Taking good pictures

Dancinbaer

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Apr 26, 2002
Posts
1,267
Loc
De Pere, WI
:confused: I took some pictures to post here but they didn't turn out. I hung the pieces on a white wall. I used two halogen work lights at approximately 45 degrees for lighting. This eliminated almost all shadows and reflections and I didn't need the flash. I used 35mm and digital cameras. The 35mm prints turned out yellowish the digital turned out pinkish. I would appreciate any advise on taking good pictures of the frame work I do without buying expensive photography equipment. I'd like to use the 35mm prints to build a portfolio of the pieces I do and the digital to add a page to my web site.

Thanks,
Denny
 
Question: What type of film are you using, slides or prints?

Comment: A different lab might work if you are using print film.

Suggestion: Overexpose it a stop or two. The white wall may be throwing off your meter.

A blue filter might help, or using Tungsten (indoor rated) print or slide film. Find it at Ritz Cammera Super Centers.

framer
 
I'm using print film, kodak 400 max. I should probably try 200 or even 100? My camera is a Nikon automatic so I have no control over the shutter speed. I took the film to the local grocery store that has a 1 hr photo machine. Next time I'll spend a little extra and take it to a photo shop.

One picture I took I forgot to turn the flash off. It turned out OK except the reflection of the flash in the middle.

Thanks Framer,

Denny
 
Originally posted by Dancinbaer:
I took the film to the local grocery store that has a 1 hr photo machine. Next time I'll spend a little extra and take it to a photo shop.
Yahoo!!! another conversion!


I would suggest (though I haven't seen your pics) that you consider taking the negs to a lab and having them reprint the ones you want with the advise that the colours are possibly going to be showing a tungsten influence (preferably take a sample), almost all printers have the ability to be set for such lighting influences and the operator should be well aware of it in a good lab.
 
Use a grey wall instead of a white one, and your automatic will give you a better exposure. (I hate automatic cameras, btw) This will also give an automatic developer an easier time adjusting for the print level. Those machines just don't like stark white, and try to make it a light flesh tone.

If things are coming out very yellow, probably those "halogen" lights are tungsten. You can get a filter for your lens that will adjust for that. If they are only a little yellow, I would suspect the developer.

Don't worry about the colors on your digital, that can be adjusted on your graphics program. Everyone's monitor is a little different anyway, so ideal color is impossible online. You just try to get close, and leave it at that.
 
Thanks to everyone for the advise. I've been playing with a photo editing software package for the digital. That learning curve thing. My girlfriend's son-in-law suggested I get some color corrected light bulbs from Home Depot. He uses them in his graphic arts studio. I'll certainily try a different back drop as well as the other suggestions. Hopefully I'll get some pix up here soon.

Thanks again for the help,
Denny
 
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