How to take photos for product review?

Paul_Yeo · 20th July 2005

I just bought a new vacuum cleaner. Thinking of learning to write a product review. But those photos I took, like not very nice.

any expert in product photography can point out the mistakes?

http://www.paulandcindy.per.sg/tmp/vacuum/

I also dunno what is wrong, the photos are just not nice.

.

Sjourn · 20th July 2005

my 2c worth...

It's your lighting and bad choice of bg...

LittleWolf · 20th July 2005

Originally Posted by Sjourn

my 2c worth...

It's your lighting and bad choice of bg...

In addition, it might also help if the product was clean (no hairs and dirt particles sticking to it) and in focus.

detrop · 20th July 2005

for viewing sake, could you reduce the pic sizes to a more acceptable ones?

i reckon ur using a normal or perhaps a prosumer digicam? i agree that the choice of bg n lighting isnt that good.

Del_CtrlnoAlt · 20th July 2005

please go get a backdrop.... and also, do not use direct flash... i seen only 2 pics & i think i seen them all...

Paul_Yeo · 20th July 2005

Originally Posted by LittleWolf

In addition, it might also help if the product was clean (no hairs and dirt particles sticking to it) and in focus.

u can see the dirt?

espn · 20th July 2005

Hire a professional?

Paul_Yeo · 20th July 2005

Noted: clean background and no direct flash

Del_CtrlnoAlt · 20th July 2005

Originally Posted by Paul_Yeo

Noted: clean background and no direct flash

actually i think i can write an essay on it...

i think i saw the topview jpeg file... that shot alone, you use a direct flash from your camera... see a hot spot? ok, den u see your composition... notice that you have something missing & something suddenly pop out of nowhere? namely the hose and the 3 pin plug, you should have removed the hose if you do not want to have it in the pic... the 3 pin plug is rather unsightly here... den notice the top panel is full of dust? need more?

think its enough for you to digest... btw if you need some 'help' can pm me... my rates are rather low...

megaweb · 20th July 2005

The cheapest way is to take your product shots in plain white background and then use photoshop to remove the background and touch up your product shots.

Click here to see 1 of your shots edited by me

Del_CtrlnoAlt · 20th July 2005

Originally Posted by megaweb

The cheapest way is to take your product shots in plain white background and then use photoshop to remove the background and touch up your product shots.

Click here to see 1 of your shots edited by me

wah... teach me how to use photoshop leh... maybe i should post 1 of my pics as sample to using the conventional method...

btw, photoshop ain't cheap...

LittleWolf · 20th July 2005

Originally Posted by Paul_Yeo

u can see the dirt?

Look at the little wheel in the bottom view and the hairs caught in the brushes of the accessories.

Del_CtrlnoAlt · 20th July 2005

taken out of pic jpeg, nothing done... just added the words only.

this is done when i bought my macro lens. notice there is a shadow at the bottom? anyway simple to eliminate on the photoshop... but den i am those ppl who can't stand little technical fault guy... so i keep trying to improve on using skills to overcome the difficulty.. (my improved shot is in my CF card at home... will post when i am free) anyway this isn't a good shot either...

yanyewkay · 20th July 2005

for shiny surfaces especially SILVER round surfaces you wun want yourself to be IN the picture as well.. 2 ways to go about it. 1.) get a tent 2.)walk darn far away and zoom in.

My worst product shot was of the Hugo Boss perfume ball.. 1 ball, polished metal surface and I din't have a tent with me.

oh yah... that pic is owned by my client already.. so dun try to be funny with it..

Del_CtrlnoAlt · 20th July 2005

YYK...

the most difficult one 1 i ever did was the polarised sunglass... even tent also cannot help... anyway i still a beginner then... now still am...

Keltzar · 22nd July 2005

1) Get a backdrop, start by learning how to use white. Even mahjong paper will do.
2) Look at the object and ask yourself what makes it interesting. Compose around that.
3) Find a big window and start by learning how to shoot with window light, since this is relatively cheap and you can see what you get.
4) USE A TRIPOD and small apertures.
5) Learn to use reflectors to fill-in shadows. Even white-ish newspapers will do. I use white styrofoam boards I collect from packaging for my shots.

6) Understand shadows - a shadow appears behind an object. How obvious it is is therefore relative to the positioning of your light, background and object. Think about it and you'll understand how to reduce shadows better. The Sun is our best light source... and an overcast day casts the softest shadows... why?

7) Ask yourself what makes this product unique / interesting and hone in on it. A macro or close-focus lens is therefore useful. I have several macro lenses, but sometimes I find that my sigma 18-50 which focuses quite close is adequate.

20th July 2005	#1
Paul_Yeo Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Sengkang Posts: 2,156	How to take photos for product review? I just bought a new vacuum cleaner. Thinking of learning to write a product review. But those photos I took, like not very nice. any expert in product photography can point out the mistakes? http://www.paulandcindy.per.sg/tmp/vacuum/ I also dunno what is wrong, the photos are just not nice. . __________________ www.boo.sg

20th July 2005	#2
Sjourn Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Punggol 21/中国 Posts: 1,370	my 2c worth... It's your lighting and bad choice of bg... __________________ I lup SG, but SG don't love me...

20th July 2005	#5
Del_CtrlnoAlt Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Outside the Dry Box. Posts: 16,342	please go get a backdrop.... and also, do not use direct flash... i seen only 2 pics & i think i seen them all... __________________ Logging Off Permanently. Those who need to contact me will know where to contact me.

20th July 2005	#8
Paul_Yeo Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Sengkang Posts: 2,156	Noted: clean background and no direct flash __________________ www.boo.sg

20th July 2005	#10
megaweb Moderator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: East Posts: 8,106	The cheapest way is to take your product shots in plain white background and then use photoshop to remove the background and touch up your product shots. Click here to see 1 of your shots edited by me __________________ See my Photo Gallery at the Clubsnap \| Pbase Last edited by megaweb; 20th July 2005 at 02:47 PM.

20th July 2005	#4
detrop Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Nowhere but ClubSNAP Posts: 192	for viewing sake, could you reduce the pic sizes to a more acceptable ones? i reckon ur using a normal or perhaps a prosumer digicam? i agree that the choice of bg n lighting isnt that good.

20th July 2005	#7
espn Deregistered Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Planet Nikon Posts: 22,045	Hire a professional?

20th July 2005	#14
yanyewkay Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Cons digger. Posts: 4,046	for shiny surfaces especially SILVER round surfaces you wun want yourself to be IN the picture as well.. 2 ways to go about it. 1.) get a tent 2.)walk darn far away and zoom in. My worst product shot was of the Hugo Boss perfume ball.. 1 ball, polished metal surface and I din't have a tent with me. oh yah... that pic is owned by my client already.. so dun try to be funny with it.. __________________ “How fortunate for leaders that men do not think.” - Adolf Hitler

22nd July 2005	#16
Keltzar Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: West Posts: 3,161	1) Get a backdrop, start by learning how to use white. Even mahjong paper will do. 2) Look at the object and ask yourself what makes it interesting. Compose around that. 3) Find a big window and start by learning how to shoot with window light, since this is relatively cheap and you can see what you get. 4) USE A TRIPOD and small apertures. 5) Learn to use reflectors to fill-in shadows. Even white-ish newspapers will do. I use white styrofoam boards I collect from packaging for my shots. 6) Understand shadows - a shadow appears behind an object. How obvious it is is therefore relative to the positioning of your light, background and object. Think about it and you'll understand how to reduce shadows better. The Sun is our best light source... and an overcast day casts the softest shadows... why? 7) Ask yourself what makes this product unique / interesting and hone in on it. A macro or close-focus lens is therefore useful. I have several macro lenses, but sometimes I find that my sigma 18-50 which focuses quite close is adequate.