Panasonic LUMIX FH22 & Capturing Accurate Color

[anitainflorida]

HELP! I have a couple small eBay stores that I started recently where I sell children's clothing worldwide. I am desperately trying to capture accurate color on these items, and I spend HOURS and HOURS taking pictures of the same item only to end up with a mediocre picture. I own a Panasonic Lumix FH22 14 megapixel camera that I recently purchased. I also own fluorescent lights and shoot through umbrellas. I've tried changing the exposure setting and the ISO setting on the camera with little success. Pinks don't turn out bright enough, darker colors end up overexposed with too much light or they look like big blobs with no detail with too little light. I can't seem to find the in between where the item actually looks like it's supposed to. Oh, and even with a tripod, my pictures turn out a little blurry. I cannot figure out what I am doing wrong. I was told by someone that I should adjust the shutter speed on the camera, but I can't figure out how to do that with my camera. It may not even be possible. My camera has many "scenes" to choose from that may incorporate the different shutter speeds, but I'm not even sure. Does anyone know if it's even possible to manually control the shutter speed on my camera? And do you think that would solve my problem. I see other pictures of the same items that I'm selling that look AMAZING, but I can't figure out what the other people are doing that I'm not. Is the problem my camera, or is the problem the fact that I just don't know much about photography? Thanks.....

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by anitainflorida

Is the problem my camera, or is the problem the fact that I just don't know much about photography? Thanks.....

More than likely a bit of both.

Get white balance right: the FH22 does have a white balance control. Use that to get whites white. It doesn't, however, give you full control over things. Which may be a limiting factor.

If youre using a tripod and still getting blur, it could still be blur. Try using a 2s timer, and make sure wind currents arent moving through the room, moving the subjects.