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TaffyTim

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I am planning to shoot some pics of some cricket equipment inc a bat etc.

what type of lighting is best i.e. flash, continuous, natural?

is it best to use a light tent also

any help most appreciated

TaffyTim
 
Studio flash - one large softbox - some reflectors.
 
NO.
You'll need a large softbox for it and some way to trigger it off camera - it's not the tool for this job. At best - second best. You need studio flash and a large softbox to do this properly.

Are you shooting for a particular purpose - or just for yourself?
 
helping a friend to promote his business

PS I have a softbox that hooks up to my SB600 via nikon wireless flash
 
awp said:
Studio flash - one large softbox - some reflectors.
Click to expand...
Minimum.
Better still, Lencarta;) studio flash - one large softbox - some reflectors, another studio flash with either beauty dish or honeycomb.

Forget about your hotshoe flash, with or without a softbox
 
Garry Edwards said:
Minimum.
Better still, Lencarta;) studio flash - one large softbox - some reflectors, another studio flash with either beauty dish or honeycomb.

Forget about your hotshoe flash, with or without a softbox
Click to expand...

I second all of that!
 
Garry Edwards said:
Minimum.
Better still, Lencarta;) studio flash - one large softbox - some reflectors, another studio flash with either beauty dish or honeycomb.

Forget about your hotshoe flash, with or without a softbox
Click to expand...



Garry,

Why is a studio flash more apprpriate that a off camera flash gun set up please?

PS. What cost is the Lencarta set up you mention and Do you do installments? ;)

TaffyTim
 
david1701 said:
bit harsh their I've done some jewelry stuff I kinda liked with a hotshoe flash in a softbox, though admittedly it was significantly smaller than a cricket bat
Click to expand...

I've taken pics with a box brownie - not the tool for the job nowadays though. You can 'manage' with anything with a little knowledge - but the OP asked what you need to do the job and has been given appropriate advice - he's taking pics to 'promote' a friend's business - that means shooting the best or you're not doing your friend any favours - and he is being told exactly how to do that.

In answer to TaffyTim's question above:
more power - allowing you to stop down far enough to get this subject all in focus
more power - so faster recycling time
larger light source - enough power even with big soft box
modelling lamps - so you can see the result of lighting changes during set up

If getting a studio flash set up you should budget for a flash meter too. HTH
 
But you can shoot with two 5 quid 250w halogens some white foam board and a roll of baking paper and get professional shots :shrug:
 
TaffyTim said:
Garry,

Why is a studio flash more apprpriate that a off camera flash gun set up please?

PS. What cost is the Lencarta set up you mention and Do you do installments? ;)

TaffyTim
Click to expand...

Because
1. Plenty of power, allowing the use of small apertures if required
2. Powerful modelling lamp to show you what you will get (or at least a good approximation of it)
3. Good light shaping tools that really do what it says on the tin (honeycombs in various flavours, the ability to use really large softboxes and light them evenly), fresnel spots, beauty dishes, snoots - all of which I personally use every day in product shoots.
4. Absolutely consistent power and colour temperature output, which makes life a lot easier
Cost: Say £445 for a good 2 head kit, plus £41 for a pair of honeycombs
and £100 for a 150cm softbox
Or you can try Perfectspeeds approach:)

Personally, I feel that if products are worth selling they need good photography. I bought a pair of rifle swivel fittings on Ebay last week, they were exactly what I wanted and beautifully made - but the photo in the listing was terrible and I only bought them because nobody else was selling the same thing. If your friend has no competitors then he may be able to get away with poor photography. If not...
 
Gary

Lets find out if your correct.

Lets take a shot of the exact same item, shipped and photographed with our own set up.

Your listed setup, and mine, post a poll and the winner wins the others set up.

Mine will be foam board, baking sheet, two 250w halogen lights and a 430EXII.

You on.
 
It'd be nice to see the comparisson as I think that product stuff is something that the nature and position of the reflectors has a lot more to do with the image than the quality of the light source itself
 
PerfectSpeed said:
Gary

Lets find out if your correct.

Lets take a shot of the exact same item, shipped and photographed with our own set up.

Your listed setup, and mine, post a poll and the winner wins the others set up.

Mine will be foam board, baking sheet, two 250w halogen lights and a 430EXII.

You on.
Click to expand...

:popcorn:
 
I have to say that I think this job could be done perfectly adequately with a hot-shoe gun, a decent softbox and a couple of reflectors IF you know what you're doing. Though it's a big if.

There is no fundamental difference between a hot-shoe flash and a studio unit. It's just a light source. I use studio units and custom modifiers because they are easy and convenient, but if I had all day, I could bodge up something just as good with a couple of lamps, a roll of greaseproof paper and some tin foil. The subject doesn't know the difference. I'm sure Garry and awp could do the same ;)

In my experience, most product shots end up with a fair amount of Heath Robinson style DIY regardless of the amount of professional kit to hand.
 
HoppyUK said:
I have to say that I think this job could be done perfectly adequately with a hot-shoe gun, a decent softbox and a couple of reflectors IF you know what you're doing. Though it's a big if.

There is no fundamental difference between a hot-shoe flash and a studio unit. It's just a light source. I use studio units and custom modifiers because they are easy and convenient, but if I had all day, I could bodge up something just as good with a couple of lamps, a roll of greaseproof paper and some tin foil. The subject doesn't know the difference. I'm sure Garry and awp could do the same ;)

In my experience, most product shots end up with a fair amount of Heath Robinson style DIY regardless of the amount of professional kit to hand.
Click to expand...

All true.
And I'm sure that Jenson Button could go round a F1 track faster and better than me if we swopped cars (and if I knew how to drive his car).
But using the wrong tools for the job just doesn't make sense even if the person doing the job is an expert. And compromises often need to be made, which might make the finished result acceptable for 'own use' but not for the client.

Quite a few years ago I had nothing, after coming out of a disasterous business partnership, and had to start again. I managed by using 30 years of knowledge and skill instead equipment - but it wasn't fun and it wasn't efficient because
a. Every took far too long to do
b. I couldn't take on all the work I was offered
c. I couldn't do all the work I was offered.
 
All true.

But I don't think it's fair to say that you need £500 of kit just to do one shot of a cricket bat when you can get by with a bit of effort - and skill. Knowledge is the key, and you can't buy that.
 
Guys, thanks for the feedback so far,

What about continuous lighting ? I thought this may be acceptable for product photography (Garry - such as your QUADSTAR Softbox Light:thinking:)

TaffyTim
 
TaffyTim said:
Guys, thanks for the feedback so far,

What about continuous lighting ? I thought this may be acceptable for product photography (Garry - such as your QUADSTAR Softbox Light:thinking:)

TaffyTim
Click to expand...
Continuous lighting IS an option, provided that you have the camera on a tripod. The problem with it is that it can ONLY produce fairly soft lighting (you can remove the diffuser to make the light a bit harder and move it a bit further away but this isn't as versatile as using tools like honeycombs to reveal texture, add emphasis etc.
But it may be a good compromise for you, given that the budget is limited.
 
To be honest I did my last pics in natural light but wanted the advantage of doing pics in the evening ( i.e. dark nights) in my garage (poor light).

But take your point....
 
TaffyTim said:
To be honest I did my last pics in natural light but wanted the advantage of doing pics in the evening ( i.e. dark nights) in my garage (poor light).

But take your point....
Click to expand...
Natural light is fine but...
It needs to suit the subject (hazy sunshine, or bright sunshine, or cloudy)
And all of these conditions can be created very easily in the studio without waiting for the weather to change
And it needs to come from the right direction, and sometimes that isn't possible at all, or you may need to get up before dawn or wait until sunset. In the studio, we achieve this just by changing the position of the light

In other words, in the studio we can achieve any lighting conditions that can be achieved naturally, we can also have extra lights from different directions and we can do it all very easily
 
TaffyTim said:
I am planning to shoot some pics of some cricket equipment inc a bat etc.

what type of lighting is best i.e. flash, continuous, natural?

is it best to use a light tent also

any help most appreciated

TaffyTim
Click to expand...

depending of the size of the equipment, light tent (light box) may work just fine.
continuos light is "easier" then flashes, but if you use tungsten make sure you product are not heat sensitive.
as you mentioned, natural is a good option, too. you can get away with a few reflectors and diffusing panels.
 
Garry Edwards said:
In other words, in the studio we can achieve any lighting conditions that can be achieved naturally, we can also have extra lights from different directions and we can do it all very easily
Click to expand...
Sounds like it's getting quite expensive to re event the wheel :eek:

Factoring in a studio (extra space) now as well as the extra money for extra lights, backdrops, flags, etc etc etc to recreate what is just outside our front door, which is free :shrug:

You did not answer my request Gary either way yes or no, which I find rude BTW.
 
PerfectSpeed said:
You did not answer my request Gary either way yes or no, which I find rude BTW.
Click to expand...
If it's rude of me not to respond to your request then I apologise. I will not be taking up your offer.
 
As it happens I now own a softbox for my SB600 courtesy of Flash In The Pan.

I think I'll try this cheaper option first

TaffyTim
 
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