Product photography

[Skoropada]

I'm trying to improve my product photography and I believe that I can handle the angles, the focusing and the light, but I don't seem to achieve the cleanliness the product photos deserve.

I've tried cleaning the product with a dry cloth, with wet cloths and with tissue papers. I also used a brush some times but I couldn't remove all the dust in there.

Maybe it's because I'm not patient enough and because everything I shot were used and somehow old.
I know that some of it should be removed in PP but I want to minimize that.

Is there any tips for cleaning for this king of photos? Should I work more in PP?

Looking forward to your comments.

Thanks!

[zona5101]

What are the items or type of products you're shooting?
Got an example to post?
Is your shooting environment exceptionally dusty?
You may be able to "hide" some of the dust through background choice and lighting.

[Doug Sundseth]

You might want to try an anti-static spray. You might be building up a static charge on the object you're photographing which then attracts new dust the moment you take the cloth away.

[Skoropada]

Originally Posted by zona5101

What are the items or type of products you're shooting?
Got an example to post?
Is your shooting environment exceptionally dusty?
You may be able to "hide" some of the dust through background choice and lighting.

I don't have many product pictures online, but a close example can be found on my flickr gear album ("Equipos" in spanish). My access to flickr from the office is limited, that's why I don't post the pictures her myself.

[i speak in math]

Originally Posted by Skoropada

I'm trying to improve my product photography and I believe that I can handle the angles, the focusing and the light, but I don't seem to achieve the cleanliness the product photos deserve.

I've tried cleaning the product with a dry cloth, with wet cloths and with tissue papers. I also used a brush some times but I couldn't remove all the dust in there.

Maybe it's because I'm not patient enough and because everything I shot were used and somehow old.
I know that some of it should be removed in PP but I want to minimize that.

Is there any tips for cleaning for this king of photos? Should I work more in PP?

Looking forward to your comments.

Thanks!

For one thing, you should be stopped down more. You aren't getting the whole subject in focus, which is fairly important for product work. Its not always possible, but the more the better. You also need to work on your lighting techniques. Good lighting will add to the perceived sharpness. Starting with clean equipment will certainly help but you will have to remove bits of dust and fix any blemishes in post production. I would recommend using a microfiber cleaning cloth rather than a tissue as they fall apart and leave more bits of tissue and dust than they clean.