Photography Course Week 3 - High Key and White Balance
This week’s photography session was all about white light and white balance.
We started with a white plastic box and shone a light through the top of it and placed some white paper inside to create a nice white box for our products.
Next, we chose random objects to photograph.
As we started to take pictures, it soon became apparent that there was too much light or not enough light inside the box and around the object, so we then had to add/subtract light accordingly until we were able to capture clean images of our products.
Essentially we were practising product placement photography, for example taking a photo of something for a sales promotion or a magazine.
Here are some of the images I was able to capture...
We had to take the images being very aware of any corners or shadows that could ruin the picture. This is where the A3 sized piece of paper came in handy. It was positioned to cover both the back of the box and the base of the box; there were no creases, therefore no corners to attract shadows.
The sunglasses were exceptionally hard to photograph because we also had to ensure nothing was being reflected back to us in the lens (i.e. the photographer!).
The white balance also had to be checked (making sure the whites were true whites, and not looking yellow or grey). If they were slightly yellow, we needed to adjust the white balance using the exposure compensator button on the top of the camera. So it took a few practice shots with each object to make sure the whites were correct.
I hope you have enjoyed the photo's, I will be using this technique more when I do macrophotography as I think it may help me to achieve a crisper image.
Thank you so much for visiting!
Much love, BB xx
(a huge thank you to @zord189 for my bouncing bullies signature!)
Oh, very cool. Those are some great photos.
My friend the jewelry designer and supplier has a commercial 'white box' that she uses extensively. I've diddled with it a little, just out of curiosity. Now I see what she is trying to accomplish.
Thanks for the whole series. This is really terrific for me....
Thank you Big T! So glad you are enjoying it. It is actually helping me to absorb the information by writing about what I am doing and why I am doing it. I am also having lots of fun photographing random objects that I would not normally point my camera at!
Thank you so much for your support!
BB <3
Photography can be very complex, many years ago I lived with a young lady who did animal photography and I learned a lot from her about light and using a light meter. Those are some nice shots and look great to me.
Thank you so much @sultnpapper! :D
Animal Photography and Macrophotography are my 2 favourite types of photography and that is usually where I tend to focus, so this course is good because it pushes me out of my comfort zone. I woud never usually take images like this so it is fun experimenting with something new. And of course learning the technical side will be helpful to me in the future too! :D
Thanks for popping by!
BB <3
I will say that lighting and knowing how the light will hit from the flash is the hardest part to learn, or at least it was for me. I never bought into the digital cameras and all the true cameras I have are 35mm or 2.25 format film cameras. Paying for film and developing just doesn't make sense any more to me and my phone takes good enough pictures for what I do so I don't see me spending the money for new digital cameras.
But it never hurts to learn about things, knowledge is power they say.
Exactly :) And to be fair, some of the best images I have seen have been taken with a camera phone!
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Amazing work and great recollection, really shows you are taking it all in. Reading your blogs really teases me into the idea of going digital. Maybe when steem rises again I'll be able to afford a decent dslr. Thanks for sharing BB and will get my act together soon so we can meet up.
Thanks hun! Glad you are enjoying the series. Using digital images definitely makes it easier to learn from mistakes as I am not worried about the cost of film and waiting times etc, but I can also see the appeal of using film for authenticity. another thing I have learned is never buy camera equipment new! I will only buy second hand from now on as photographers really look after their glass and you can get some amazing deals on lenses.
BB <3
So it is you who keeps out-bidding me on Ebay! lol
I'm loving your series and find myself hanging on for the next instalment.
Great advice on finding bargains and I'll keep my eyes peeled for good deals. I've picked up a great Carl Zeisse lens from a charity shop for just £5 but its screw thread mount so am currently trying to buy an adaptor.
Haha yes, I wait until the last minute then get a sneaky bid in ;)
My tutor keeps going on about an online company that does second hand photography equipment, I will find out what it is called and let you know. I think it has the word 'London' in it lol
Edit: it is the London Camera Exchange :)
Nice one BB, I'll take a look. I'm currently setting up my plastic box to try out what the technique you spoke of in part3...
Awesome! I am heading into Mansfield shortly on the hunt for a white plastic box haha
I can't wait to see what you come up with in your light box photography!
BB <3
Enjoy your day!
Haha! My mum was seriously wondering about my sanity when she came into the kitchen this morning and saw what I was doing, there were lights and extension cable everywhere! Soon as I get them developed onto cd I'll make a post about it for sure. Thanks for the inspiration.
Oh Wow! These are pretty professional looking shots, I had no idea that a white box would make that much of a difference! Is it easy to make a white light box? It sounds like you just had a plastic tub with paper (and light!).
yes, that is exactly what we had! It was so simple! :D I am going to head to poundland tomorrow to get my DIY lightbox kit! hehe
Wow, those came out looking really nice, the contrast is lovely at some of them, good job!
Thank you so much @zen-art! :D
BB <3
Very cool! I like the elephant))
Thank you! :D Yes, he was soooo cute, I couldn't resist him!
BB <3
Beautiful shots! :)
Thank you so much :)
Nice shots! This post was awesome! I gotta try playing with a white box one day and see what comes out! Thanks for sharing, honey!
Thank you so much Hun! :D Glad you enjoyed it. Honestly, the lightbox was so easy to make and it is so cheap! There is really no need to spend lots of money on expensive equipment (unless you are a pro photographer of course, which I am defo not lol )
Thanks for popping in!
BB <3
Oh they are beautiful! I'm no photographer do I shall just enjoy these photos instead 😘
Ah, thank you so much :) I am happy that you enjoy the images! :D
BB <3