posted on August 3, 2001 10:04:31 AM new
Taking pictures is the slowest and hardest part of doing auctions for me. I'm in need of a small set-up or good (cheap) ideas to help. Mostly my items are small and I will be doing lots of magazine ads. I have a Mavica FD-71 and a HP scanner (not happy with it though).
I live in a small (sigh) trailer but we are adding another one on. One of the drawbacks of working for a rancher and one of the main reasons I need to get off my duff and make some ebay money! So I don't have much room indoors and light is not great. Outside I'm going to try and set up my bench swing in a good area to use for pictures. The wind can get bad out here so outside is not always an option.
Maybe I'm just too picky with my pictures. It always seems the ads I research have clearer, better pics than I end up with. Oh, I use Adobe Photoshop to edit my pics.
posted on August 3, 2001 10:15:04 AM new
I take LOUSY pics, but on the rare instance that they do come out good this is what I do:
Since your space is limited, you might want to set up your kitchen table or something for your photo studio. (Mine is my guest BR.) Put up a piece of light colored cloth, and a piece of dark colored cloth. Turn on every light you can, if possible, make some white poster board "reflectors" that you can shine work lights onto and bounce the light back onto your piece.
Get as close up as possible to whatever you are taking the pic of, less trimming that way later on. I always snap at least 3 pics of whatever I'm taking, using slightly different settings. I then pick the best one. That helps save on retaking later on.
Dark backgrounds need higher exposure, as they absorb light. Light backgrounds need lower exposure, as they reflect light.
Good luck, I'm sure a lot of other folks have better advice than I do, but it's a start!
posted on August 3, 2001 10:27:06 AM newDark backgrounds need higher exposure, as they absorb light. Light backgrounds need lower exposure, as they reflect light.
Do digital cameras work differently than SLRs?
With an SLR, an item on a dark background is likely to be overexposed, and require less exposure time, while an item on a light background is likely to be underexposed, and require more exposure time.
posted on August 3, 2001 11:56:41 AM new
I prop things on my couch...I have a black piece of fabric I use for a backdrop...works pretty well. Good luck...
posted on August 3, 2001 12:50:41 PM new
I use a stool up against a wall. I found a black bedspread for 1.00 at a sale and I tack it to the wall and drape it over the stool I use a old lamp with no shade and a 200 watt bulb that I turn on behind me to help with light. Like you space is at a premiam and when I am done it all stores easily
For small items I have a framed corkboard thet I set the item on and shoot from overhead. when Im done the corkboard slids in behind my desk and the wall .
I like your ibstichin handle , for years my wife had a shirt that said Ib Beachin
spock here......
posted on August 3, 2001 01:16:52 PM new
One of my most valuable photography items is a white school project tri-fold. The kind kids use for school presentations. It gives me a hands free backdrop & when I need something other than white, I just drape the appropriate color sheet over it.
posted on August 3, 2001 01:50:18 PM new
My pictures became much better when I added a tripod to my camera. My pictures up until then kept coming out fuzzy no matter what! I just must have enough shake in my hands to blur the picture. Besides the camera itself, the tripod was one of my best investments.
posted on August 3, 2001 09:22:47 PM new
mrpotatoheadd: That depends a great deal on the camera involved. The average 35mm will average the scene and adjust the exposure. If you're dealing with a lot of black surrounding a little white then the camera will average the scene and think it's mostly black and, thus, you get your overexposure.
As you get into better 35 and digital cameras you will have metering options. I have the option to scene average, center weight or spot meter. All the metering methods have their place for different situations.
Another problem to be dealt with in both types of cameras is the natural/fixed or flash lighting. A flash used on a typical small ebay item will overpower the scene and destroy all detail definition.
Natural lighting has its own difficulties. Getting the right amount and direction of light outdoors can be very tricky. Tungsten or flourescent lighting will cast an orange or blue light on the subject.
Good photo editing software, such as Photoshop, can make it easy to correct for a digital exposure that is off a bit but not by a large amount. Color correction is quite easy.
IBStitchin: You say you'll be doing lots of magazine ads. Magazine reproduction really needs your original to be the best it can be. Have you done any advertising with what you are using now to know what the results look like? Please keep in mind that the end result of your ad will directly reflect on what people think of you. I had to look up the specs on the FD71 at the Sony site and it's only a .3 Megapixel camera. This is not suited for publication work. It's also really not suited for photo cropping and resizing. You'll just be able to get your subject in frame and hope for the best. I do a lot of print work from digital and that kind of resolution would never be considered.
You're camera is only double the lowest resolution that a computer monitor can be set at. That's good for web usage but isn't suited for print material. Minimally most people would be using 2 - 3 Megapixel cameras for that kind of work. That's 10 times more information to work with. I use an Olympus that has 15 times that resolution because I need the latitude for working with the image but nearly nobody in ebay selling needs to spend $2000 on a camera.
If you are capable of getting some photo floods and reflectors, it might be a good start. A photo flood life is pretty short but it will give you accurate results. If you can't afford the floods try dropping back to standard floods and using the same reflectors. You can then color correct after the fact. If you can't afford that try using work light reflectors available in home improvement stores. These can be purchased with a clamp assembly that will let you move them wherever you want.
In the end, the reason others ads you have researched are looking better is because you have very low resolution and probably a low sensitivity to light.
posted on August 3, 2001 11:55:27 PM new
I use a straight backed chair, cover the back and seat of it with an oversized towel and place my item on the seat (I have about three towels in different colors to chooose from). This way I can crop and end up with a solid background on most items. I also have a couple of clamp lights handy if I need them.
I also noticed one seller had a coke can in each of her pics. At first I assumed she just drank too much coke, then I realized she did it on purpose. For clothing and items where color is important, this lets bidders know if the color is accurate or not.
posted on August 4, 2001 01:55:46 AM new
My living room is drenched in sunlight from mid-afternoon until sundown. I have a small stand-alone breakfast bar with a light butcher block top. I try to take all my pictures when the room is bright and sunny because I photograph mainly glassware and a flash can be problematic. I rarely have to adjust brightness or colors.
My biggest problem is dealing with items such as toasters, bread boxes, canisters, etc. which are mirror like. I always end up being reflected in crisp detail (more than anyone wants to see I'll guarantee you) in the item. If I try to take it at an angle where I don't show, I really don't show the item the way buyers want to see it.
I also don't really understand pixels and resolution. When I first process the pics through Adobe, they're beautiful and crisp and HUGE...the resulting jpegs are around 120K which load too slowly when posted into an auction listing. I was told resolution should be at 96 for web stuff, but that made the pics too small so I settled on 150 resolution by trial and error not really knowing what I was doing. Anyone who can explain this to me gets the Internet Helper of the Year Award!
Gerald
"Oh but it's so hard to live by the rules/I never could and still never do."
posted on August 4, 2001 02:53:26 AM new
GOTTA TELL YA, PIX ARE OVER-RATED!!!!! We Buy a lot on eBay, Etc...... But have in the past bought EXPENSIVE ANTIQUE COLT (Pre-1899) OL' WEST SAA's & other HANDGUNS with ZERO PIX from "GUN LIST" & "SHOTGUN NEWS", have never been burned, defrauded, just a phone call to the Antique Firearms Owner or Dealer, base 100% on a simple honest written sentence or two! Now there are Internet Antique Handgun, Rifle, Shotgun, Sword, Knife, and other Collectible Web-Sites with Dandy Photos - That's Great, but for years we bought from STRANGERS, 1st Time, then some Repeat-Biz. Never, EVER had a bit of Trouble; We don't understand the "The Pictures Are You" Statement. We can tell more from the Text, Description, and an E-Mail than anything else. Of course, we were dealing (Still) with a smaller group of more mature Sellers. Also, many had "FFL's", that is: "Federal Firearm (Dealer) Licenses" that have to be screened by the BATF & FBI. These guys CANNOT lose their Reputation, or "The Word" gets around quick; Buyers will not (Buy), it's not thr Feds that Police these Sellers. On eBay, Etc., Great PIX are Nice, but Quick, Courteous, Detailed E-Mail Answers to:"QUESTION TO THE SELLER" mean more to us than anything else. We guess experience and honesty mean more to us than expensive Cameras and Perfect PIX. Dishonest, Misleading, Misrepresenting Sellers can List 3-4 Similiar Items, Pull the Photos right after Auction Ends (within Hours) we got NAILED on ebay for $104 + s&"H"; Seller shipped us a DIFFERENT ITEM. same Product, Antique; Photos Deleted (FAST) on eBay; our "Prints" came from a Friend in NYC Via Snail-Mail, we did not have a printer then. Item DID NOT FIT, WAS UNDERSIZED; DID NOT MATCH "Classy Photos", eBayCS & Safe Harbor was USELESS! (We had our FBI & BATF Friends watch his Mid-West "Brick-&-Mortar-Biz" He no longer has a Federal or State License; is making License Plates and enjoying a Drug-Dealer "Room-mate" now. Shoulda used less Camera, more Ethics!
posted on August 4, 2001 03:33:24 AM newPJ38 - In your specific area of interest, pictures may, indeed be secondary to descriptions and all the other stuff you mention, but that is hardly the case in most categories. I buy a ton of stuff on ebay (and sell a little too) and I can tell you I won't even bid on a glassware listing without a picture. Browsers like me don't even know we want something until we see it. As a seller, I know high quality pictures do more to get bids than anything else.
On the other hand, a picture, by itself, with little description is as worthless as no pic. Pictures don't tell the whole story. You can't always tell the condition by the picture. You can't tell the dimensions of the item by the picture (I learned this the hard way when I won two "small" lecreuset skillets at a bargain price. Well, to me, small meant 7"...these turned out to be about 3 inches, more like paperweights than skillets!)
Good pictures (and more than one) and complete descriptions together is the only way to go in most categories on eBay.
Gerald
"Oh but it's so hard to live by the rules/I never could and still never do."
posted on August 4, 2001 12:18:07 PM new
Thanks for the suggestions all! I tried to get some pictures in my kitchen yesterday. Replaced the light bulbs with higher watts and the pictures looked fine in the camera. Different story when they got to the computer. Very dark and grainy. Guess I'll have to go outside after all or find a few lamps I can set up.
avaloncourt - hehe, I meant SELLING old mag ads not making my own. I've been trying to scan those but my scanner takes such a long time and is not so great. Time to go shopping for a new one. Thanks for the tips though.
posted on August 4, 2001 01:14:24 PM newI've been trying to scan those but my scanner takes such a long time and is not so great.
In all honesty, buying a newer one isn't going to give you much additional speed. You can actually get as good or better pictures by photographing and it's one hell of a lot faster than by scanner. My scanner is almost unused these days.
One question about your pictures coming out too dark..did you have your flash turned on? And using some good editing software can take what appears to be a disaster shot into something nice.
posted on August 4, 2001 03:58:26 PM new
eventer - The flash on the FD-71 is useless. It's so bright you are certain to ruin whatever picture you were trying to take. I can lighten the pics with my editing program but they still end up grainy. Hopefully when we get our porch put on I'll have a good sunny spot in there to take pics.
BTW - How's your daughter's new horse doing? I'm afraid I'll never have an import or show on that level. Only in my dreams!
posted on August 4, 2001 04:12:50 PM new
Hey, IBS,
Couple more thoughts..is your camera set on "indoor" or "outdoor"? Try resetting it & see if that helps.
Rather than use the forced flash, try using the red eye reduction flash.
You might also be able to change the amount of the flash in the flash level menu. (Sorry, I have the FD95 so I don't know if yours has the same features).
You might also see if you have the twilight mode which helps in a dark place.
Until you get the porch, you might try getting the tri-fold and an inexpensive (under $10) halogen light. I know, I know, some will be hollaring when I say that, but it can work for a lot of items and inexpensively. I have one mounted on an old camera tripod.
Thanks for asking..they are still fighting it out for alpha horse. They did a small regional schooling event & placed 3rd in the cross country pace. Looks like she will be back on the national circuit next month (my obit is probably to follow).
posted on August 4, 2001 06:41:27 PM new
IB - I found a real Godsend in the COCOON, that was invented by a photographer and is now sold by Calumet. It's a zip up pup tent with two openings to shoot thru. You need very little light, as it "grabs" whatever natural light there is in the room and focuses it on the object inside the Cocoon. No shadows, glare streaks, light bulb hot areas. And the photos are so easy to then clean up with image software afterward. They come in small (I use that one - it's about a foot long and 8 inches high or so), medium and large. Here are some of my photos - many impossible to take nicely until I found the Cocoon:
http://mysite.directlink.net/difs/morninggloryperf.jpg
http://mysite.directlink.net/difs/3monkeysnew.jpg
http://mysite.directlink.net/difs/heart violetsbox.jpg
http://mysite.directlink.net/difs/koicrummles.jpg
http://mysite.directlink.net/difs/chinoiseriecat.jpg
I think Calumet has a website - it's calumetphoto.com
Let me know if this helps!
Di
On a scale of 1 to 10...we'd all weigh a lot less!
[ edited by difs on Aug 4, 2001 06:42 PM ]
[ edited by difs on Aug 4, 2001 06:44 PM ]
I have a Mavica camera and use a steady hand.
I use either a white sheet draped over a box and then put my item against that back drop or a darker color material. This depends on the item.
I do not use flash unless I am using the zoom all the way. The flash on the Mavica is way too bright. I normall turn on all the lights as bright as they will go.
I use the photo editing portion and usually brighter on the pics to get them to look much brighter than when I took them. Usually works pretty good.
Remember to crop and leave a little room around the edges of the item for space. The viewers eyes will appreciated that.
posted on August 4, 2001 09:07:40 PM new
Hi, I also have a Mavica 7....and have struggled with pics....I take a LOT of small items pics and this is what I did....I found a wooden box...(approx. 2 1/2 to 3 ft high and approx....18" but those are arbitrary measurements) and stood it up on end. I lined it with some old velveteen uphoistery cloth I had that was a medium gray. I then mounted one of those over the bed clip on lights (or a computer light would work) on the top. This one had the added feature of a dial that dimmed or brightened the light. I pointed it down towards the back. I also covered a foot long section of 4x4 wood with the same fabric to use as a "riser" to put figurines up higher. I could then put the figurine or whatever into the box on the riser , or a larger item on the floor of it and point the light the way I wanted it and snap the picture. It works really great. I also am able to hang items with pins on the back wall of this box such as small pictures , postcards, jewelry or whatever. I have been very satisfied with this set up and it has taken some great pictures. I can post a pic of this if anyone is interested, but it "ain't pretty" ....Its the items that don't fit in this box that I am having trouble with getting good detailed pictures with. Hope this makes sense.....Good Luck!
Not Minx on Ebay!
posted on August 4, 2001 09:37:49 PM new
Hey All, I have a great tip for taking indoor pics. To delete the washed out look from too much flash, I cut a square out of an opaque plastic milk jug and taped it over the flash on my digital camera. It works perfectly with reflective lighting. Peace, BoxGirl
He no longer has a Federal or State License; is making License Plates and enjoying a Drug-Dealer "Room-mate" now. Shoulda used less Camera, more Ethics! 
....Its the items that don't fit in this box that I am having trouble with getting good detailed pictures with. Hope this makes sense.....Good Luck!