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Incredible pictures, how do you make them?

  1. omegalover123 Dec 8, 2016

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    I am starting to learn about how to make good watch photographs, I bought a Canon 100mm L Macro, 3 big 6500K lights but I can not get anywhere near results like this photo:

    [​IMG]

    I use a tripod, but can not get the focus to be everywhere like on this photo.

    Also the watch looks like it floats, it looks really cool?

    Anybody knows how to make a photo like this?
     
  2. grizzlycanuck Dec 8, 2016

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    Wow thats a nice lens...........it's practice, practice, practice. You need to experiment.

    It's not really the equipment, but more the operator I think.

    You will get amazing macro with that lens, and I would practice with different settings and depth of fields.

    Personally it's still a work in progress, but it's fun trying!
     
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  3. kkt Dec 8, 2016

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    Google about "depth of field" to learn about getting the whole watch in focus at once.
     
  4. BlackTalon This Space for Rent Dec 8, 2016

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    Lay watch on black cloth, diffuse the light, set depth of field correctly (i.e., do not rely on auto setting -- go manual), use the right lens, etc.
     
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  5. ulackfocus Dec 8, 2016

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    Macro lens or not, did you push the flower button on the camera?
     
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  6. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Dec 8, 2016

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    Full open aperture will give you the largest/deepest depth of field to keep more in focus. Shoot the camera in aperture priority i.e. Not shutter speed and that should help. That will keep everything in focus. Also some of Professional pictures are then worked on in photoshop. From simple level adjusting to dodge and burn you can create huge differences. Post one of your pictures I'll show you what photoshop can do in about 5 minutes. You will be surprised.
     
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  7. barmy Dec 8, 2016

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    Look into using a Lightbox. It makes lighting reflective objects a lot easier. I've used a cardboard box with it's sides and top cut out. Fill the holes in the box with tissue paper. And place you lights for intensity.
     
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  8. alam Dec 8, 2016

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    is the other way around, smaller apertures (larger f/stop number) will provide the largest depth of field...
     
  9. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Dec 8, 2016

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    Same thing just phrased it differently fully open is lower number. ;)

    EDIT

    I AM DUMB
     
    Edited Dec 8, 2016
  10. alam Dec 8, 2016

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    is your initial statement that's not correct ;)
     
    dof2.png
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  11. AAAKK First listing in the ΩF B2B phone book Dec 8, 2016

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    Labour intensive but I've found this set up works well

    lawrence_camera_FINAL.jpeg
     
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  12. Deafboy His Holiness Puer Surdus Dec 8, 2016

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    Nice setup. Where do you find all the little people?
     
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  13. alam Dec 8, 2016

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    only the best and very successful casting directors can be that resourceful...

    :D
     
    Screen Shot 2016-12-08 at 8.39.19 PM.png
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  14. Modest_Proposal Trying too hard to be one of the cool kids Dec 8, 2016

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    As said by others, the depth of field is something you're going to have to work with manually. One trick to help you learn is to take a picture - change the f stop, take another picture, change the f stop again... and do that for every f stop position. Then you can compare them side by side and see the differences in near-real time.

    Although sterile light boxes have their place - I tend to like to use a more natural environment with natural lighting. You might be amazed with the results. Certain times of the day are best - and you want to be near a window (though not too close and maybe at an angle, to avoid large reflections).
     
    IMG_1493.JPG
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  15. CanberraOmega Rabbitohs and Whisky Supporter Dec 8, 2016

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    An iPhone6 with a cheap macro lens attachment can produce great photos IMG_0345.JPG IMG_1307.JPG
     
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  16. ulackfocus Dec 8, 2016

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    Same here - indirect natural light and a little reflection add depth to a picture.
     
  17. Deafboy His Holiness Puer Surdus Dec 9, 2016

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    A few comments:
    - The OP pictures shows a black background. Analyzing the pixels value in Photoshop, all the pixels are "pure" black (RGB= 0,0,0), meaning the original background was most certainly digitally removed in postprocessing (such as Photoshop).
    - The colors and texture of the watch and strap look somewhat processed to me. It's very attractive for sure. If you want a similar effect then play with process filters. I use a Photoshop plug-in called Color Efex.
    - As others suggested, use a small aperture for the increased depth of field (f11 or smaller).
    - The object is lit mainly from diffused source (like a lightbox or even a ringlight) close to the camera. We can deduce the orientation of the source from the specular reflection of the rightmost lug in the picture, where the pixels are saturated (255,255,255)
    - All lenses (even the best) exhibit softness in small details to varying degree. In engineering parlance the lens behaves as spatial frequency low pass filter and is quantitatively measured via the modulation transfer function (MTF). To correct for this you can use a sharpening filter such as "unsharp mask" filter in Photoshop. I usually do this as the final step in postprocessing (after scaling and cropping) and use a radius of 0.7-0.9 pixel and play around with the other two sliders for the desired sharpness. For this step it is most important to work at pixel magnification of 100% (field in lower left corner in the image window in Photoshop).
    - Learn to shoot and process in RAW format

    Have fun!

    Michel
     
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  18. Interstatetime Dec 11, 2016

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    Macro pictures and particularly macro pictures of shiny objects are the most difficult pictures to learn how to take. Photographers who get paid to take these pictures actually still get paid...which tells you something. I agree with Deafboy/Michel above. This picture started out as a good picture but it was made a lot better in post processing. When I say that I am not making a negative comment. Far from it. I am a professional photographer and I can't remember the last time I did not post process a photo. Don't expect to be able to take a photo like the one you posted just because you bought a nice camera and lens. The camera and lens may actually make your job more difficult. Don't expect to be able to take a photo like the one you posted...by practicing for a couple of days. Have fun. Work at it. Get Adobe Photoshop and learn how to use it. You will get there... Have fun.

    JohnCote
     
  19. Larry S Color Commentator for the Hyperbole. Dec 11, 2016

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    I would never buy a watch based on that picture. I'd rather see an honest shot in natural light.
     
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  20. Interstatetime Dec 11, 2016

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    Unless I know the seller/photographer I would almost never buy a watch based on any picture. How honest a photo is has very little to do with whether it is taken in natural light or intentionally lit or whether it has been post processed or not.

    Anyway, I don't think the original question was about making pictures to sell watches. I think...the poster just wanted to know how to take good watch pix.

    JCote
     
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