Propose still photographing area to photograph projects

DMS General
#1

I would like to propose a photographing area for photographing projects.

I am always anxious to show off the latest thing I am working on and find that holding something with one hand and using my phone camera in the other does not produce something very flattering. Ideally there would be a camera setup with umbrella and other lighting ready to go and one can take there project in set it in the photographing space and take the pictures and mail out the file to an address for editing and distribution. Perhaps an addition of the option of adding a DMS watermark on the photo would also help promote DMS.

The pictures would be brochure quality ready and or high enough calibre for press release anouncments idea proposals

Feedback and suggestions on the next step are welcomed

Joe Kratz

[email protected]

#2

Shooting good-quality photos requires either aptitude or training, especially for the lighting. A few people at the Space have some background in photography. But, putting this together would require some time and work that might not be available.

2 Likes
#3

I think we need to figure out what size projects people want to photograph. If it’s small, we could have a nice desktop light box and a light.

If it’s mostly larger stuff, maybe we could pick a table (or part of a table) and have suggested light placement locations pre-marked. The tables in the big open room would probably look cool as a backdrop.

#4

I think most of the projects are pretty small and wouldn’t take up too much space to shoot. Especially if you’re currently holding in your hand to take pictures.

I think Andrew is onto something with just marking the floor where to put lights for good results with this set up. That way it doesn’t take up hardly any space when it isn’t in use. I’m not sure the space should be providing the equipment beyond a decent backdrop though.

#5

A few people have been experimenting with light tents at the space. One group made their own. I’m curious why they did that, instead of buying one. Regardless, a light tent with lights would be useful inventory.

#6

We used to have a Photography Committee. This would be right up their ally…

#7

What @Opcode said is on the money. Sounds like you’re looking for a setup where anyone can make professional looking photos, but that’s not how photography works. Even a simple setup with a tabletop light shed or backdrop will only be good if the user knows what they’re doing.

I don’t see why we couldn’t get together some basic gear like @AndrewLeCody suggests, a tabletop setup is not expensive at all and I believe we already have some lights in the AV room. In fact, just getting a white backdrop that we can drape over the blue screen might be sufficient for larger items.

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#8

perhaps we could ask those in the media room for input

I recall going to JC Penney and having some photos made there and they pretty much hire off the street and yet the photos that were pretty good quality

the person taking the pictures put the person in front of the camera and clicked the shutter

I think that is the functionality I am proposing

not a training class in photography

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#9

Yeah, I think we can get “good enough” photos pretty easily, simply by having good lighting.

My phone (S4 Active) takes pretty good pictures when I have decent lighting.

#10

You might recall that the customer didn’t operate the camera at those places. The camera usually is pretty much fixed, but if you want a different perspective or composition, somebody needs to know what he is doing.

For people who care about photography as an art, or about the quality of photos, it is disheartening to hear their craft being reduced to one-handed cell phone photos. It is said that a good photographer could make a great photo using just an oatmeal box, but that comes with skill. A cell phone works OK if your image never leaves a computer monitor, but if you want to print it professionally, you probably need something better.

2 Likes
#11

Hi KJ,

What your asking for does require some training, not a 5 years of fine art photography but more like 30 minutes to an hour of how to use the equipment we have and what angles to shoot. All we would require is a small table top soft box. I believe we have lights that Ken has on loan to DMS, and most smart phones have good enough cameras for great quality shots given good lighting.

If you want it as a set it and forget it item that is a 1 button press operation, then you are talking about a photo booth of sorts. This is possible, but expensive and complicated to setup. Ken Purcell has built options like that for NASA exhibits and could share more info.

But, please don’t be apposed to training, and learning how to set something like this up. It is easier to implement and break down after your done, than if we are required to leave this set up in one location so it is always ready to use, then we are locking the equipment and space for one purpose. That would mean a lot of use would have to come from this to justify it’s permanent setup up of multi-use equipment for only one task.

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#12

I learned a LOT about lighting here: http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/

Might be of interest.

#13

Even a photo booth has limitations based on the assumptions made in what size, distance and angle its subject would be. IOW, they aren’t very flexible. The bottom line, as you stated, is that training will inevitably be necessary to make this idea practical.

#14

I would like to toss out there (as a professional portrait photographer)
that there is a difference between department store portraits and those
taken by an experienced professional in a real studio. You get what you pay
for.

With that out of the way, it should be easy and cheap to get some gear to
make setting up the AV room for ad-hoc product shots. Then all you would
need is someone to teach an occasional basic usage class like we do for
other things like the laser cutter, 3D printers and wide format printers.

4 Likes
#15

I’m interested in helping out the cause.

I’m a new member but if someone from the photo committee can contact me I’d like to donate some stuff.

If I can dig it up from storage I have back drop stuff, basic umbrella lighting, light tent for macro shots, etc.

I’d also be interested in helping those interested in learning how to shoot product photography.

I spent a good while learning for my ecommerce site so if that’s of use to anyone get in contact with me.

Unfortunately, I don’t access anymore to the dslr setup I was using but hopefully someone at dms can loan us something.

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#16

Unfortunately, I think one of our issues right now is that there isn’t a photography committee anymore. Maybe this is something that can go under A/V now? Not really sure.

#17

@deezler, @Dawsmart, and @Haley_Moore are the more active members of the AV committee. I believe Haley is the head of the committee. @Michael_Chang I would contact them about accepting donations directly via Private Message.

#18

The defunct photo committee was originally centered around darkroom work.
Currently, digital printing is taken care of within the Arts and Craft
committee. My suggestion is to roll photography, at least in terms of
studio shooting and such into the AV committee since there’s a lot of
overlap in knowledge and gear. More over, the current AV room is somewhat
ideal for shooting in. At least in terms of small to medium product shots
as well as shooting basic portraits.

On a side note, DMS will be hosting the Dallas Camera Club on Sat May 16th
for an afternoon of photography workshops. There will be around 5 different
workshops going around the space. At this point the topics are still being
selected and if there’s substantial interest I can see about gearing one of
them towards product photography. If there are other things people would
like to see, let me know.

I don’t know the cost yet but believe that it will be minimal and I think
mostly to cover lunch that will be provided.

5 Likes
#19

Nice idea for extending A/V room use cases for such purposes. I’d very much appreciate a better place for product / object photography than the kludge that is my desk at home. One question though, is there a risk of stray reflected bluish light - would it help to have a black cover to help manage the wall?

Thumbs up on the 16 May photo workshops. If only one didn’t have to choose between that and RoboRama 2015 :wink:

#20

Reflected blue light isn’t a problem if one of two things is accomplished.

  1. Don’t aim the lights at the background such that they reflect into the
    camera (think of billiards - angle of deflection = angle of reflection) 2.
    Light strength isn’t strong enough to reflect all the way back to the
    camera from the wall - otherwise known as the inverse square rule for
    light.
1 Like