Business photography. Don't know what else you call it.

[Saintsgirl]

Hey all,

Would like some advice if I may...

My husbands boss has asked me to photograph his business for their new website. This will entail shots from the outside of the building, inside, stock etc. They have a showroom, and a warehouse too, so will probably just get trigger happy and photograph it all. It will be happening this Thursday! (Yikes)

Any tips on this sort of thing though? Cookster?? Anyone??

[MonkeyB]

Enjoy it. Remember its supposed to be fun.

Sorry its the only advice I have.

[Cookster670]

Woo hoo ! Personal mention. I'll repond when I get home. ;-)


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[caralan]

Find out what the client wants to convey to the public first (keep the client happy - but educate them at the same time). Have a look at the web-site, if it exists in some form - try to match your style to it.

Use a tripod, avoid flash, expose well, keep it sharp, look for interesting angles, get down on the floor, use a ladder, look for interesting light, same as you would always do :)

Include people (buildings are boring - oops, sorry) - (maybe try a slower shutter speed to blur them slightly as they walk through a scene - gives a sense of movement/activity/business/importance - ie if that is what you were trying to convey to the public)

Correct the verticals in PP possibly, and process according to the style of the site.

there you go - from someone who has never tried it ;)

Good luck - let us know how you go

Cheers

[Cookster670]

Ha Ha...I think Alan knows more than I do about this stuff ! And as for you Renae, I can only give you technical pointers, as when it comes to composition and making pictures, your miles ahead of me.

To start, it depends on the business and what they want, but an ultra wide angle lens is going to be helpful. And depending on what they want might be mandatory. For my shoots, they want to show off the pub, so I need a UWA to get it all in. For the business shots, probably not so important. You can rent a UWA from a few places in the city for about $70 (would the client be prepared to pay for that ?) I would lend you mine, but i shoot Nikon.

You already have an eye, so as Alan suggests, play with angles to get a different look. I'm hopeless at that stuff, but that is your strength, so be free with that. Also go for the boring technical / sterile shots so you have the best of both. In fact, I would start with the boring stuff, make sure you get all that in. Then play with being creative and have fun. In my very limited experience, the pubs I shoot for, they mainly want the sterile photos to give the viewer a good idea of what they can expect, and then mix in a few arty shots to give it some character. I have seen sites where everything is artistic and it gives me the irits as i have no idea what to expect. (except maybe some tosser in a beret)

Alan is also right about showing people and movement...but you need to be careful there. Depending on the environment, it's better to have no people than 1 person if the area is supposed to be "busy". Ie a photo of one person in a restaurant is not very appealing. So lets say it's an office, make sure that most of the desks are full.

For my biggest tip, bracket your shots, atleast 3 shots 2 stops apart so you can HDR. AGain it depends on the location, but typically where I shoot i have a dark interior and large windows...so if you use a normal exposure, you're either going to get blown highlights / no shadow detail, or worst case a bit of both. 90% of my pub shots are HDR for this reason

Flash is not that practical in large areas, so use a tripod and long exposures. Watch your white balance, so either shoot raw or a grey card, or just the right WB setting.

Well, that's all i can think of for now.

Good Luck !

[Cookster670]

ok...just notice you say stock photos. not sure what the stock is, but i would use your 50 1.8 and do some really shallow DOF stuff. If you have a flash and can get it off camera, i can lend you an umbrella and stand. Otherwise natural light on a tripod.

[sejac]

My first thought was, have a look at my mate Sam Noonan's web site. He lives up the road from me and is a CFS buddy of mine, and has a great site with some beautiful commercial photography featured.

This should give you some ideas.

Sam's website, click here (http://www.samnoonan.com.au)

Hope this helps inspire!

Charles

[caralan]

Hi,

I had a more serious think, and I was just about to suggest what Cookster beat me to..

If they are using a web designer who knows a bit about graphic design, it would be useful to provide them with some close up pics of the product - even OOf stuff that picks up their logo colours or shape or what they produce/sell

Good for backgrounds and for parts of banners, montages, design elements etc - saves them having to blow up sections of you photos for abstract elements.

You may be able to take home some things to work on in your own time, rather than having to do it on the run.

Sounds like fun - enjoy

[Saintsgirl]

Thank you all so much for your advice.

Exactly what i was thinking in regards to the stock (products) in relation to DOF etc. There are plenty of things I can hopefully photograph with the 50mm to ahieve that type of shot... So many thoughts running through my head... I will try bracketing, but have never done that before. I presume you take 3 shots, -1, 0, +1 and then overlay them to produce HDR. So all pics have to be exact? As in, on a tripod. I think I did read somewhere that my camera can bet set to do that.. Will have to get out the manual.

Thanks for the Sam link too Charles... They are beautiful pictures, with great architecture!!

I think having been there before helps, so I can vision a few shots I am keen to try out once I am there.

Thanks again everyone...

[Cookster670]

some cameras can do bracketing via an option and some manually. I use both methods depending on how big the range is (as my d80 only brackets 3 shots)

I go 2 stops apart. so -2 0 +2. 1 stop just isn't enough sometimes. One thing I will do is mount on tripod. Set to Manual. Expose for highlight, stop down, take shot, stop down, take shot.....etc. until shadow detail is exposed. If doing it manually, I do 1 stop between shots

[Saintsgirl]

Thanks Cookster - I will have a play and maybe practise around the home, just so i don't look like a nufty when the day arrives!!

[mbrown]

Renae,

You have some really good advice in there from your fellow forummers (lol I made a new word), anyways here are a couple of very important things to remember.

1. Watch the light, be careful not to blow out external windows in an effort to get low light exposures within the building. If you have to, then you may have to use HDR to compensate (bracket bracket bracket)

2. Preparation: There is nothing worse than doing this type of commercial work then have to sit there and clone out someones lunch wrappers off desks, or personal items etc. Desks need to be clean and clutter free, and the same goes for hallways, and anywhere else you can imagine. They need to clean up the place first, or you are the one that will suffer in post.

When is the shoot?

[kimali]

Good luck with it Renae:)!

I'm sure you'll be fine, and do a great job hun!

[Saintsgirl]

Thank You Mike. The shoot is this Thursday. I am going to get hubby to ask his boss if there is anything in particular he wants done (certain stock that sells well etc) and go from there.

These blokes have probably never held a camera in their life, or at best, been too fussy with how the pictures will look, but to me they need to be good. You raise a good point about the wrappers etc. Something I hadn't thought of, so will keep that in mind for sure.

Will definately do some hdr shots and see how we go. You are right about blown windows...although from memory, they haven't got much light entering them as they are covered along the inside with stock, but will case it all out when I get there. (and try and look professional! LOL)

Thanks again, you are a valuable "forummer!!". :)

[E05]

U'll be fine so go out and enjoy the shoot :)
Good advice so far.
*Woot* paid job!!

[Saintsgirl]

Um, no, not paid job. :(

I haven't mentioned payment, as he pays hubby enough! LOL But he is a good boss, and I know he will probably compensate in some way.

EDIT: Oh, and it also now seems that he wants me to do some product photography of some of his products! WTF?? I just don't have that kind of set up. In fact, I just don't have ANY lighting at all!! :(

Unless........he wants to buy it for me?? :)

[Saintsgirl]

Just curioous, is this worth getting?? Just as a starter?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330438125294&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en

[Cookster670]

It depends on the size. Will it fit ?

I bought a large umbrella and stand from that same mob for about $80. I used my own flash with it

I put product on a large roll of paper curving up against a wall.

That works well for me (good enough for eBay anyway)

The umbrella is proabaly a bit more useful than a light tent




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[Saintsgirl]

Ok thanks Cookster. So I am just better off taking a trip into to see Image whatever in Collingwood for some gear?

[Cookster670]

You are welcome to borrow my umbrella. If you have a flash to use with it


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[Saintsgirl]

Thanks for the offer, but I don't even have a flash! How sad. :(

[vickim]

Hi Renae - I feel bad for being off line for a day or so and missing all of this. Everything that needs to be said has been already. Mike and Cookster with great tips!
I suppose the only tips I can give you, is try and find a website that is "similar" in product range to what you'll be photographing, and just get an idea of how they are portrayed - for better or worse, it will give you ideas to create inspiration from - or you'll know what NOT to do.
so many things to do - so little time.....
I wish I could lend you a hand with my gear - but I've been landed with a last minute shoot myself this week, which I am frantically fussing around for.
The light tents work a treat (I had one similar...) - the lights are "okay" - but you can adjust with WB in camera for that. It just depends on the size of the products you'll be shooting and whether you need a bigger or smaller tent.
GOOD-LUCK - can't wait to see your results - you go girl !!

[ScottH]

Can't offer much technical advice, but just relax you, have a good eye for artistic photos.
I'm sure you'll do fine!!!!

[seventhone]

Good luck! i'm sure you will go really well. Would love to see some of your results if you feel like sharing:)

[Saintsgirl]

Have posted some "sample" shots in the product photography section of the forum......click here. (http://www.ausph.com/showthread.php?1700-My-first-go...)

[helaku]

How exciting Renae! I'm sure you will do well. A great opportunity for you and you will learn heaps. Everyone has given you great advice. Just don't stress!

[Cookster670]

Good luck today !


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[Saintsgirl]

Thank you Cookster! :)

[Shaddsi]

Good luck trouble!! you wont need it...

[Saintsgirl]

Ha Ha, thanks Simon. Butterflies in my tummy now.... I have an hour to clean the house before I head off! Time to get some music pumpin'. :D

Oh, and here are 3 that i did last night...

[Shaddsi]

wow saints. great work!

[ScottH]

Quality!!

[antsan]

Perfect.. you got nothing to worry about

[Cookster670]

excellent work there renae.

Can you explain how you did this given you don't even have a flash !!! What are you some kind of magician ?

natural light or lamps ? then colour corrected ? what's your background ? (or have you done that in post)

[Corbin]

Nice work saints and goodluck for today!!

[rpo83]

Well done Renae,

I'm sure they will be wrapt...

[Cookster670]

Well?


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[Saintsgirl]

Well ok, I survived it! All 3.5 hours of it!! (Stopped for a chat here and there, plus lunch...)

I tell you what though, it's exhausting! I don't know how you guys do weddings!

Anyway, I think I didi a fairly good job. The bosses were impressed with my presentation, professionalism, idea and approach, so I was really happy with that.

As far as shots go, I think I did ok. I covered all areas, which were basically the building, the warehouse, the stock, and the staff. But I had better ideas for the staff, but the boss wanted me to just take pictures of everyone sitting at their desk! Ah well...

Anyway, here are a few snippets...

[Saintsgirl]

Cookster - My "dodgy" set up was the following:

3 small halogen lights from bunnings.
1 white, seamless background.
the product
my camera

I was desperate for some sort of light. I found out I was going to be doing the product photography on Tuesday evening when hubby got home and broke the news to me... Desperate, we rushed to bunnings and purchased the lights. it sounds really bad, but I honestly had NOTHING to light the products at all. :(

I already had the white background, so set it all up on the loungeroom floor. Leant the white background up against the cats scratching pole, put the lights directly left and right of the product, and had one directly in front. - MAN, those things get HOT!!

Took a few shots with White Balance set to Tungsten.

Then put the image on the computer and using Picnik was able to clone onto a pure white background. Voila!

There, my secret is out. Dodgy yes, but also very effective!

[Saintsgirl]

And here is another one, although I am not too sure about this one for some reason.... Because this item was so BIG (it took 2 men to carry it!), I was standing quite a way back to get the whole lot in, so maybe just lost a bit of detail like you would a closer shot. But I don't really think they will mind. After all, I was doing THEM a favour! Although I think they will compensate me in some way. (I hope).

[antsan]

Top Job on what you have shown so far. be proud... No.. BE VERY PROUD!

[Saintsgirl]

THANK YOU Anthony. That sure put a smile on my dial! :)

[Cookster670]

Very nice work there Renae. Your product photography in particular is excellent. I bet they are wrapt.

[Saintsgirl]

Thanks Cookster.... I appreciate it.

I haven't shown them the pictures yet as I am still editing a few, but will keep you all posted.

[Shaddsi]

Onya saints! Great job. Now hopefully this gives you a little push to charge :)

[MonkeyB]

Hey Saints,

As a tradie i see a lot of different things in the workplace everyday and some of which you have shot here and i can honestly say i have never seen them look better. Great Job :D

[Saintsgirl]

Wow Brad, thanks! :) :)

[MonkeyB]

Your welcome. :D

[aslan]

Crikey Renae, I dont know what all the butterflies were for, you've done an awesome job. The product shots are particularly good.
Nothing else to add really except................TOP JOB.

[helaku]

Well done Renae!!! Your product shots are really good. No need to have been nervous afterall!