phil davenport on sat 7 sep 02
Nancy:
The yellow would come from shooting outdoor film under tungsten lights (regular
household lights). You can buy tungsten slide film and use tungsten lights. If
using outdoor film then you would have to use a filter to get rid of the yellow.
Having shadows going different directions would indicate several light sources of
the same intensity. You could use flood lights or lights in a reflector--this
would allow you to have more control with the lights. Really look at the effect
that your lighting setup has on the subject and you should be able to determine
what has to be done. Usually you should have one main light and another light that
is weaker and illuminates the shadows (cuts down on the intensity of the shadow).
You could bounce the lights, off of foam core or matt board and this will soften
the harsh shadows.
How are you determining the correct exposure? Just taking one meter reading will
not give you the best results.
If you use a flash, that is attached to the camera, you will have a hot spot on the
tile or any type of glazed surface.
I assume you do not want the tile distorted--The camera back and the tile should be
parallel to each other or you will have distortion.
Hopes this helps.
Phil Davenport
Garland, Tx
Nancy Guido wrote:
> Well, I am hip-deep in CM's and Claytimes for articles on photographing my
> own work. I've even downloaded John Hesselberth's first article in Claytimes
> on the subject. I have the other article in the Sept/Oct 01 issue.
>
Nancy Guido on sat 7 sep 02
Well, I am hip-deep in CM's and Claytimes for articles on photographing my
own work. I've even downloaded John Hesselberth's first article in Claytimes
on the subject. I have the other article in the Sept/Oct 01 issue.
Prior to this I've had relatively good experiences with this one photo shop
taking slides of my work (Quicksilver in Plymouth Mi). This time, however,
when I took work in to be photographed I asked for a white background,
however the background in the slides turned out yellow with shadows in every
direction (I could have done better myself). The slides were scanned to a
disc and the photographer offered to digitally fix the yellow to white, but
would not reshoot the tiles unless I paid the much higher cost for a full
studio set up. This wouldn't have been a problem if he would have told me up
front that I needed the full studio set up, but after the fact this made me
mad. He wasn't very nice. I got my money back.
So, as I prepare to shoot my own slides, does anyone have any suggestions on
shooting tiles? Should they be flat on the table (that's how "he" did them)
or up on an invisible stand? Hubby did study photography in college so I am
sure we can figure this out.
Any info would be helpful.
Thanks,
Nancy G.
(please don't correct my grammar as I am as mad as a wet hen and as crazy as
a cat in a bathtub right now and low on estrogen)
Pat Southwood on sat 7 sep 02
Dear Nancy,
I do mine looking down from the top, as full frame as possible, but you have
to consider the shadows you create .Pat.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nancy Guido"
To:
Sent: Saturday, September 07, 2002 9:18 PM
Subject: Photographing Tiles
> Well, I am hip-deep in CM's and Claytimes for articles on photographing my
> own work. I've even downloaded John Hesselberth's first article in
Claytimes
> on the subject. I have the other article in the Sept/Oct 01 issue.
>
> Prior to this I've had relatively good experiences with this one photo
shop
> taking slides of my work (Quicksilver in Plymouth Mi). This time,
however,
> when I took work in to be photographed I asked for a white background,
> however the background in the slides turned out yellow with shadows in
every
> direction (I could have done better myself). The slides were scanned to a
> disc and the photographer offered to digitally fix the yellow to white,
but
> would not reshoot the tiles unless I paid the much higher cost for a full
> studio set up. This wouldn't have been a problem if he would have told me
up
> front that I needed the full studio set up, but after the fact this made
me
> mad. He wasn't very nice. I got my money back.
>
> So, as I prepare to shoot my own slides, does anyone have any suggestions
on
> shooting tiles? Should they be flat on the table (that's how "he" did
them)
> or up on an invisible stand? Hubby did study photography in college so I
am
> sure we can figure this out.
>
> Any info would be helpful.
>
> Thanks,
> Nancy G.
> (please don't correct my grammar as I am as mad as a wet hen and as crazy
as
> a cat in a bathtub right now and low on estrogen)
>
>
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Paul Lewing on sat 7 sep 02
on 9/7/02 12:18 PM, Nancy Guido at NCGHandmadeTile@AOL.COM wrote:
> So, as I prepare to shoot my own slides, does anyone have any suggestions on
> shooting tiles?
Nancy, I photograph mine hanging on a wall. Obviously, you need a tripod,
as with any art photography. But you also need another gizmo.
One of the biggest problems with shooting any rectangular or square object,
whether it's a tile or picture hanging on a wall, or a tile installation, is
that you need to get the image square in the frame. For this you need a
level. I have one that fits in the hot shoe (the bracket over the
viewfinder that would hold a flash attachment). First you take a regular
level and make sure that your tile is hanging level. Then you sight along
the long side of a carpenter's square to make sure that the center of the
lens is exactly straight out from the center of the tile. Next you put the
small level in the hot shoe and make sure your camera is level on a plane
parallel with the plane of the wall. Then turn the level so it's checking
the plane perpendicular to the wall. Set it so it's level, then move the
camera on the tripod up and down till the center of the viewfinder lines up
with he center of the tile. The center of your picture should now be
exactly straight out from the center of the tile, and the edges of the tile
should line up parallel with all four sides of the frame.
Then when you take the film in to be developed and mounted, be sure to tell
them that you need the image to be centered in the frame, otherwise, despite
all your efforts, the image is often crooked in the picture.
Good luck, Paul Lewing
John Hesselberth on sat 7 sep 02
On Saturday, September 7, 2002, at 04:18 PM, Nancy Guido wrote:
> So, as I prepare to shoot my own slides, does anyone have any
> suggestions on
> shooting tiles? Should they be flat on the table (that's how "he" did
> them)
> or up on an invisible stand? Hubby did study photography in college
> so I am
> sure we can figure this out.
>
Hi Nancy,
Shooting flat work like tiles is the one place I usually use two lights
(I've been known to get on my soap box on occasion saying that a single
light is the best way to shoot pots--I stand by that for nearly all
3-dimensional work because that single shadow, properly managed, will
help give the photo depth). The easiest way to do it for tiles is just
buy an inexpensive "copy stand" if your tiles are say, 8x8 or smaller.
They usually come with 2 small floodlights and a rack and pinion height
adjustment for your camera. The biggest issue you will have is managing
the "glare" from the lights. Two lights help in this case to get uniform
lighting across the entire surface of the tile. It can be done
relatively well with one light, but having 2 usually works better.
If you don't want to get a copy stand, get two small floodlights. Lay
the tile flat on your background and shoot straight down on it. Of
course you need about six arms to simultaneously position the tile, the
lights and manage the camera. That's why a copy stand works well.
Regards,
John
Frog Pond Pottery
PO Box 88
Pocopson, PA 19366
Fax or phone: 610-388-1254
Janet Kaiser on sun 8 sep 02
Well, after taking many a 35 mm film and hundreds of digital photos of
tiles as they arrive, during the design work and in The Path, I can
honestly say that it is best when they are flat, Nancy.
It means you have to set up a tripod, especially if you are working in
natural light without additional lighting, so that the camera is held
steady and horizontal to the tile/working surface. You can also get the
shot set up without the sides showing and/or shadows better this way. And
of course once it is set up, you can keep taking photos with the tiles
staying the same distance from the lens, so they will be all of a similar
size and appearance within the photo/shot. I personally prefer natural
light for tiles, but it actually has the added advantage of not needing to
mess around with fancy light box set-ups... Always difficult when shooting
from above, I find.
You don't say what you are using: film or digital? But it is definitely for
slides?
If your tiles are flat with only minor impressions, it may be worth your
while trying to scan directly. I have actually found that is the best
method and you can set the resolution to be high enough for any printed
material you may need. I suppose it is even possible to have the digital
images made into slides too these days... Technology is a wonderful thing!
One word of warning on scanning tiles directly in the scanner... Be careful
not to scratch the glass. I use a transparent plastic foil sheet to protect
the glass and it does not seem to influence the image in any way. It is the
type you can get for making transparencies... Have a box full left over
from my pre-PowerPoint lecturing days when an overhead projector was THE
latest innovation. To think they are now obsolete!!
Good luck!
Janet Kaiser - Just trying to imagine a mad (as in angry?) wet hen... Ours
were always downright miserable and sulky in the rain, but I guess they got
more practice... Now the cat in a bathtub, I can visualise!! I guess you
are pretty peeved, Nancy...
The Chapel of Art =95 Capel Celfyddyd
8 Marine Crescent, Criccieth LL52 0EA, Wales, UK
Tel: 01766-523570 URL: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
On 07/09/02 at 16:18 Nancy Guido wrote:
>So, as I prepare to shoot my own slides, does anyone have any suggestions
>on
>shooting tiles? Should they be flat on the table (that's how "he" did
>them)
>or up on an invisible stand? Hubby did study photography in college so I
>am
>sure we can figure this out.
>
>Any info would be helpful.
>
>Thanks,
>Nancy G.
>(please don't correct my grammar as I am as mad as a wet hen and as crazy
>as
>a cat in a bathtub right now and low on estrogen)
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