First shots with a lightbox and tripod

[Frankie's Mom]

Hello!

I am VERY new at this photography thing. My husband recently bought me my first DSLR (Nikon D3000) and I've just started using a lightbox and tripod (Manfrotto 486RC2). I'm an avid scrapbooker/paper-crafter and I've just started selling some of my work. I'd like to take "professional" looking photos of my product to show potential clients.

This weekend I began documenting my most recent project - a wedding mini album. Here are a couple of shots that I'd like some feedback on....to me they look over exposed. I was playing around with shutter speed (2.5), but left everything else alone.

Thx!



http://s43.photobucket.com/albums/e3...0Mini%20Album/

[tyasa81]

Originally Posted by Frankie's Mom

#0 Hello!

#1 I've just started using a lightbox

This weekend I began documenting my most recent project - a wedding mini album.
#2 to me they look over exposed.
#3 I was playing around with shutter speed (2.5), but left everything else alone.

#0 Hello!

#1 what sort of lightbox is that? is it just a tent of translucent material? what are you using to light it?

#2 it does look a bit washed out... try pulling back and adding contrast.. the picture looks fuzzy... how did you focus? or is the tripod not stable?

#3 why are you playing with shutter speed? it's not a moving object, so a 1/200 or a 10sec wont make a great difference... use the shutter speed to get correct exposure while you play with aperture for different dof in this case... keep iso at minimum since you are using a tripod..

[Frankie's Mom]

This is the lightbox kit I have (nothing fancy, just something to get my started):

Optex Portable Photo Studio Kit : Broadway Camera, Your Specialty Camera Store in Vancouver, Canada

The only reason why I used that crazy shutter speed was at the advice of my (also inexperienced) husband - he figured this was a good way to let more light in since my previous complaint was dark photos. I don't remember how I focused in this case...(I took so many shots of this same subject!). ISO was set at 100.

[tyasa81]

Originally Posted by Frankie's Mom

#1 This is the lightbox kit I have

#2 that crazy shutter speed was a good way to let more light in since my previous complaint was dark photos.

#3 I don't remember how I focused in this case...(I took so many shots of this same subject!).

#4 ISO was set at 100.

#1 looks basic... so i'm guessing you are using the lightbulbs provided... it's fine for now... so no comments on this... you'll know when you've outgrown it...

#2 i'm assuming you haven't got a good grasp on the exposure triangle? please do read up on it.. there's a good article on it here in dps, beginner lesson... it's a very long explanation otherwise...

#3 i'm not sure if you know how to do this, but product shots like this on a tripod, it's easier to use live view and manual focus so you definitely get the focus right... read up on your manual to find out how to do this... your camera should be capable to do this --- sorry i just read again that it's d3000...there's no live view... so i guess you just use your autofocus selected at a point...

#4 great! now what's your aperture?

homework: read up on exposure... and since you ask if it is overexposed, i'm guessing you haven't read up on histogram... you need to understand these 2 at least to be able to understand what others are talking about if they give you a critique... hope that helps

[Frankie's Mom]

Thanks for your help! I'm in the processes of reading a book on my particular camera. I don't believe I've reached the part about histograms yet, but I realize this is one thing I need to gain an understanding of. I also have a book on exposure, but it seems a little advanced for me at this time.

[autofocus]

Most people would suggest to meter off the subject and use that setting to shoot in manual. But, being that this is all so new to you, have you tried to shoot it in full auto mode to see how that would yield?...might just work out better for you if you let the camera make some of those decisions until you get a better grasp on things

[Frankie's Mom]

I did try leaving the camera on Auto and the results were quite dark. This is why I decided to venture over to the other settings and give that a try. I'm wondering if I turned the VR off the lens and putting it back to Auto would make much of a difference??

[Physibeth]

I don't know a thing about light boxes and such yet, but for something like this I would put your camera in aperture priority and play with the aperture. I would go to this sites main page and click on the tips for beginner photographers and read through it all. I found it all very helpful.

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by Frankie's Mom

I did try leaving the camera on Auto and the results were quite dark. This is why I decided to venture over to the other settings and give that a try. I'm wondering if I turned the VR off the lens and putting it back to Auto would make much of a difference??

Nope..VR has nothing to do with exposure, but if you are using a tripod you can turn it off. What ISO did you shoot it at? Really hard to make an assessment of the problem not knowing how bright that box is. I would think it should provide ample light for what you are doing. Your original image could probably be improved in photoshop...did you try any editing?

[Frankie's Mom]

I haven't tried editing yet...I was trying to get the best shot I could before altering it. Also, Photoshop is relatively new to me as well