Photo mags, muslin or no muslin?

[vinzclortho]

I have to start taking pictures of computer hardware for work to post on ebay, the bosses want the pictures to look good and are giving me the go-ahead to get some supplies.

So my question is, do I need muslin to make this look professional or do will a black bed sheet or black construction paper work just as well? I'm thinking I need as much light as possible to be absorbed..or..just not reflected by the backdrop...alot of the parts are silver and shiny so minimal reflected light is necessary.


muslin or no muslin?

[Tippster]

Get Duvetine - it's a velvet-textured black fabric that is designed to absorb light. You can buy it by the yard in many fabric stores - just call ahead.

When you're taking the pictures use two light sources to either side of the object to light it (Uncovered desk lamps work fine) to take the pictures. If you use the camera's flash you'll get reflections and the product will look flatter.

The best way to light something to make it look 3 dimensional is to have a large soft source behind and slightly to the side of the object, then use a piece of white foam corenext to the lens and directly opposite the light source to reflect some of that light back onto the object. This way you get slight shadows coming towards the viewer and fools the eye into seeing 3 dimensions when in fact there are only two (a picture.) If you're renting strobes ask for a soft box (Chimera is a brand) for the head, then slave it to your camera using either a remote trigger or a cord.

[vinzclortho]

Nice buddy thank you!

I think just using the duvetine, side lighting and not using the flash is a good starting point for me...while I do want it to look good, it's only ebay so I probably won't go too nuts with this project but I think some basic steps can be taken to make the items look nice.

choodemang Tipp!

[dipstik]

I would recommend checking out these two articles/blog posts to help you get some more ideas, depending how far you want to take the project:

"The $10 DIY Macro Studio" http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/07...to-studio.html

"Shoot Your Shiny New Gizmo Like a Pro"
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/08...shiny-new.html

[truth]

Don't get too hung up on using a black background. High Key (white) can work just as well or better depending on the item. Either way a basic paper photo background can be just as effective and is usually pretty cheap. You might not even need to use a sterile background either. If you use DOF and create a subtle "natural" background in the bokeh.

[vinzclortho]

a good friend of mine usually has rolls and rolls of muslin and duevetine for his job but I think dipstik's first link is exactly what I'll need so I may not even need the expensive stuff.


thanks for the input guys, definitely appreciated.