Photography question.

[Thumper]

I was gonna add "for Len" to the title, but heck, I'll take advice from anybody! For my e-Bay sales, I take a lot of close-up pictures. It's really simple to be able to just set stuff on my desk or makeshift light box, snap a few pics and post them. BUT ... I have a problem I can't seem to work out. Remember, I'm a "point & shoot" guy and just have a little Nikon Coolpix (16 megapixels). Most of what I take is on the "macro" setting as people want close-up shots of what they're buying. On many items, I have a heck of a time with EVERY little flaw showing up. Heck, most of the time, the flaws aren't even visible to the naked eye. I'll usually take a pic, look at it, then say, "WTF is THAT???" I've tried flash, filtered (tissue paper) flash, indirect lighting, bright office lights or desk lamp, different angles, etc. etc. etc. Many times I can improve the shot, but I'm very seldom totally happy with it. I also get a lot of "orange" coloring on some highly reflective surfaces which sucks when I'm taking shots of razors as it looks like "brassing" which is a comon problem with razors and indicates excessive wear. Problem is, my photos show "wear" where it doesn't even exist.

Now, if I take the product outside and use bright sunlight with no flash, I get about a zillion % improvement. BUT ... it's a hassle to have to wait for daylight (I do most of my work at night) and haul everything out to the pool deck, snap pics and haul everything back upstairs to my office. Is this just the nature of the beast, or is there some simple solution I don't know about? Don't say, "Buy a zillion $$$ camera" 'cause that ain't gonna happen. The camera actually takes great pictures ... it's just these super close-ups (especially of shiny surfaces) that drive me bonkers. Flaws that don't really seem to exist, highly exaggerated "minor" flaws and that "brassy color" are my main problems with artificial light.

Any suggestions that a simple minded point & shoot guy can use? Or do I just need to learn to live with the shortcomings of a budget type camera and keep flailing blindly along?

[Captain]

I suggest you take the pictures of your stuff outside. ;)

Take Care, Captain

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

[Bwana]

What Cappy said. Either that or buy a cheapie camera that takes nasty pictures.

[LJ3]

(a) There is NO substitute for natural light.

If you get a cheapo tripod you can set on the table you can (a) put your camera on it and (2) turn your flash off so it will stop showing all the flaws. Then just get a desk lamp and slide it around the object until you have lighting you want. When you turn the flash off, the camera needs to gather more light for a correct exposure, therefore it will keep the shutter open longer, which means you have more chance for blur, hence the tripod. YOu can try it on a stack of books or something before you determine that solves your issue.

Next week's sermon will be on the difference between reflective, refractive and diffused light and how that effects you complaining about flawed products showing flaws when you zoom in and take a close up of them. WTF? :)

You can also make the picture more grainy with less definition by cranking up the ISO setting on the camera. Pretty sure you can do that with a coolpix.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I think you should put pantyhose over the lens. That'll give it that soft, whorehouse look. Its what Guccione did to help make Penthouse famous. It might work for you too!
BKB

[Buckrub]

Posthole knew who Guccione was.

Is there no end?

[Trav]

Jim make a inexspensive light box.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--wO67tpj8I&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Arty]

Dude. Ain't this dejavu?
Like same questions and same responses ?

I swear from the pantyhose to the light box to Lj's wisdom.
All seems way familiar. You double hit the morphene today?!? :headbang

[Buckrub]

2001? 1999? 2006?
I dunno, it all seems to run together lately. :slap

[Thumper]

I did the light box thing dufus, that's what we covered previously. It eliminates the "harsh" look and shadows, etc. The exaggerated flaws and "brassiness" is a whole 'nuther ballgame. Like I said, natural light is no problem ... artificial light is a bitch.

Taking "normal" pics is a no-brainer and a piece of cake. It's this "macro" crap that drives me bonkers ... both with exaggerated flaws and colors that aren't really there.

[LJ3]

Oh, I forgot about the orange thing. That's a setting called white balance. You should be able to manipulate that from the menu, too. It's a measurement of the warmth or coolness of the colors in the exposure. Each camera is a little different but you shoul dbe able to look it up easy enough for your model.

And...

A lightbox won't do anything if you're using a flash on your camera.

[Niner]

I like Len's suggestion of a tripod (or stack of books, etc).
What kind of optical zoom does that camera have....optical, not digital?

If it has much in the way of zoom, you might try backing off a bit and using the "tripod". Zoom in on the item, and turn the flash off.

Either way you go with this, I think it will involve getting out the manual and studying the settings a bit.
You might be able to play with the shutter speed and/or aperture settings too. Even on the "point and shoots"...a lot of them allow you to go into "manual" modes instead of the automatic settings.

One more ....what model of coolpix is it. We might be able to download a manual and help with the settings.

[Thumper]

Dangit! You mean I need to read the book??? That's why I bought a "point & shoot" ... so ALL I had to do is "point & shoot"! ;)

Good pointers dufes ... thanks. I guess I'll have to dig out the manual and see what it has to say. I think it's still in it's shrink wrap. :(

[Buckrub]

Fitting.