# Displaying and Photographing...??



## marquis2 (Aug 16, 2009)

OK, folks, I have been browsing this forum for about 2 hours now, and find it quite fascinating. Great pictures of y'all's collections, cabinets, and whatever. Seriously, it's great. BUT!! When I saw the "Displaying and Photographing" heading, I thought excellent. Now I can get some hints on how to take really, REALLY good pics of my bottles. Nope. It was not to be. Sooo... where might I find such a treasure of info?
 And now, I will get back to reading the forum.
 TIA for the "where can I" info.


----------



## Poison_Us (Aug 16, 2009)

It may not be previously discussed, but it a legitimate question to start such a discussion.

 First thing your going to need a camera that can take closeups.  Many point and shoot digital cameras in the lower cost rage dont do well when doing closeups so make sure yours has that capability.

 Second, and this will depend on what your photographing, the background and lighting.  We have experimented with a few things and will be doing this once our new hutch comes to transplant our collection over too it, and that is have a white sheet pack drop that also continues under the subject.  You can experiment with either top lit or back lit situations.  A lot of displays I have seen are oversized light tables with shelves.  Good for showing off, but for photographing, you may not want to have all the inside and opposite side items to show through if you want to see the details of the front embossing.  This is a personal thing.  But what we prefer is a top lit and to the front slightly light source on the white sheet backdrop.  This way it looks seamless and suspended in the photo and you get all the details of the front of the bottle without drowning it out with back light.

 Again, it's something you have to experiment with, but this should give you an idea where to start.  We will be posting our collection once we get that new hutch and get everything photographed.

 I'm sure others have their own techniques and thoughts so I invite the rest of the community to add their comments.


----------



## coboltmoon (Aug 16, 2009)

I took bad photos for so long I feel your pain.  I have taken some of the worst bottle photos and understand the challenge. 

 I use a $50 camera and take great photos now.  Look for a camera with macro mode.  Macro is for close-ups.  You will see the bubbles in the glass and many other qualities.

 I use reveal light bulbs by GE.  They are just a tad more expensive then a normal 100 watt bulb.  My lighting setup is archaic but works ok.  One light over head, one back and towards the left and one on a swing arm on the front.  I could use more lights.

 The best tip is an all white background and base.  The base I use is an old glossy enamel kitchen table leaf.  I have found this works the best for me but metal that is glossy white works very well like the back of a white sign.  My background is a piece of poster board with a hint of gloss.  I used this because it works and had it handy.  A glossy metal sign would probably work better.

 Bottles with weak embossing or clear may not photograph well with all the white. A black background will fix that issue.

 If you look at my ebay store you will see photos taken with this setup.  You will also see a couple of bad photos before I made impovements.


----------



## Poison_Us (Aug 16, 2009)

That is true.  You background may change depending on the subject.  Most of our collection are cobalt or amber where the white background works well.  With a clear or milk glass bottle, you may want to change it up so the bottle and embossing has some contrast.


----------



## marquis2 (Aug 16, 2009)

Gentlemen (I presume)
 Thanks for your timely and informative responses.
 I do have a fairly good camera -a FujiFilm 6.3 pix digital with zoom and macro, altho the macro doesn't focus  too good at closer than 8-10 inches- and I have both a blue and a white sheet that I use for background. I shoot from a tripod, cuz my hands are a little (??) shaky. Lighting currently is 2, 2bulb 48" shop lights with an incandescent desk lamp to boot. I just have a lot of trouble getting the embossing to show up very well. As, apparently, a lot of others do, too.
 Well, I guess I will keep trying different things. And if anyone else has some more ideas, please feel free to drop a reply to this post.
 One more thing... I see quite a few bottles with the embossment painted white. Now, I know that isn't original, so what does one use, that won't detract from the bottle's value? And how would someone with shaky hands apply it so it doesn't look like a kindergartner's finger painting? Ideas??
 Again, thanks, and this is a great site. Pictures, advice, humour, philosophy, links to you-tube,. What more could one ask?


----------



## pyshodoodle (Aug 16, 2009)

Hi Steve, if you look a couple posts down, I bumped an old thread for you that may be helpful. I haven't organized myself enough to build a lightbox, but a tip from me would be to take the picture from more of a distance and crop it on the computer. Anything you take with 6.3 megapixels will be pretty big anyway, so unless you're making poster size pictures with your bottles, it makes it a little easier than worrying about closeups. Member jdogrulz seems to take pretty nice close-ups. Maybe he can give some pointers. 

 Kate

 Oh - I often use a tripod, too, especially inside.. sometimes I set the timer to take the picture 2 seconds after I press the button. Just to make sure the camera doesn't move at all. I'm definitely not the best photographer on here, but for just snapping pictures, they come out pretty well with these tips.


----------



## marquis2 (Aug 16, 2009)

Kate,
 Thanks! The pics look great, and I can make one of those! I can, I really really can! 
 Matter of fact, I think I will quit packing up for the move and make one right after lunch.(See pics) And that's just part of it!
   Wifey is gone, she'll never know! 
 Steve


----------



## marquis2 (Aug 16, 2009)

That was the paint/storage room.
 This is the sweatshop.
 The next is the lumberyard.


----------



## marquis2 (Aug 16, 2009)

The lumberyard-


----------



## cyberdigger (Aug 16, 2009)

I find pics taken outside during the day are almost always better than indoor shots, unless you have a good setup. The flash is the bottle's worst enemy, always makes them look like hell! 
 Painted embossing is acceptable to collectors, especially if done with water-based paint whick can be easily cleaned off if necessary. I don't think there's an easy way to paint them, you need patience and a good small brush. Some people use paint pens, but I never tried that..


----------



## jdogrulz (Aug 16, 2009)

Hello marquis2 and welcome to the forum. I am by no means a professional photographer just kinda do a lot of experimenting. Here is what I how found works best for me. First and foremost is your lighting. I was getting bad photos using your standard bulbs. I am using three N:VISION model#0825250 daylight bulbs that I got from Home Depot and they work great. I have one in back at the left and at the top-right. I built me a little box using the post here in this forum using white sheets. Also note if you use the sheets I found that you have to use the fine thread sheets, got them from Walmart. The next thing I found that was important was setting your White Balance. Look in your cameras manual to see if you can set it. My camera doesnt like getting up real close either but what I do is back off a few inches and then use the zoom. I also use the Manual setting. I set my ISO to AUTO and my apature to 2.7. The shutter speed is what I play with alot. On my camera you can see the difference in light when adjusting it. Here are a couple of photo's to show the diff. 

 I hope this has helped some. I know I am not a very good writer. If you have anymore questions please feel free to ask.

 This one was with Shutter speed @ 1600 shutter speed








 and this one was @ 640


----------



## marquis2 (Aug 16, 2009)

Thanks for the info. I notice behind the center of each bottle in the fotos, there is a "bloom" of light where it hits the backdrop. That's one of the things I am trying to eliminate. I find that florescent don't have that, but it's difficult to point a floro. I will try the bulb, tho, if I find 'em.
 Thanks,


----------



## T D (Aug 16, 2009)

It all depends on what effect you want, but this is simply bottle on white poster board taped to the wall, under a fluerescent fixture under the kitchen cabinets, with a fluerescent shop light behind the poster board, with only fluerescent lights on in the kitchen.  Until I can get a wider light source behind the poster board, I adjust the light to either highlight the town at the bottom of the bottle, a neat bubble, or other embossing on the bottle.  I also use a tripod.  When the weather gets colder, I will experiment more and improve the lighting...


----------



## T D (Aug 16, 2009)

or bottle only


----------



## T D (Aug 16, 2009)

acl on white


----------



## T D (Aug 16, 2009)

acl on black poster board


----------



## Just Dig it (Aug 16, 2009)

As a self Proclaimed Lover of the word Spiffy...im in love with that acl


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 17, 2009)

I didn't know you could just use posterboard like that.  Duh.  I need to start experimenting with my pictures.  Does anyone have a Kodak Easyshare 8 megapixels?  Any tips for that camera in particular?  Thanks.  Good pictures guys.


----------



## T D (Aug 17, 2009)

Hey Laur, make sure you tape the top edges well to the wall and then you can place the light where you want behind the poster board, then pull the poster away from the light and let the bottle hold it.  Of course these heavy soda bottles will hold it in place.  You would want to tape all edges well on a smaller bottle.  One thing I didn't mention, if you'll notice on the Spiffy and the Big Shot bottles, the shop light is shining from the front.  The problem with that is you can see the reflection on the Spiffy bottle.  This is where a light box will work better where you can deflect the light.  Not bad in my opinion for an under cabinet light, a shop light and a piece of cardboard.


----------

