Photography tips

[Oogadee Boogadee]

I have a request - nothing is cooler than seeing awesome shots of gear, stage performance, etc.

how about a sticky on how to get optimal gear shots (in the house) - lighting tips, flash tips, angle tips, zoom, camera settings - anything you can think of.

and for stage shots too, since an energetic performance with a dynamic light show shot from a darkened audience just puzzles the crap out of me.

Check out: Pix - click here, then click "Division"

These shots are stellar - warm, crisp, etc. I'm sure we'd all like to know how to achieve them so that we can make our friends take good shots of us while we play [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[fett]

Re: Photography tips

That would be great. Thank God for digital cameras. I have had my doubts about my 3.1 camera, but I have found that, for me, if you use natural light, aka outside, and just keep shooting until you like it. It works well. Just keep messing with your camera and the angles and such until you get what you want. Put in your photos on the 'puter and see what it looks like. That sounds elementary, Watson, but it works for me. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Oogadee Boogadee]

Re: Photography tips

And you know what's funny?

"I'm Asian. I should know cameras".

[fett]

Re: Photography tips

If you have others take your pictures make damn sure they know how to use it. There is nothing worse than to have the shot heard around the world and the shooter fukked up the shot for lack of knowledge about how to work the camera. You are supposed to know about cars now, not cameras. The days of 35mm photography are waning fast. [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[StukaJU87]

Re: Photography tips

[ QUOTE ]
And you know what's funny?

"I'm Asian. I should know cameras".

[/ QUOTE ] ...and shorts while wearing black socks and sandals. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] j/k bro. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[fett]

Re: Photography tips

And make sure that you don't break the bill on your baseball cap. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] He's being serious, but he started it. [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[illumina]

Re: Photography tips

i think NOTP will chime in here shortly.. but here's my tidbits:

In home/gear whore shots.

1. Get a tripod. even a cheap one is ok

2. Lighting.
Keep out of direct sunlight.
Try to get 'white' (not yellow) lights. Most homes have yellowish tints to them to make the home feel 'warmer'.
When using a flash, do NOT aim the flash directly into the camera. You'll create lots of hotspots. Instead, aim the flash above the guitar. If you have a manual flash; easy. If not, use something simple like a business card or a note card to reflect the flash up.


Live shots:
No idea. Best bet would be to take LOTS of shots. One is bound to look good! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
Also, probably best interests of everything to turn off the flash. Blind guitarists = chips in rhoads' wings [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]


i'll post some pics later.

[sully]

Re: Photography tips

NOTP had a post about this kinda thing not too long ago. i think the best photography for me would be to have him come over and take pictures of my guitars. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[YetAnotherOne]

Re: Photography tips

For gear shots I actually prefer outside in direct sunlight. The best light is early in the morning or late in the afternoon, I get the best results with the sun behind me and 30-45 degrees to either side.

If you don't have a separate flash that you can aim away from the guitar for indoor shots just be sure you're not shooting the guitar straight on. You'll still get a hotspot but you can really minimize it by shooting across the guitar as an angle rather than shooting it straight on.

[illumina]

Re: Photography tips

this was a bit hastily done, so forgive the picture quality.


Sample Camera setup




example of directing the flash away from the guitar:
Olympus Stylus 300, used Long Island Railroad Ticket.




Example of aiming the flash away from guitar:
Nikon D70s, SB25 Flash. pointed opposite of guitar.


Resulting pic:



Example of Flash pointing at top of couch:


Resulting picture:




As you can see, the latter hotspots a bit, and doesnt show the 'true' coloring and flame texture. The picture with the flash pointing up shows my couch as its 'real' color, along with the guitar's true color.



Hope this helps a bit!

(im a camera noob too, but im learning.)

[metallicarocks]

Re: Photography tips

That's funny, I was just getting ready to post a thread to ask for a sticky on a good photography tutorial.

+1 on interest.