Photography help needed ....

[mops]

Chaps - not sure if this is the right place to post this but couldnt find anywhere else

ok - i'm no photographer by any stretch.........like really not - however, as some of you know i run a monthly magazine, but as it's quite new i have to take photos myself - when i say i'm no photographer, i mean in the sense of lighting, rule of 3rds etc - the technical side i'm fine with, it's not working the camera it's taking the pictures - so my problem is that i am needing to take pictures next week of individual items across 4 or 5 shops - like shoes, hats, purses etc - so i go along to the shop and get the item - and ????

should i take a prop along like a blank sheet so there's no confusing background?
white or black background?

see - told you - i'm useless

i'll be using my bf's nikon, it's one of the newest ones, not the latest, but the one before i think - he cant take them for me as he'll be working - so it's left to me......dumbnuts !

any suggestions?

thanks guys .................. again

[MrJaemz]

Bring along a white sheet for a backdrop or black (whatever looks better) and this will allow for easy tracing and removal of the background later in Photoshop. If you're not needing to cut the images out of the background then shoot it against an interesting, but simple background in the store somewhere as well. You'll have to compose the shot so it looks interesting. Try a short depth of field too, so the background is out of focus, and the main object jumps out. Light from one side so you get nice shadows on the opposite side. It'll give the photos depth.

Good luck,
James

[mops]

Hi James - oh thank you so much, you've really helped - they'll need to be cut out as i have to go to a few different outlets taking these pictures - i'll try both backdrops and see what comes out the best - i'll let you know - again thanks very much, mops ;)

james - where are you from? (dont have to answer that if you dont want to dont worry) - it's just we have a thread going at the moment in general chat about how hot it is lately - pop over and join us - we're all melting !!!:)

[mops]

Hi James - oh thank you so much, you've really helped - they'll need to be cut out as i have to go to a few different outlets taking these pictures - i'll try both backdrops and see what comes out the best - i'll let you know - again thanks very much, mops ;)

james - where are you from? (dont have to answer that if you dont want to dont worry) - it's just we have a thread going at the moment in general chat about how hot it is lately - pop over and join us - we're all melting !!!:)

[mops]

James - these are the threads we're on - alternatively find us in 'a place to mingle':

http://www.layersmagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=920

&

http://www.layersmagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=915

Join us - it's a good place to get to know the others on here - they're all very lovely, they've been excellent support to me since i've been on here - would have got my business together without them - they're a great bunch - come on over.......

[MrJaemz]

Glad I could help...

If you're going to cut the images out, I'd probably go with a white backdrop since it will reflect local light on the object and act as a weak backlight.

BTW, I'm in BC, Canada. Not too hot, not too cold, just right.

James

[The Repro Kid]

BC Canada, now there's a place I've been to, it's very nice. Sorry no world traveling for me, how the h#ll do you people afford all that?

I was going to suggest a shallow depth of field as well mops, and sometimes this can be faked or accentuated with some Gaussian or motion blur in Photoshop. But if you're KO'ing then go with the white background.

And we'll get ready for the KO'ing questions ;)

[djkay]

Hi

I'm a photographer but not the best but I agree with james, bring along a white background, it will be so much easier to remove in photoshop rather than a complicated background.

Don't forget to make more than one shot of what you take and use the ones you think are best, different angles will be good too.

Also fi you dont have white sheets then do what james said look for a interesting wall.

Keep you lighting just right as well.

I hope I was some help.