In need of Photo Box help!!!

I got my photo box in today and I thought this was going to be a little smoother. I like to perfect stuff and I know I can get much better pics with the camera I have. I need some help, advice and tips of how to set up the lightning, how far the lightning should be away, how to not get shadows, how to add props and not get shadows from the props ect..

Also how do you get the wrinkles of your back ground? I assume this is photo shop which I have but just don't know how to make it clean looking.

I'm asking here because I know we have some very talented individuals on this site, who take some breath taking photos.

Here is my current setup up Nixon 520p and 24 inch cowboy studio photo box kit. http://www.cowboystudio.com/product_p/square%20tent.htm\


I took 3 photos of my wife's teddy bear, I didn't want to use my snakes yet. How do you get your snakes to calm down for a photo shoot?

Please tell me what I did wrong in these photos and how the lightning should be setup. I cant get better if I don't get suggestions or help.

Photo 1 This is with the lights on the outside of the box

http://i.imgur.com/BShS3Y2.jpg


Photo 2 This is with the lights off

http://i.imgur.com/lK7gDTY.jpg


Photo 3

This is with the lights shinning on the inside of the box

http://i.imgur.com/TG2BbC0.jpg

I don't consider myself even a mediocre photo bug. In fact, I struggle quite a bit. Some things have helped my photos - First, I shoot on a light absorbent material, to reduce reflection of the light (I'm currently using velvet). Second, the first picture looks like you need to move the light outside of the tent more towards the front (the one on the right side). There seems to be shadow on the right side. The second pic looks too dark and the third seems to have too much reflection on the background.

Hope that helps, it's all I got!

I think you need more light. I have one of these little light tent setups and I can never get enough light with the lights provided. Try taking the tent out in some sunlight and see if your result is better. Or you could try getting a few more "daylight" lamps.

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Originally Posted by Don

I don't consider myself even a mediocre photo bug. In fact, I struggle quite a bit. Some things have helped my photos - First, I shoot on a light absorbent material, to reduce reflection of the light (I'm currently using velvet). Second, the first picture looks like you need to move the light outside of the tent more towards the front (the one on the right side). There seems to be shadow on the right side. The second pic looks too dark and the third seems to have too much reflection on the background.

Hope that helps, it's all I got!

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Ill try this, thank you

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

I think you need more light. I have one of these little light tent setups and I can never get enough light with the lights provided. Try taking the tent out in some sunlight and see if your result is better. Or you could try getting a few more "daylight" lamps.

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Yeah that's what I was thinking. Could you maybe give me a good idea of how many watts I need to make these clean photos?

I think the kit is 200 watt. There is 2 lamps so each lamp is 100w.

i'm still learning a lot too, and i know this won't be of much help with your indoor shots in your light tent. the light tent i got didn't have very good lights and the pictures don't turn out that great either, so until i get some better lights, i've found some of the best looking pictures i've taken that represent the snakes colors the best are outside on a cloudy day. not sunny, but overcast. in the bright sunlight they don't look right. (not even sure you're asking specifically about snake pictures. lol)

i found this thread useful:
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ox-photography

i kinda took the same idea, except i haven't been by the store to get the foam board, so i just laid a white sheet over a table. you can still see the wrinkles, but that won't be an issue if you get the foam board.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/08/27/qejany4y.jpg

Here is on of my favorite photos when I got the right camera, with a tent and bright lights on velvet. All of this talk of more lights reminds me of the SNL skit more COWBELLS!

http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps5cf69c09.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TheSnakeGeek

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/08/27/qejany4y.jpg

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Looks really good I'm going to give this a try for the lightning issue.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

Here is on of my favorite photos when I got the right camera, with a tent and bright lights on velvet. All of this talk of more lights reminds me of the SNL skit more COWBELLS!

http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps5cf69c09.jpg

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Dang this looks good to Don. I just took pics of my Killer Bee and my BEL and my lightning looked awesome. I got it set up real nice now I have a problem with the Nikon p520 now. It doesn't focus close up being a non detachable and all that.

It's 42x zoom and it was bought for recording the kids for memories and zooming in on a animals at zoos and stuff. I think I'm going to turn this camera over to my wife. Go out and get me one with a detachable lens and invest in a good micro lens.

What's a good micro lens that every one uses to capture there balls the mm size ect.

Still looking for some tips of how much lightning I should have shining on the box. I will upload my snake pics when I get home tomorrow.

Brian, no interchangeable lenses. I talked to several photographers i know and a few of the recommended the Sony RX100. I don't want to spend a lot of time learning lenses and settings and with ths amera, I don't have to. I highly recommend it. It is pricey, but very easy to use and takes great shots.

I don't have many light tent photos as I prefer a little bit more than white or black in my photos :P But here are some I took last year of my 3 bees.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8043/8...56f56bbd_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8465/8...b319428e_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8047/8...0fdee613_b.jpg

I used the two provided lights pointed at the sides and then a CFL daylight bulb on the top (with a translucent light tent)

Its really all about the light. If you have a lot of strong directionless light, you will get great pictures.

If you are using white background, try to match the white as close to white as possible so the color isn't distorted.