📸Best photo set up for details?

1

Hiya Ribblrs,

I need to upgrade my photography set up for my crochet patterns but there are so many options and I don’t want to spend a fortune! I primarily am taking photos of small crochet projects to illustrate my patterns.

I currently have a very cheap light box that has one strip of LED lights along the front. This works okay but still casts a lot of shadows. Plus it can be hard to get my phone into a good angle for the photo especially when I want to show something top down.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can share, especially if you can show me a picture of your own setup and/or link to specific products you recommend.
Here is my shop link if you want to see the kinds of pictures I’m taking.

suettle

19 Likes
2

I think we all struggle with this and can follow along for tips and tricks. My only suggestion has always been natural light. Lately I have been using my S10 or something galaxy phone on portraits with a background blur, to get this effect. One picture with, one without.

430662713_292912660286602_3707159794471046944_n

431145049_3689368581384169_2109656268180523981_n

9 Likes
3

Thanks for the tip, I’ll experiment with that!

4 Likes
4

I’ve always been impressed with the clarity and definition of your photos @suettle . I can’t imagine how you can improve on that. But best wishes.

5 Likes
5

I didn’t add about the flash. It helps reduce shadows. Maybe a light / lamp nearby that can be moved until it’s just right for that photo.

Please let us know if you find anything else helpful.

6 Likes
6

I can’t say for sure if this works if you’re already doing something like this already but I saved this video awhile back to try one day for myself (so if you do decide to try making this, I would love to know if it worker!) this looks good, and you might be able to change the background color/fabric, since I believe I’ve seen different color backgrounds for light boxes :grin:

6 Likes
7

Thanks for the video. I should try that. My pictures aren’t very good.

4 Likes
8

Thank you so much, we’re always our own worst critic, right? The biggest problem I have is that a lot of LED bulbs are around the same shutter speed as my phone camera and it can cause dark lines in my photos if I’m not careful with the angles of my lights, and then there can be more shadows than I would prefer.

I see the video below recommended fluorescent bulbs, not LEDs, so I’ll see if so can find some of those. I want a set up that is pretty easy to use so I don’t have to fiddle around with my lights as much.

4 Likes
9

Thank you! I’m going to look into the fluorescent bulbs instead of the LEDs I’ve been using, that might make it easier.

4 Likes
10

I don’t have the greatest set up. All I did was buy 3 rustic looking boards from the craft isle, a swatch of pre-cut fabric from the sewing isle and a 3 pack of remote control lights that have a timer off, and 3 brightness settings… all Walmart specials lol… I’m supposed to be keeping my yarn stored in the cabinet but for the winter months I turned it into a photo booth. As for the lights. They came with sticky pads, I turned them on and placed them so there would be little to no shadowing when I was taking photos.

20240316_140004
20240316_1400041920Ă—2560 589 KB

20240316_140023
20240316_1400231920Ă—2560 601 KB

20240316_140033
20240316_1400331920Ă—2560 654 KB

EDIT: The batteries are currently dead. I’ve not bought replacement batteries yet.

7 Likes
11

Thank you for showing me pictures of your setup, your photos always look fantastic! That is super helpful!

5 Likes
12

Awe thanks! It was a last minute, grab n go hurry through Walmart trip, before an eye appointment. (Wal-Mart was on the way and I was running a few minutes early) I had to go the opposite direction when I left the eye drs, and didn’t want to back track that day.

Oh the white fabric strips on the back board is edging tape for sewing/quilting.

5 Likes
13

Nice, I like how you use it to hang little “AuntFanny” signs in your pics. Sometimes fast and easy is best, maybe I’m overthinking things. Wouldn’t be the first time. LOL

4 Likes
14

Over thinking is usually the devil in the design of things. I hadn’t made a photo setup because I was trying to figure out the best way to do it. That throw together is probably a lot better than the one I was trying to come up with. In the end it’s very portable/packable, different fabric swatch blocks could be easily pinned/clipped on the board for background changes, (makes a note to pick some up). The boards could also be used covered in aluminum foil or parchment paper as last minute serving boards for a picnic/party whichever. Lol just little things that ran through my head on the way home after all errands were done that day.

5 Likes
15

I prefer taking pictures with some greenery in the background, so i use trees :deciduous_tree: and grass and my background :blush:

8 Likes
16

During the winter it’s hard to find good looking greenery. I have a black thumb when it comes to house plants, so that’s never been an option for me.

6 Likes
17

No problem! :grin:

3 Likes
18

I use this light box which is very portable. I got it at a significant discount from my local crafts store.

4 Likes
19

Thank you I’ll check it out!

4 Likes
20

I just use natural light and if that’s not accessible I have a ring light and a large piece of cardboard with wood stickers on it. It’s kinda like wall paper I got it at a dollar store seems to work well as a backdrop. I honestly try not to have too much in my photos unless I’m taking photos for selling.
I’ve had a couple of handmade business’s and
The products that sell faster are the less busy and clear pics. With larger plushies it’s harder to use a light box.

5 Likes