Product photography

shamitv

Senior Member
Shot with a makeshift softbox that was created by wrapping a white cloth over a CFL table lamp. Trying to get enough light to keep ISO at 100 while avoiding harsh highlights.

Watch_Titan_Resized.jpg

EXIF:

Camera : D5300
Lens : 35 mm f/1.8G
ISO : 100
Shutter : 1/100
Aperture : f/2.2

Which areas could be better in this image (I am sure lots of them)? Was it correct to use a shallow depth of field?
 

wornish

Senior Member
First point its a nice shot !!


The only possible improvements I could suggest and I am being very picky.

I would perhaps rotate the watch face slightly to get rid of the shadow and also ensure the whole watch face is in focus within the depth of field at f/2.2

and secondly crop to a 1-1 format removing some of the black area on the right.

I am certainly no expert so take this as its meant to be i.e constructive and my personal view.

I repeat its nice and it is well done.
 

Eyelight

Senior Member
Nice shot.

You see photos both ways on the DOF and whether the band is in focus. Where this band has some detail, it would be good to show it. Maybe do both and see if one stands out.

I agree with @wornish on the shadows and there appears to be some detail loss in the face as well, which may be due to the exposure more than focus. I'm thinking you may need to do a separate shot to get the exposure and detail on the face and then combine the two in PS. Though you might be able to set exposure for the face and adjust the rest in post.

Overall though, it's a nice shot.


Edited to add: To get the band in DOF, you might need to switch out the prop holding the watch as it's detail may overwhelm the subject.
 
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shamitv

Senior Member
Thanks for the feedback.

I would perhaps rotate the watch face slightly to get rid of the shadow and also ensure the whole watch face is in focus within the depth of field at f/2.2

and secondly crop to a 1-1 format removing some of the black area on the right.

Yes, shadow needs to go. Need to try rotating the watch + try using another light source (torch or something similar + another makeshift diffuser).

You see photos both ways on the DOF and whether the band is in focus. Where this band has some detail, it would be good to show it. Maybe do both and see if one stands out.

I agree with @wornish on the shadows and there appears to be some detail loss in the face as well, which may be due to the exposure more than focus. I'm thinking you may need to do a separate shot to get the exposure and detail on the face and then combine the two in PS. Though you might be able to set exposure for the face and adjust the rest in post.

I think focus was off by just few millimeters... prop that is before the face is in tight focus, face seems to be just out of focus.

100% crop of face:

Watch_Titan_Face.jpg



Image without crop:

Watch_Titan_Full.jpg
 

Browncoat

Senior Member
Not bad.

Product photography is tricky, and a good lighting setup can be extensive (and expensive). You don't have enough lighting here. There is a shadow on the watch face, which is a big no-no in watch photography. The face should be crystal clear, well-lit, yet free of reflections and shadows. It can be a difficult task.

Speaking of the face...there's somewhat of an unspoken rule with watch photography regarding the time. They're usually photographed at 10:10, because it gives the illusion that the watch is "smiling" with the hands at 10 and 2. You can also typically avoid all watch logos with the hands in that position, but you don't have that issue here.

I think you went a bit too shallow with DoF. The pillow has some cool texture, but that detail is lost in half the frame and it looks a bit odd compared to the other half.

It's a nice shot. The theme is nice and I really like the added texture of the pillow. Lighting this would be difficult by anyone's standards.
 

Eyelight

Senior Member
Looking at the DOF on the prop, the face appears to be kind of centered in it, but hard to tell just how much DOF is there in the uploads. The DOF may be just too shallow.

Part of what made me think exposure is the extreme difference between light face of the watch and dark background.
 

Bill16

Senior Member
I agree with my buddy Brown coat! I actually like the uncropped version best, other than the issues mentioned. And if you were displaying the product you could always add some progressively more cropped versions, from a different angle if needed, till you zero in on the face. :)

But I'm really liking the layout shown in the uncropped version! :D
 

shamitv

Senior Member
Thanks for the feedback. I am planning to shoot it again sometime, with few changes:

1. Long exposure with a Tripod
2. Additional source of light
3. These two should enable a narrower aperture and hence more of watch in focus
 

shamitv

Senior Member
Tried my hand again on this subject.

This time camera was mounted on a tripod and a shutter release cable was used to keep shutter open for 3 - 15 seconds. Cable helped in doing that without touching the camera. Light source was a window.

Camera : D5300
Lens : 35 mm 1.8
Shutter Speed: 11.7 seconds
Aperture : f/20


Shruti-3-4147.jpg



Camera : D5300
Lens : 35 mm 1.8
Shutter Speed: 2.2 seconds
Aperture : f/4.5


Shruti-5-4120.jpg
 

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Deleted

Senior Member
Thanks for your reply.

The only photo that (for me) shows full Exif data is the 2nd to last photo, the swan necklace. Most others only show "Capture date" - nothing else. :confused:
 

wornish

Senior Member
My comments on the latest two.

Again good photos.

But ..... for jewellery I would like to see a bit of sparkle i.e. brighter lighting and more of the Jewellery itself not the boxes.
The Swan necklace shot shows more necklace than Swan which feels to be squashed in at the bottom.

Hope this helps its only my personal view.
 
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