Have you ever noticed...?
Hi all. I haven't been on in awhile due to a very big move from Germany to Arkansas to Missouri! We are mostly sttled now, I have set up my stamping room, and just started stamping again after a dry spell!
I took some photos this morning of my latest cards and I wondered if anyone else has this problem: when you photo a gorgeous card, the photo just doesn't do it justice sometimes. I have posted photos before that, live look adorable...but the photo, not so much! Sometimes it looks all washed out. Other times it looks like a big mess. And yet others it just looks blah and bland. The reverse is true on a rare occassion, too (but much more rare than what I've just posted): you make a card that just seems so-so, but in the photo it looks wonderful! I'd love to hear from others who've noticed this. What do you do about it, if anything? |
yes, this is absolutely the case for many of us who are not seasoned photographers!
I recently bought a better camera and am practicing taking photos. I took a short class and am doing a lot of reading on the subject. |
I would also like to get a better camera and have wondered if that is the real problem. My DIL just got a very nice one and takes wonderful pictures. I'd have her photo my cards, but she lives in Japan! LOL!
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I've heard, though, in various tutorials on this subject, that it really isn't the camera's quality so much as the lighting. There was one about making a lightbox and using it to take pictures where the gal mentioned that her camera was a very basic entry level camera.
I know there are some things you can do to improve the pictures without spending money on a better camera... Use bright, natural light where possible. Failing that, use a background of white paper to surround the card and use a good lamp. Position the light so there's no shadows on the card. Use a tripod or at least something like a stack of books to rest the camera on. Use the macro setting on the camera. (Looks like a tulip usually on the selection bar). Use a good photo editing program if you have one to touch up the lighting after the fact. Play with the brightness/contrast to try to reduce shadows. Please don't infer from this that I think my photos are "all that," lol! I just know I've read these tips and tried them and they all help. |
I think its a combo of lighting and editing. I know sometimes I take a picture of a card and it looks fine but other times they look really bad. I use Photoshop Elements 7 to edit my photos and it does help alot.
If you don't want to pay for Photoshop, you could try editing your photos using Picasa. Its a free program for photo editing. Also set your camera to the Macros setting - that helps alot. I just use a point and click digital. Nothing expensive or fancy for me! I am still trying to decide if I should invest in a light tent and new lights for my photos of my projects. So far, I just use a home made infinity board and some ott lights for my photos. HTH:D |
Definitely edit! I never post a photo I haven't edited. Another note: make sure your photos are nice and crisp and not out of focus...all the editing in the world won't fix that.
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The thing that helped me most was learning how to set custom white balance on my camera. I still have a long way to go photography-wise, but it really does help. Do a little research with the camera you use, and see if you can manually adjust this.
I have a Canon Rebel, and it's easy enough to do with a sheet of white copy paper and about 60 seconds of fiddling. :) |
Where did all the little pictures at the bottom of all these posts come from...sorry to be off topic...
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Back on topic here... I agree with all of the tips given. One other thing I find makes my pictures better (even tho they're not great at that) is to not use the flash if at all possible. My pictures have improved by not using a flash, using the macro setting, and custom setting my white balance. It takes practice to get great pictures. And I think a lot of it is you have to have an "eye" for it. |
all I know is when I scan a card it is much worse than any photo...talk about washed out...blah...
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I am technologically challenged...but I will try to follow these tips. Thanks to everyone for your thoughts. I just need to spend a little time with my camera, I guess.
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Jutta |
whenever possible, i scan rather than photograph.... LOL my scanner takes better photos than I do
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Unless your camera is really, really bad it's definitely more to do with light and editing :D
But you're certainly not alone, we've all been there I'd say. I can take equally good photos with my $3000 body and lens combo and my $300 point and shoot. OK, not equally good to view full size on screen, but sized down for posting I don't think you could tell which photo I took with which camera. Second logo from the left is Delicious, I recognise it. But hover your mouse over them and they all say what they are. |
Lydia has a sticky on it down here - http:////www.splitcoaststampers.com/...s-t499532.html. Sounds as if it was a built-in part of the recent upgrade.
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Same here, i'm just glad i haven't got a food blog,lol, every meal would be stone cold by the time i actually got to eat it!
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Lighting plays a very big part. Photo editing software like Photoshop also helps alot. Many a time my photos are not sharp but I use Photoshop to sharpen it. I find natural light better than lamp light. When in an enclosed room like classroom, it is better to set ISO to 100 and then use flash.
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