Advice for taking good photos

[CJ Thimble Bright]

I am attempting to take photos of the ponies I intend to list for sale/trade and am having a bit of trouble. I can't seem to find a "backdrop" that suits. I am ending up with photos that either look dingy, or are too washed out from the flash... Grr. I have tried both white (the wall) and a purple towel. I just don't know what to do.

Any suggestions would be most welcome. Thanks!

 

[CJ Thimble Bright]

Thanks! I may have to try that.

 

[Peppermint Truly]

Oh, Kar! That's a wonderful link! I always wondered how those pics were taken. I'll try that.

 

[Princess Locket]

Try white tissue paper. Everyone's got some of that in their closet!

Or if you want to get really DIY fancy, make a lightbox from a cardboard box:
Strobist: How To: DIY $10 Macro Photo Studio

I use two pieces of white foam core board (arranged in an "L" shape) and a gooseneck desk lamp.

Mine is a super fancy shoe box on my dressing table and my bedside lamp :mrgreen: White backgrounds always look good especially for sales ponies but if you want to be individual try some coloured paper/material behind them. I'm no photograp[her by any means (the best I can do is use a zoom button) but I'd say you just haven't got the light quite right where you taking them.

An example photo taken with my fancy shoebox set up

 

[SugerBerries]

you can take pics outside when it's sunny.

 

[thebeth]

hey, Princess Locket, can you take a "behind the scenes" pic of your setup? like a zoomed out shot of the box and the lights you use?

 

[Princess Locket]

Can do - I need to charge the camera battery but I should be able to get some tomorrow

 

[lucky]

I always take picture outside in the sun. I don't need direct sunlight but the natural light makes my pictures turn great! Heres one of my recent pictures

 

[Ivy]

Don't use a flash. Turn it off. Take pictures in a very well lit room - I have a couple of extra desk lamps that I can move to help get more light to my ponies.
Use a tripod - steady cameras make for better pictures.
Focus on the ponies and use them to fill the shot as much as possible.
For a white background I just use a piece of white posterboard curved for a seamless backdrop

When I do use a backdrop a simple one like this green towel and blue sky works well for me.

 

[CJ Thimble Bright]

Thanks everyone for all the advice! I will be trying again today. We'll see how they turn out.

 

[lucky]

Let us know how it turns out

 

[cannibalcow]

don't use the flash if you don't really have to. i don't think most pics look nice if a flash was used D:

if you're not in a hurre use daylight or a lamp to light it up. light is the most importante when taking nice pics. the next wil be to find a place or a background that doesn't look too 'busy'

this is my set up. i take pics right next to our glass door, so lotsa natural light

outside can be nice too, cause then you can use flowers and stuff to get a good pic

 

[SoSoftClaire]

Another great way to take pics is to put a white sheet over a clear plastic tote, shine a few lamps in from the sides and top (the white sheet helps to diffuse the light so there are no harsh shadows) and then set your camera to the macro setting (usually indicated by a flower icon). You can also slip a curved poster board (white) inside and put the ponies on that- it gives a nice background.

 

[SillyBilly]

*sneaks in*

Try white tissue paper. Everyone's got some of that in their closet!

Or if you want to get really DIY fancy, make a lightbox from a cardboard box:
Strobist: How To: DIY $10 Macro Photo Studio

I use two pieces of white foam core board (arranged in an "L" shape) and a gooseneck desk lamp.

Kar, that is an amazing tutorial and I found this at just the right time. I've got a bahillion ponies lined up, drying after their baths, waiting for a photoshoot.
Thank you so much for sharing!

 

[StrawberryReef]

Try white tissue paper. Everyone's got some of that in their closet!

Or if you want to get really DIY fancy, make a lightbox from a cardboard box:
Strobist: How To: DIY $10 Macro Photo Studio

I use two pieces of white foam core board (arranged in an "L" shape) and a gooseneck desk lamp.

This is exactly what I've used for most of my best shots! I used white tissue gift paper for the sides, and I left the bottom of the box and just taped my backgrounds to it using painters tape so it is easily removable.

Here's a pic of a setup I've used in the past:

Definitely NO FLASH. I use 3 different desk lamps for each angle.

Here she is up close and this was taken in the evening with no flash.

I also set my camera to the FOOD setting (or whatever the setting is for still life). Also, make sure to set your WHITE BALANCE on your camera. It made a huge difference for me. I couldn't figure out why my pics always had a yellow hue to them.

I didn't used to have a tripod so I just used a steady box or even a tuna can that was the right height so I didn't have to hold the camera. Here's one example of a medicine box tripod... lol... and how I just added a white background. Make sure to curve it at the back to make it seamless.

I have also used just a white plastic bin on it's side in outside natural light and it has come out pretty good.


Another tip (if you don't have Photoshop or similar products) is to use Photobucket to adjust the brightness/contrast of your picture.

Here is an example of a pic that I just used the Auto Fix feature in Photobucket.
Before and After

Hope this helps and that you post pics!

 

[SugerBerries]

it make me wanna make one strawberryreef.

 

[thebeth]

wow, SR! Thanks for sharing! that's awesome!

 

[starrypawz]

StrawberryReef, what pony is that in your last pic, they're awesome!
There's some good tips here, I may have to try them myself

 

[Canazta]

I allways use a fabric that makes a little shimmer.... And make sure that you have very good light from behind you, on the target..... not only the flash light from the camera....
and you can use something small in the picture too and make it look a little better.... like a small flower or a pet or anything.... like this:

if the background isn´t covered then you can allways color it in a painting program in the computer in a color that suits the pony, like this:

without acc. in the picture..

well, that´s my tip.... :rose3:

 

[Alatariel]

I love this thread! I've been wanting for ages to get myself set up so I can take decent pictures with my horrid 2.1 megapixel dinosaur camera. Maybe this is the inspiration I need to get working on the Great Pony Organizing Project.

I have soooo many boxes taking up space in my bedroom too that I'm sure I can find one to use. The really sad thing though is that I don't own a desk lamp. Hmmmm.... I should start hitting the thrift stores.