Natural Window Light

August 12, 2011

Natural Window Light 

(and Some Attention to Detail)

     I mentioned a few days ago that I would talk about using daylight to photograph toys. So today's instalment is just about that. I'll also talk about paying attention to detail, which I'll explain later.

     I'm using skylight and not direct sunlight. The reason for this is that the indirect lighting is softer and has less contrast than direct sunlight. I guess I'll talk about direct sunlight in another instalment.

Here's our sunroom.

I just realized a mistake. I set my camera for daylight, but notice the tint of the blue curtain!

I should have did a custom white balance. That's where you place a white car in the photo, and set your camera to "white balance" for the light present.

Here are some different reflectors that I use to:

1. Fill in shadows

2. Create highlights (bright shine) to my small toys

The matt silver reflector is made by me. Matt is less-reflective and subtler than the shiny silver reflector. Sometimes just a "tinge" of fill light or a very soft reflection is better than the shinier one. 

The materials are shiny silver reflectors, Foamcore, and an aerosol spray adhesive that you may buy at an art store. 

Foamcore is simply flat sheets of styrofoam that have white cardboard on both sides. If the cost is too much, then you can use corrugated cardboard as the backing, and rubber cement with a brush applicator.

Make sure to apply the glue evenly, and then use a brush or plastic scraper to flatten the reflector sheet to the Foamcore or corrugated cardboard.

Notice the blue tint in the reflectors. They're from the blue tinted shade.

   The very shiny reflectors are cardboards that come with smoked salmon which 

is on my top 20 favourite foods. Notice that 1 side is silver, and the other is gold. Most of the time I use a white or silver reflector. However, if I was to photograph gold objects.then a gold reflector would create the proper tone or colour of reflection. White is acceptable, but not silver since the silver would create silver reflections on a gold surface.

Photo # 1

Just the straightforward skylight

Photo # 2

A reflector off to the side adds:

a. Detail to the shadow

b. Creates a nice highlight

Photo # 3

1 Reflector on top, with the other reflector off to the side

a. The # 1 reflector to the side create the highlight and fills in the shadows

b. the # 2 overhead reflector creates a small highlight

Photo # 1

Daylight only

Photo # 2

Daylight and reflector off to the side

Photo # 3

Daylight and side reflector and back reflector

Photo # 4

Same as # 3, but reflector is not showing now

Photo # 5

All 3 reflectors in the photo*

*This is a major error!

One never hand holds a reflector! 

Why?

1. You can't see the reflection if you're off to the side holding a reflector

2. You will create vibration by having the reflector sitting on the table while you hold it.

A before and after set of photos

Some Attention to Detail Notes

I'll introduce "attention to Detail" gradually since it's not a topic for everyone. This is one of the factors that makes a professional photographer what he or she is. I'm sure some of you will undoubtedly say- "Well I can do that in Photoshop". That's true, but remember that takes time, and to a photographer time is money!

So what attention to detail am I doing above? 

The foundation that the car is sitting on is a place matt for eating in our sunroom/eating room.

Those tiny spots on the wood are food crumbs.

In this pair of photos, the difference is quite obvious.

Again, some of you may disagree with my choice, but the darker place matt is better.

Why?

Being darker, the car presents itself better that the lighter place matt.

     

Examining a Newly-Acquired Toy

July 29, 2011


Today's instalment has to do with the examination of a newly-acquired toy. Sometimes, there's no blame to place on an e-Bay seller or any other source or person for buying. Unless you are actually "on the spot", you can't really judge a photo by it's photo.


However, items do arrive, and I photograph them for re-sale. What then happens is that you start to see defects, dents, missing parts, and cracks that weren't described with the original write-up or description. Not everyone will spend the time or have the time to describe toys with all of their "faults", and some people just won't! However, I try and think that most people are in fact honest.


Today, with instant results form your digital camera, and with being able to magnify any image by 5x 0r 400%, any faults may be detected. However, if you use a side lighting or texture lighting, you most certainly will bring out any dent,bend, hole, or breakage in most items.


Side lighting or texture lighting have the lighting positioned at an angle to skim light off the side of the surface. Consequently, there will be lots of bright areas (highlights) and dark areas (shadows). Use a flashlight to save time if you do not photograph many images of your item for sale or resale. Positioning the flashlight at a sharp angle will surely bring out the texture and all faults!

A newly-acquired Tootsietoy Vintage Truck

If you magnify the above image, you'll see that even I photograph the item properly with good detail all over. That means that there are not deep shadows. However, softer or flatter lighting, doesn't bring out the faults. I will describe them in my description.

So let's look at 2 different light set-ups - 1 is texture, and the other is flat.

Flat Lighting

The 2 dents on each side panel toward the end do not show well.

Texture Lighting

With this lighting, the dents in the panels present themselves better.

Flat Lighting

The larger and smaller dents in the roof do not show

Texture Lighting

The larger and smaller dents in the roof show very well.

Texture Lighting 

 A different angle of the subject to the light and camera.

The larger dent really shows well, but the small dent does not.

So you can see how changing the light position, as well as the subject position can help bring out the faults of an old toy.

There's 1 more thing to mention. That is, breaks or faults that won't necessarily appear through lighting or that both the seller and the buyer might not be aware of.

The seller did inform me of the dents in the roof, and the crack just above the windshield, between the first and second light.

But can toy tell what additional problem there is here?

The front window centre post was broken off!

I created the missing part in Photoshop.

So if you're a buyer or seller:

1. Carefully check your toys before either buying or selling. 

2. Always ask questions! 

a. Most sellers will answer your questions.

b. Give the seller plenty of time to answer!

3. Buy books or do a search for a photo of this toy on the Net.

a. This will help you determine the condition and how much you are willing to pay.

b. Will show you what a toy in better condition looks like and what parts it has or hasn't.