Digitally photographing ...

[Leerwerker]

I have taken the following photographs with a digital camera - the one with the two hats was without flash and shows true coloring of the hats.

As soon as you use flash, as with the other two pictures, it seems to pick up "deeper, hidden" coloring in the leather - like the one hat that now seems to be full of brown streaks .

Any comments?!?

Edited June 18, 2009 by Leerwerker

[CitizenKate]

Part of it might just be the difference in the color temperatures of the two different types of lighting. Do you adjust your camera's white balance when you switch between the two different types of lighting?

Also, the flash is at a different angle than the room lighting, which can cause the camera to pick up different features on the surface.

Kate

[TwinOaks]

Nice hats!

The streaking/blotching you see is a refractive/reflective reaction to the specific wavelength of the flash's 'light'. You don't normally see it when viewing because the 'normal' lightsource has several (many) wavelengths of light. So under 'normal' light, you see the reflection of lots of light colors, not just one. Also called light spectrum. I say 'reflection', because you aren't seeing the hat, but seeing the product of light waves bouncing off of it.

I deal with this often (I'm a lighting tech), especially in grocery stores. In the meat departments, we use lamps/bulbs in the 3000-3500 Kelvin color range (more red/orange)- Sylvania color 730 or 830, or perhaps 735 or 835. The 8xx series has a higher CRI, or color rendering index.

Whiter light, in the 4100K range tends to bleach out meat products, and the "daylight" colors in 5000K range look bluish in comparison.

So, about the hats.....for the streaks and blotches to show up in a specific wavelength shows that although to your eye you have good coverage, there actually are streaks and blotches. Sorry for the bad news. In normal viewing, like outside, they'll never be seen, but if the wearer were to go to a club/bar that has blacklights......well, it's freaky hat time, same way that cologne and perfume shows up as little flourescent dots on clothing.

As far as taking pics....it looks like you have that down pretty well. Use a multispectrum lightsource, and/or an opaque diffuser, tripod, and a graphics prog. to edit the pics as you like. Most of them are able to add light, shadow, sharpen or blur an image, etc.

[Leerwerker]

Thank you very much Mike!

That is a nice plain explanation from an expert! It all makes sense to me now. It does seem as if I am happier when I use more ambient natural light (not flash) - and then add a bit using Picasa or Gimp.

[TwinOaks]

from an expert

he said expert.....oooo my sides are hurting....

I need to archive this post....I've never been called "expert" at anything before!!!!!

Edited June 19, 2009 by TwinOaks

[Tina]

Hi,

I use flash on all pictures taken indoors. I don't seam to have the problems you had on theses photos, maybe it's the camera (?) Anyways, if you learn a good photoprogram well you can always adjust things like this :-)

[CitizenKate]

The photo editing programs are great for correcting a number of problems that are not addressed in the studio. And even though the days of working in the darkroom are pretty much over - thank goodness!!! - it still is better to produce an original image that is as close to how you want it to appear published as possible. If you address white-balance, exposure, shadows, and glare issues in the studio, you still save yourself a lot of time producing a publishable image.

There are lots of situations where it's good to use flash. The flash can help eliminate unwanted shadows in a photo like the one Johann posted. It's usually a good idea to have other light sources to augment a head-mounted flash unit, though.

Kate

[Shorts]

For my most recent items I've been taking them outside to photo them in the shade. They come out so much more brilliant than with the craptacular light box I cobbled together with a cardboard box and tissue paper The lighting was the indoor florescent stuff that just washed out any kind of pretty that the items contained. At thet ime it was the best I could do. But I've been able to change it.

If you can, get your stuff to a nice setting. For me, its been making a great impression and such a difference on the results. The pictures convey a nicer feeling through the surrounding environment.

Here's an example:

Indoor, standard photo

Outdoor, relaxed natural photo:

Anyway, that's just a random perspective. I've been enjoying shooting things and getting a little creative around the yard. It adds to the joy of the leather I suppose

[CitizenKate]

For my most recent items I've been taking them outside to photo them in the shade. They come out so much more brilliant than with the craptacular light box I cobbled together with a cardboard box and tissue paper The lighting was the indoor florescent stuff that just washed out any kind of pretty that the items contained.

On the top one, try increasing the exposure and see what you get.

Kate

[Shorts]

On the top one, try increasing the exposure and see what you get.

Kate

Thanks Kate. I've got to see about getting a real photo box built and setup since we've relocated. That's why my setup has changed. The outdoors was just the easiest available option right now so I'm trying to take advantage of it.

I guess I need to start learning how to take good photos!