Studio photography
Plan your photographs
We first gathered pictures we'd taken in the past and showed them to the owner of Jems Jewellery, seeing which she would prefer. She gave us websites to look at so we could try photographs like on the websites.
The websites she gave us were: Etsy.com and Pinterest.com
We looked at the jewellery photography on each and discussed how we could take photographs similar to these so she would be happy with our images.
This is Etsy.com
She liked the brightness and white backgrounds on the images on here so we planned to use the studio and take the photographs on the product table.
These images are my inspiration to take the photos in the studio because they're bright and have white backgrounds and this is what the client specifically asked for:
To achieve photographs like this I will need to book out a camera and a extra lens to make it possible to zoom and focus closely on small pieces of jewellery. I will need the soft box studio light next to the product table and a light meter to test the light and make sure I don't over or underexpose my photographs. These images are high key, which is what the client has asked for.
Looking at these images I think my camera will need to be set up to M and ISO 100. Also, place them on the product table with one soft box light shining down towards the jewellery to get the high key effect.
Looking at these images I think my camera will need to be set up to M and ISO 100. Also, place them on the product table with one soft box light shining down towards the jewellery to get the high key effect.
Test Photographs
We emailed the client asking about what time she would be free to come into the studio, from there we organised a day and time, booked out the studio and all the needed equipment (camera, lens, light meter, lighting connectors) and met the client.
These are some of my test photographs.
Camera settings: ISO 100, 1/125th and F8.
Room settings: 2 studio lights with soft boxes.
I like these because you can clearly see the jewellery and the colours (silver/black) contrast nicely together. Even though I like them, this wasn't what the client particularly asked for and I think I could improve. So when I arrange to meet her next time I will change the lighting set up and makes the images a little bit more high key.
But, now that I have learnt the techniques I need to take the actual photographs, like the framing etc. I can apply this to my next shoot.
But, now that I have learnt the techniques I need to take the actual photographs, like the framing etc. I can apply this to my next shoot.
Produce sets of photographs promoting the client's business
After looking back at our images we decided it would be a good idea to bring the client back in (if available) and re-take some of the photographs.
I thought I needed to light the photographs up a bit more as they were a little too dark before. Also, I want to take some portrait shots of the client.
This is my product shot set up.
These are some of the jewellery shots on the second shoot.
Camera settings: ISO 100, 1/125th and F5.6.
Room settings: 1 studio light with soft box.
I am much happier with my photographs on the second try. They look so much more professional with this lighting. I also tried to work a bit faster so I could get photographs of jewellery I didn't before so I had a bigger range to show to the client. I changed the lighting to match my researched images and planning. I also took the images like the ones I had planned to.
Before and after editing favourite images
(Before)
(After)
(Before)
(After)
(Before)
(After)
(Before)
(After)
I used 'Curves' in Photoshop to brighten/darken on the images where needed, the 'Spot healing brush tool' to edit muck and marks out of the product table and a soft light brush tool in white to go over the background to make it whiter and cleaner.
Portrait shots of client
Camera Settings: ISO 100, 1/125th and F5.6
Room settings: 2 studio lights (left and right) with soft boxes
I directed the client asking her which way to stand and where to look.
These are my portrait shots:
I am happy with these portrait photographs, apart from the edge of the backdrop you can see in one of them. But I can crop that out. I think directing this photo shoot was very successful as the client worked very well with me and did exactly what I asked for. She seemed to enjoy it which makes the photographs a lot better/professional for me.
Chosen final images:
The images I have chosen to present to the client are these because I think they look the most professional and my images meet what the client was asking for.
Evaluation:
For this assignment, our business that we were photographing was 'Jems Jewellery'. I have not worked with a real business before so this sounded exciting and I really looked forward to photographing the jewellery for the client.
Looking back at what I planned and researched, I think my images fully reflect exactly what I wanted to achieve. The lighting and the way the images are framed in my planning and researched is how I aimed them to look and I think I have matched this. I listened to the client carefully and did everything she asked for, I went on the websites she told me to look at images she liked and how she wanted hers to make sure she was happy with my photographs.
I took a lot of photographs but only chose the ones I thought were the best for my final images and to present to the client. I think my final images look very professional with the lighting set up I chose to do and the cleanness of them improves this even more.
If I was to re-shoot my images the things I would change would be to try and arrange with the client to come into the college studio more times so I could try and get a lot more images and photograph a lot more of the jewellery she brought in so she would have a wider range to choose if she wanted to use any for her website. I would also change the fact that I only took my photographs in the way the client wanted, I think if I was to do this assignment again from the beginning I would have taken photographs how I want to as well as how the client wants to. This is only so I could show her both ways and see if she still preferred the standard white background instead of changing her mind.
Overall, I really enjoyed this project because I had the chance to work with a real business and try to promote them and their products. I learnt different things throughout this project too, like how to photograph small items. This was really difficult at first because it's hard to get something so small fully in focus, but then I managed to figure it out and continue with it. I also liked working in a small group because we could help each other out if needed and it was a lot easier to meet and talk to the client in a group because we had never done this before and we were all really nervous at first. I feel that now I would be more confident in doing something like this in the future.
Contact Sheets:
Colourful people
Research: James Mollison (where children sleep)
This is a series of photography of portraits and their bedrooms (where they sleep). It shows you a person and then items and belongings to do with that person and their personality.
I like these because it shows the side of a person you might not see outside of their home. It shows that some children will be more well-off than others but you don't see this unless you see their house/bedroom and their possessions.
Task 1
Proposal
For this project I think I would like to use ideas from James Mollison. I would like to take head shots in the studio and then ask them to bring in some items of theirs that represent them, like a CD and then take a photo of those in the studio. I will then place them next to each other in the style that James Mollison has.
I will need to think about that I want my images to look like. Whether I want the products on a different back drop and how I can make my images look like they're going in a sequence and not just lots of different photographs in different lighting and formats.
Another idea I have is to photograph lots of different peoples eyes with or without makeup. Everyone has different coloured eyes so I could compare different peoples eyes. Or I could make everyones eyes look even more different by putting makeup on.
Shoot 1
I set this up with one soft box at the front for some of the photos and then I added a light around the back of the model to light her hair up.
Camera settings:
Edits
Overall I am happy with this shoot because I feel like I didn't need to edit the photos much, they were fine the way they were. All I did to them was edit the brightness a little bit and put a soft light brush tool over her hair to bring out the redness.
If I was to do this shoot again I would change the backdrop colour because I think it looks a little plain and boring. I don't think it matches really well with the style of shoot we were doing and all the colours on the model. I would also do a lot more photographs with more poses and maybe more close ups of her face and not just half body shots.
Experimental editing
Because this was a 50s style pin-up shoot, I decided I would edit them to make them look more like old photographs.
I changed this one to black and white, changing the reds, greens and yellows. Then I added noise to it to make it look more grainy.
I like this edit but I think I should try different techniques to make it look more 50s. I should use a reflector to bounce the light onto the model and then edit it with a vignette effect around the outside and change them so sepia.
Shoot 2
This was my first product shoot for this project.
Camera settings:
Edits
I used the spot healing tool to get rid of marks and dirt from the product table to make my images look cleaner and whiter. Apart from that I don't think anything else needs to be edited. I like the lighting how it is, bright and white.
I'm happy with this shoot because I like how the bright light completely fills out the background. I think it makes them look professional.
Shoot 3
For this shoot I wanted to try a different lighting set up because most of the time I just use high key lighting. So for this shoot I used 2 studio lights with soft boxes at either side of the model. I had a low F number to make the room dark but just light up the model.
Camera settings:
Shoot 5
In this shoot, I tried lots of different angles when photographing the model. I sat on the floor and stood on a chair to get different perspectives in the images. We tried lots of new poses to make it fun and enjoyable.
If I was to do this shoot again I think I would bring in props or different outfits to get a lot of range and variety in the photographs.
Camera settings:
Studio set up:
I had 2 studio lights with soft boxes at either side of the model facing him on a diagonal. They were at F3.6.
Edits
Shoot 6
This is a product shoot. I set it up in my bedroom using a white sheet and a flash. I like the content of the photos but I think the flash is a little too harsh on the products so I would like to do this shoot again.
If I was to do this shoot again then I would take the photographs in daylight, because these were taken in just bedroom light and thats why I think the flash looks to harsh. I would also use a soft box light instead of just the flash on the camera. Using a soft box light would help it be less harsh and I think they would look a lot more professional.
Contact sheet:
Camera settings:
Shoot 7
This is another product shoot, I set this up on the product table and 2 soft box studio lights at each side looking down on the products. I am happy with this shoot because I think they look creative and colourful.
If I was to do this shoot again I would put a soft box light underneath the product table on a stand because I found that not doing this you could see the marks and dirt on the table but using a light underneath always bleaches those out. Also, I would get more products to photograph next time and I would try lots more angles because looking at these images, I didn't use a lot of variation.
Contact sheet:
Camera settings:
Edits
To edit these photos, I used the spot healing brush tool to get rid of the marks on the product table and then I used the clone tool to neaten up around the edges of the paint pots. Other than that I didn't think anything else needed editing. I like the brightness and contrast the way it is.
Shoot 8
For this shoot I used a ring flash on the top of my camera. I wanted to try something different than just studio shots, so I used studio equipment in my home. I am happy with this shoot because I've never used the ring flash before and I'm happy with my first ever results.
If I was to do this shoot again, I would take a lot more photos so I have a lot of variety. I would also try it in different lighting and with different backgrounds like outside/different rooms.
Contact sheet:
Portrait shots of client
Camera Settings: ISO 100, 1/125th and F5.6
Room settings: 2 studio lights (left and right) with soft boxes
I directed the client asking her which way to stand and where to look.
These are my portrait shots:
I am happy with these portrait photographs, apart from the edge of the backdrop you can see in one of them. But I can crop that out. I think directing this photo shoot was very successful as the client worked very well with me and did exactly what I asked for. She seemed to enjoy it which makes the photographs a lot better/professional for me.
Chosen final images:
The images I have chosen to present to the client are these because I think they look the most professional and my images meet what the client was asking for.
Evaluation:
For this assignment, our business that we were photographing was 'Jems Jewellery'. I have not worked with a real business before so this sounded exciting and I really looked forward to photographing the jewellery for the client.
Looking back at what I planned and researched, I think my images fully reflect exactly what I wanted to achieve. The lighting and the way the images are framed in my planning and researched is how I aimed them to look and I think I have matched this. I listened to the client carefully and did everything she asked for, I went on the websites she told me to look at images she liked and how she wanted hers to make sure she was happy with my photographs.
I took a lot of photographs but only chose the ones I thought were the best for my final images and to present to the client. I think my final images look very professional with the lighting set up I chose to do and the cleanness of them improves this even more.
If I was to re-shoot my images the things I would change would be to try and arrange with the client to come into the college studio more times so I could try and get a lot more images and photograph a lot more of the jewellery she brought in so she would have a wider range to choose if she wanted to use any for her website. I would also change the fact that I only took my photographs in the way the client wanted, I think if I was to do this assignment again from the beginning I would have taken photographs how I want to as well as how the client wants to. This is only so I could show her both ways and see if she still preferred the standard white background instead of changing her mind.
Overall, I really enjoyed this project because I had the chance to work with a real business and try to promote them and their products. I learnt different things throughout this project too, like how to photograph small items. This was really difficult at first because it's hard to get something so small fully in focus, but then I managed to figure it out and continue with it. I also liked working in a small group because we could help each other out if needed and it was a lot easier to meet and talk to the client in a group because we had never done this before and we were all really nervous at first. I feel that now I would be more confident in doing something like this in the future.
Contact Sheets:
Colourful people
Research: James Mollison (where children sleep)
This is a series of photography of portraits and their bedrooms (where they sleep). It shows you a person and then items and belongings to do with that person and their personality.
I like these because it shows the side of a person you might not see outside of their home. It shows that some children will be more well-off than others but you don't see this unless you see their house/bedroom and their possessions.
Task 1
Proposal
For this project I think I would like to use ideas from James Mollison. I would like to take head shots in the studio and then ask them to bring in some items of theirs that represent them, like a CD and then take a photo of those in the studio. I will then place them next to each other in the style that James Mollison has.
I will need to think about that I want my images to look like. Whether I want the products on a different back drop and how I can make my images look like they're going in a sequence and not just lots of different photographs in different lighting and formats.
Another idea I have is to photograph lots of different peoples eyes with or without makeup. Everyone has different coloured eyes so I could compare different peoples eyes. Or I could make everyones eyes look even more different by putting makeup on.
I set this up with one soft box at the front for some of the photos and then I added a light around the back of the model to light her hair up.
Camera settings:
Edits
Overall I am happy with this shoot because I feel like I didn't need to edit the photos much, they were fine the way they were. All I did to them was edit the brightness a little bit and put a soft light brush tool over her hair to bring out the redness.
If I was to do this shoot again I would change the backdrop colour because I think it looks a little plain and boring. I don't think it matches really well with the style of shoot we were doing and all the colours on the model. I would also do a lot more photographs with more poses and maybe more close ups of her face and not just half body shots.
Experimental editing
Because this was a 50s style pin-up shoot, I decided I would edit them to make them look more like old photographs.
I changed this one to black and white, changing the reds, greens and yellows. Then I added noise to it to make it look more grainy.
I like this edit but I think I should try different techniques to make it look more 50s. I should use a reflector to bounce the light onto the model and then edit it with a vignette effect around the outside and change them so sepia.
I edited this photograph to have a pink background because I think the grey one is a bit boring and bland for a fashion/pin up shoot. I also edited her hair to look redder and brighter, this contrasts nicely with all the colours in the photo. Having different coloured back drops in the studio would benefit a lot for fashion shoots because I think they look so much nicer than just grey or white.
Shoot 2
This was my first product shoot for this project.
Camera settings:
This was my lighting set up.
I set the underneath light to F11 and the one on top to F8. The light underneath was on a stand and was twice as strong as the top light. This made it look almost like there was no table there, my products look as though they're floating.
I used the spot healing tool to get rid of marks and dirt from the product table to make my images look cleaner and whiter. Apart from that I don't think anything else needs to be edited. I like the lighting how it is, bright and white.
I'm happy with this shoot because I like how the bright light completely fills out the background. I think it makes them look professional.
Shoot 3
For this shoot I wanted to try a different lighting set up because most of the time I just use high key lighting. So for this shoot I used 2 studio lights with soft boxes at either side of the model. I had a low F number to make the room dark but just light up the model.
Camera settings:
Edits
I didn't need to edit the brightness/contrast because I like the set up I used in the studio. All I did to edit was use the spot healing brush tool around the face and on some images I had to crop on the sides because sometimes I got outside the backdrop in the frame. If that part was small enough I used the clone stamp to clone the black background and cover the side where the normal wall is showing.
Shoot 4
In this shoot, I thought bringing in a prop would add to the photos because if I just do regular studio shoots, they will all eventually start looking the same because there are only so many poses you can do.
I like this shoot because I think it bring out character and personality in the model. Having something they like and enjoy will make them enjoy the shoot more.
In this shoot, I thought bringing in a prop would add to the photos because if I just do regular studio shoots, they will all eventually start looking the same because there are only so many poses you can do.
I like this shoot because I think it bring out character and personality in the model. Having something they like and enjoy will make them enjoy the shoot more.
Camera settings:
Edits
I didn't think much needed editing on this shoot. All I did was use the spot healing brush tool on the face and sometimes I adjusted the curves a little bit to make them brighter.
In this shoot, I tried lots of different angles when photographing the model. I sat on the floor and stood on a chair to get different perspectives in the images. We tried lots of new poses to make it fun and enjoyable.
If I was to do this shoot again I think I would bring in props or different outfits to get a lot of range and variety in the photographs.
Camera settings:
Studio set up:
I had 2 studio lights with soft boxes at either side of the model facing him on a diagonal. They were at F3.6.
Edits
Shoot 6
This is a product shoot. I set it up in my bedroom using a white sheet and a flash. I like the content of the photos but I think the flash is a little too harsh on the products so I would like to do this shoot again.
If I was to do this shoot again then I would take the photographs in daylight, because these were taken in just bedroom light and thats why I think the flash looks to harsh. I would also use a soft box light instead of just the flash on the camera. Using a soft box light would help it be less harsh and I think they would look a lot more professional.
Contact sheet:
Camera settings:
Shoot 7
This is another product shoot, I set this up on the product table and 2 soft box studio lights at each side looking down on the products. I am happy with this shoot because I think they look creative and colourful.
If I was to do this shoot again I would put a soft box light underneath the product table on a stand because I found that not doing this you could see the marks and dirt on the table but using a light underneath always bleaches those out. Also, I would get more products to photograph next time and I would try lots more angles because looking at these images, I didn't use a lot of variation.
Contact sheet:
Camera settings:
Edits
To edit these photos, I used the spot healing brush tool to get rid of the marks on the product table and then I used the clone tool to neaten up around the edges of the paint pots. Other than that I didn't think anything else needed editing. I like the brightness and contrast the way it is.
Shoot 8
For this shoot I used a ring flash on the top of my camera. I wanted to try something different than just studio shots, so I used studio equipment in my home. I am happy with this shoot because I've never used the ring flash before and I'm happy with my first ever results.
If I was to do this shoot again, I would take a lot more photos so I have a lot of variety. I would also try it in different lighting and with different backgrounds like outside/different rooms.
Contact sheet:
Camera settings:
Edits:
To edit these photo's all I did was use the spot healing tool on the face and brighten the eyes a little bit using the dodging tool with a 50% exposure. On a couple of the images, I made the full background black because the majority of it was anyway. I used the clone stamp to do this.
I don't think anything else needs editing on these photos and I'm happy with them for my first try with a ring flash.
Final images
Evaluation
I am very pleased with my final images. They are sharp as I took them on a fast shutter speed. They are focused and well composed. I had my initial idea and I tried my best to make it happen but at last minute everyone pulled out so I quickly adapted and changed my idea completely to be more flexible and achieve it in the the time that I had.
I think my images still represent the assignment title 'Colourful people' in a way that shows you don't literally have to be colourful to have a colourful personality. I like how you can see personalities in my photographs and that portrays them as colourful people; for example, the female model I had has bright red hair, tattoos and piercings. I think this shows she is a very outgoing and confident person as well as very unique. Another example would be the male model I had that I did various shoots with. The shoot we did with the guitar, I think shows confidence and an artistic, musical personality. What he was wearing for this shoot wasn't colourful but that doesn't mean he isn't a colourful person with a colourful personality!
As of my product shots, I am happy with them as single images. They are sharp and in focus and I think look very professional. I especially like the ones of the paint pots, they go really well with the colourful people theme. Even though none of my models are wearing the face paints, I still think it's a good representation of colours and the colourful personalities. Those ones work well with the female model I had. Whereas, the ones of the glass vases I would say work better with the male model photographs. Especially the ones of him in the stripy suit jacket. I think they show elegance and style.
If I was to re-do this assignment I would like to try and be a lot more organised at getting models into the studio, I would have done this but as I said, they all cancelled on me which made it stressful and difficult. I would like to try group/paired photographs as I have never done this before in the studio, this would be really enjoyable and I think would show a lot more confidence and personality if you're having a photoshoot with friends and/or family.
Overall, I have enjoyed this project. I had the chance to work with a model I've never met before so that built my confidence in the studio. I learnt different lighting techniques in the studio that I've always liked the look of but never been 100% sure on how to create this for my own photographs.
No comments:
Post a Comment