Still life photography .....?

[AndyA]

With the dark nights and cold weather looming, I have a hankering to try some still life photography, but I'm fairly sure I don't have all the necessary equipment. I don't have any flash guns, I don't have a light tent, deflectors or the like. How can still life photography be done with just the basics, a torch, maybe a table lamp and a backdrop?

Would anyone care to share some tips and knowledge?

I've managed to scrounge an old Hessian sack from a farmer, for a backdrop and I've borrowed my wife's 'emergency' LED torch ... which is way too bright by the way. Here's a couple of 1st attempts.

As is obvious, there are some very noticeable light trails shown on the bottle and glass, how do I prevent that?

Shot in manual, around a 10 sec exposure.



Another go, with less reflective objects.

AF mode, using the kitchen lights and a quick 'brush' over with the LED torch.


Tomatoes by Andy Aveyard, on Flickr

[DeeGee]

Re: Still life photography .....?

I rather like the effect of the light on the bottle and glass, but you could try
a. piece of a4 white paper infront of the light if its bright.
b. white plastic bag/I've also used grey
c. One of the net "thingies" that you use to cover food on the patio - a pound shop special.

I have a tent - but my lights on my first shots are plain halogen desk lamps and on occasion a torch. LED torches are blue or bright white - sometimes the old fashioned spot desk light gives a much warmer look and doesn't break the bank.

Just my thoughts.

edited to swap the photo for one with hessian.

[digiman]

Re: Still life photography .....?

As is obvious, there are some very noticeable light trails shown on the bottle and glass, how do I prevent that?

Stop moving the light!! Before you said about the light trails being a mistake, I was thinking they looked pretty cool Really like your backdrop too.

With regards to the lighting, I am no expert, but I used light bounced off of a white card. This would also get rid of your sharp reflections. A diffuser of some kind, like a light tracing paper maybe(?), would be a start also. From what little knowledge I've gained re lighting, any light source can be manipulated to suit your needs. I have done lots of experiments with various reflectors and standard houshold lamps. It's good fun!

I am sure someone will be along soon with a far better intro than I!

Good luck,

Garry

[AndyA]

Re: Still life photography .....?

Thanks Di and Garry for your replies.

I'd held 2 pieces of folded kitchen tissue over the torch, but it was still way too bright.

This is the style that I'd like to try and recreate, Harold Ross has some fantastic images. I love his outdoor light painting shots. http://haroldrossfineart.wordpress.c...ser-is-softer/

[paulr5604]

Re: Still life photography .....?

NIce shots Andy. Your more than welcome to borrow my flashgun and/or my studio lights if you want to have a play.

[AndyA]

Re: Still life photography .....?

That's very kind Paul, but I wouldn't even know where to start with a flashgun. I'm hoping to be able to achieve some reasonable shots, but just using the basics. Maybe if I get to like still life photography, I'll look at getting real kit in the future.

[paulr5604]

Re: Still life photography .....?

No problem Andy if you change your mind the offer is always open

[Paulstw]

Re: Still life photography .....?

Andy I like the rustic look. I think these would be lit from the side at 90 degrees to the sensor. Two lights on either side. Glasses are a nightmare to light, so the light just wraps around the shape. Direct light reflects whereas side lighting can't. One of the reasons I bought wireless triggers was for this sort of thing, but I haven't really used them lol

[Muscat]

Re: Still life photography .....?

Andy, I started doing still life with 2 cheap desk lamps with directional reflectors. As Paul has mentioned by having the lights not directly in front of the subject you can better manage shadows and reflections.

I also then added light painting as you tried but with a less powerful LED torch, I think mine cost about £3:50 including the batteries, I used one of the desk lamps at quite a distance to give some basic flat illumination and then used the torch to add the local light and shadow details. A white handkerchief over the torch reduces the glare and softens the light.

I never had much success with using a torch for lighting glass due to similar problems that you experienced, for glass I prefer to use a separate static light.

if you want you can make a small 'light tent' very cheaply by obtaining a large cardboard box and cutting out the sides, back and top and covering these with some white cloth or grease proof paper to diffuse the light, it is not perfect but can be quite effective.

reflectors can also be made cheaply, I often use a sheet of white paper or off cut from a photo mount, if you want a different style of reflected light try using a piece of aluminium baking foil, it gives a very strong and pretty directional reflected light source.

the main thing is go and play you may need to use longish exposures but putting the camera on a tripod allows this, to reduce shake lock up the mirror before taking the shot and trigger the shutter by the 2 or 10 second delay.

hope this is of some use

[AndyA]

Re: Still life photography .....?

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

[Montana 5]

Re: Still life photography .....?

Do you like Pizza, the white circular polystyrene packaging the pizza sits on, make great reflectors for still life set ups, I keep two of them with my Light Tent.

Doug.

[pelliott1954]

Re: Still life photography .....?

Great excuse for having a Pizza Doug!!!

I really like this sort of thread, always full of ideas and innovation.

Andy, light tents can be had really cheap on Ebay, mine is about 80cm and came with about four different colour backdrops which you velcro in to the back of the Tent, I forget how much but only a few quid. The big test however is getting it back in the bag!!! That part should be on the Krypton Factor!!

Regards Paul

[DeeGee]

Re: Still life photography .....?

The big test however is getting it back in the bag!!! That part should be on the Krypton Factor!!

Regards Paul

You forgot the bit, where it springs back up. Bends your little finger back and smacks you in the nose.

[rcarca]

Re: Still life photography .....?

I like the ideas. Like you I have no lights - although I do have a flash. But I am interested in all the good comments on make-do lighting.

One comment/question on the second photograph - could you shut the aperture down a bit to get a better DoF through all of the fruit/veg?

Best

Richard