I just need to play with the camera settings now.

Thanks again for the input, it's greatly appreciated!!

 

[livertrans]

I recently purchased a Canon S5IS on Ebay. Got a great deal on it, its in new condition. From what I understand its the earlier version of the S5IS. Same except for the zoom is what I understand. I also have problems getting the white white. I have been using a white background. I have been using the reveal type floods. They seem to have a blue hue to them. I think that might have something to do with it. Will head out today and get different bulbs. I also now have a white and gray kard to help with the white balance setting. I will post some pics after my next attempt.

 

[omb76]

Okay, been practicing some more. Here are 3 pictures taken tonight following Mark's advise. Much better than my last post (which I thought was pretty good). I took 3 pics over exposedand by +1, +1 1/3, +1 2/3 and they are shown in that order. I like the second shot best. Again, any and all advise / critiques appreciated, I want to get this right!

Thanks again to you all for your help! I've learned something from each comment!

 

[Ruby pen turning]

Picasa 3 is great. I have the Powershot S3is takes great pics I think but I too cannot get good shots in my homemade light box. That is where Picasa can help a lot.

 

[omb76]

It just occured to me that I'm trying to gather knowledge from all of you right at the same time that there is a photo contest going on. Whoops! I promise not to use any knowledge to win (I won't even enter!) Just wierd timing I suppose. :wink:

 

[76winger]

David,
If it helps any, I recently posted this thread for my own trials with my DIY photo tent: http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=74186

Maybe my trials and some of the great comments I received will assist you as well. Once I had the white balance good, I still found couldn't get a good white background without washing out the pen using the light arrangement I show in that thread. However, but using a gray background I was able to get the richer color of the pen to balance with the background straight out of the camera.

It looks like your figuring it out, but I thought I'd share my own recent experience. I'll be watching for updates on your photo booth trials.