Some Test Shots

[TruthAnalyzed]

My wife and I are starting a business, mostly going to be selling wedding dresses, but we are looking at jewelry as well.

I need to make a trip for materials to make a light tent for product shots, but I was bored, so I converted my son's white toy chest into a temporary box just to play around. The fork is something a friend of ours makes and sells. She makes all sorts of flatware and similar items this way. This particular fork she calls the 'mother-in-law' model.(guess why)

First shot is just with the on-board flash, to show how much I hate on-board flash.
Second shot is the same, using a single external light bounced into the toy chest.
Third shot is the same, but a necklace.





I shot these in jpg, not RAW, and I didn't apply any color/lighting adjustments to the images. Soon as I build my light tent, I'll get a grey card, and make sure my white balance and lighting are perfect. Oh yeah, I'm not going to use the purple in the final images either, I'll go neutral

Next up, probably next week, I'll start doing test shots with the wedding dresses on a dress form. Any thoughts/comments appreciated.

[Speck Tater]

1. Here's a nifty DIY lightbox

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/07/how-to-diy-10-macro-photo-studio.html

Made by cutting rectangular holes in a sturdy cardboard box and covering them with tracing paper.



On edit: and here's the full size one that would work for dresses:

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2012/07/build-diy-portable-north-light-photo.html

[TruthAnalyzed]

2. Thanks

I love strobist. I used to do semi-professional semi-freelance part-time work, about the time that strobist was a year old or so. Learned a lot from that site.

I need to actually build two lightboxes, one will be about 2'x2', similar to the first you posted, the second about 3'x3'.

For the dresses, I have a whole studio setup in our front room. It's not ideal, but it's 80% ideal

[alfredo]

3. I made one like the top image. I used both white and black backgrounds.

[Speck Tater]

4. I have a whole thick book of different color construction paper

for my backgrounds. I hang them with little clips so I can change backgrounds quickly.

[alfredo]

5. I don't do much still life or other such things needing a light box, but

I can put something together when needed.

[Speck Tater]

6. What I like about it is...

when I can't find a good photo subject I can make one.

[alfredo]

7. Dad's old watches gave me some macro practice.

[Major Nikon]

8. I actually use the built-in flash quite a bit

Almost never do I use it as a key light, but for fill it works fine. If you have a camera that supports off camera wireless flash control, you can do wonders with a single stobe and the built-in.

[canonfodder]

9. Agreed

You're right.
TA should give that a shot, and see ahat happens.
Maybe if we talk nice, he'll give it a try.