Photographing Tea

[chamekke]

I am really excited and inspired by the explosion of photographic creativity on TeaChat!

Where's that applause emoticon when you want it?

Well, this will have to do:

[bi lew chun]

My friends finally want their cameras (Canon SD1000 and Leica D-Lux 3) back, so I guess I need to get my own. I think I've settled on the Pentax K200D. I'm a little tired of shooting the same basic picture again and again with the Canon (it only seems to know a few tricks when it comes to macro), so hopefully the K200D, with its backwards compatibility for zillions of Pentax lenses, will give me some new options.

Edit: Indeed, the Pentax is on its way.

[Space Samurai]

To all my fellow TeaChat photographers, I need help with lighting.

Where I used to live I was always blessed with copious amounts of natural sun light, but my new place is more or less a cave. I have always relied on natural light and somewhat despise the use of a flash, but it is obvious I am going to have to adapt. There just isn't enough light for close up work.

Ideas? What do you use? Are there good quality flashes I can look into that will help? What's a light box and do I need one of those? I am at a loss at what to do next, and any help/suggestions will be appreciated. Thank you.

[Salsero]

My house is also dark. I made one of these and was using it quite a bit for a while.

I also played around with a couple of flashes for a while and lately I have been just using the clamp shop lights either clamped to strobe light stands or just to chairs and things.

If you use artificial light, be sure to set the color balance to the precise light type by following your manual's instructions for setting a custom white balance. And be sure to use an extra sturdy tripod that won't vibrate.

[Space Samurai]

Wow Sal, thanks; I was hoping to hear from you.

The light box looks pretty easy to do, and while I think it will take my photography in another direction, it looks like it has lots of potential.

Thanks again.

[brandon]

Hey Space, I suggest getting a Nikon SD630 (I think that is the part), an off-camera cable and reading Lighting 101 at Strobist.com. I have absolutely no natural light, being surrounded by trees.

[Salsero]

while I think it will take my photography in another direction, it looks like it has lots of potential.

Yes, it is a little hard to imagine you shooting on a little stage like that ... your work has always had an especially open and freewheeling quality about it. Still, sometimes little restrictions bring out fresh resources.

You might well be happier using lights without the box. The purpose of the box is to give especially soft, flat light with little shadow.

a Nikon SD630 (I think that is the part), an off-camera cable

Oops, yeh, I forgot that. What they used to call a cable release in the olden days when they were cheap. Now they have fancy names like Remote Switch and cost an arm and a leg, but they really help avoid jiggling the camera when you push the button.

Thanks for bringing that up Brandon.

[brandon]

I have an IR remote to trigger timed exposure mode, but I was talking about a small hotshoe flash and its associated off-hotshoe cable.

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-SB-600-Spee ... 985&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-SC-29-synch ... 029&sr=8-1

This is an ITTL capable cable from Nikon, you can also get a knock off for half the price. If you are not familiar, TTL = through the lens light metering, which means the power of the flash will be automatically set to the ambient light level seen by the lens vs the exposure and aperture set on the camera. This is a good place to start before you start figuring out the flash power yourself. Obviously in the absence of natural light, you want to increase the light in the room by the correct amount to correctly expose your subject at your chosen aperture. You want a cable so you can get creative with the apparent source of light - flash coming from the same direction as the lens is hideous and unnatural.

By the way, in contrast to my boring rant on TTL above, an easy way to make a hotshoe flash more palatable is to just swivel the head to bounce the light off a wall or ceiling instead of aiming directly at the subject. There are also some cheap but effective options for wirelessly triggering a flash.

You could also try to grin and bear it by turning on the lights, switching your WB to tungsten, increase the ISO to 400, and making the exposure as long as you can hold it. I can go down to 1/8 of a second and get a well exposed image of f/6 or so without flash.

[chamekke]

My house is also dark. I made one of these and was using it quite a bit for a while.

What superb instructions! I am going to give that a try. Thank you for providing the link

[bi lew chun]

To all my fellow TeaChat photographers, I need help with lighting.

While I'd prefer to always shoot in pretty light, this fall and winter there were many times when I was only able to shoot after 4pm, and I had to make do with what was available. A tripod is obviously essential.

This shot, while pretty bad, did manage to accurately capture what the tea looks like. I took it well after sunset, using only natural light, when I couldn't actually see the details or color of the tea myself. A lighter background mat would have worked much better, and more experimentation is needed. I probably wouldn't use a picture like this for an actual post, but it's nice to know I can shoot in the dark if need be.



All that said, I think your pictures are better than mine, and I probably can't tell you anything you don't already know.

[tenuki]

as far as remote triggers... just use the auto timer on your camera, same thing, no cost, no gearage....

[Space Samurai]

as far as remote triggers... just use the auto timer on your camera, same thing, no cost, no gearage....

I have a remote shutter that cost like nine dollars, very convenient.

[tenuki]

as far as remote triggers... just use the auto timer on your camera, same thing, no cost, no gearage....

I have a remote shutter that cost like nine dollars, very convenient.

When you walk around for 10 minutes looking for it remember that. ;P

Presumably you are framing the shot and are right there at the camera, right? why not just put it in 5 second timer mode during your tripod and press the trigger. still life doesn't move... I've used remote triggers mostly when working with people, so you can make eye contact, show them where to look, etc and keep them engaged. I suppose you may go rearrange the still life, but then aren't you gonna recompose the shot at the camera?

Just curious how it is convenient for still life photography.

[Space Samurai]

Whatever, Tenuki. You're right. Remote shutters are pointless and a waste of time.

Edit: Not to be rude, but your tone reminds me of your previous crusade against the use of digital scales, where if one doesn't do something the way you would, you wish for them to defend their POV while at the same time criticising it. In these debates you never strike me as someone who is interested in learning something from someone elses opionion, but merely wishing to assert your own. I'd just rather not waste time on it. I use a remote, you use a timer, what difference does it make asside from personal prefference. Moving on.

[Salsero]

I don't know how to use the timer on mine.