How to take a good "PICTURE"?

Dear Members....Many of us, including myself, need help or guidence on how the others obtain such nice quality pictures of their work. Some actually look 'studio' quality. Well, any tips, suggestions, lighting techniques, etc. would be appreciated by many of us. Coffeeman

[woody01]

Coffeeman,

I use a 35MM camera (Canon A-1) mounted on a tripod and two lights.
I use a burlap cloth as the background and base of the carving. Have the background 12 to 18 inches back from the carving. Shine the lights from both sides of the carving in such a way as to have the shadows directed away from the carvings.
Set the camera to use an Aperture of F11 for a good depth of field.

Woody01

[woodenleg]

Woody, is that white burlap cloth? Where do you buy it? Thanks

I don't think my pics will quallify as that 'studio quality ' pictures, but some of them are OK. I use 2 cameras, one a Canon OES with auto functions. I set this either for the landscape or portrait function. Completely different f-stops, but either seems to work. Getting outside in natural light seems to work well, as it pretty well eliminates shadows, if I stay out of direct sunlight. Inside I use flash, and for pieces with semi, or gloss finishes, shoot a bit obliquly and use a polarizing filter. that cuts the glare, some.

The other camera is a REALLY cheap Aiptek digital. This little critter just needs LOTS of light. Two reflector lights and overhead flourescent work pretty well.

Most scans from the 35 work right from the scanner.....if the pic is good on paper, it works for scanning. The digital ones all are worked over with the digital enhancemant software, and that can make a pretty funky picture look really nice.

Al

[woody01]

Woodenleg,

I use a tan Burlap purchased at Jo Ann Fabrics. It is about 45' wide X 6' long. I will try to post a picture done using this method on the picturetrail site

Woody01

The picture is in the Holiday Grouping.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Nice burlap woody......errrr wrap that santa in the burlap and send it to me for further examination :

[woody01]

Hi_Ho_Silver

You can have a good close look at my carvings anytime you want, just stop at my place in Lombard. We can have some refreshments and discuss how to inprove my carving and painting.


Woody01

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

I would love to....no carvers around here to talk to ! :-[

[santagibbs]

I guess I will throw my two cents in also..I Charlotte make the pictures around here. I have an old SLR, 35 mm and it has an exsposure meter built in it. I always take my pictures outside because of getting the best light. The middle of the day is a bad time to shoot because of the glare, so I wait until later in the day when our back deck is in the complete shade, and I have good light, around 2:00 pm. I set up a drape of something soft and use the colors that blend with our Santas. I go to Wal Mart and buy their 1.00 a yard polester material and it drapes very well.
We also have a Kodak digtal zoom 4800, with 3.1 pixels. It's nice because we can see our pictures right away. You can get very close for detail. Then if you have made a mistake and I usualy do, you can just go outside and make more.. Which I usualy have too..lol I spent two days trying to get the Nutcracker right. Now does that tell you how bad a photographer I am? :-/

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

The easiest way for me to take a good picture ....is don't stand in front of the lens LOL :