How to: photograph your teaware. A beginner's guide.

[Victoria]

Ok thanks! I really haven't tried messing with the flash settings too much. I still think I'm going to prefer natural light.

[debunix]

Natural light is almost always nicest if you can, but bounce flash can be pretty nice. And a softbox can be very nice and very cheap--I put together a little flickr set with a link to the original strobist DIY article

http://www.flickr.com/photos/debunix/se ... 918984568/

Mine isn't large enough to hold my tea tray, but it does an ok job on smaller bits of teaware

[Geekgirl]

For anyone who is interested, the Lightroom 2.3 Beta was released this week, and is available (though time limited) for download. Still free at this point, but when it expires you will have to purchase and reload to continue using it. Still, if you've wondered if you should fork out the big buck$ for LR, now is your chance to try it for free. The beta is pretty full featured. Almost everything I normally use is functioning, including the noise reduction module (which was crippled in the last beta release.)

(As a sidenote: I use LR and Picnik almost exclusively for photo editing.)

[bonjiri]

hi all !

pls enjoy a view of a setup of lighting a translucent object

in this case a cool jade yunomi that arrived in the mail this AM

thanks mr C!

mahalo ! enjoy

new lighting blog here. http://wp.me/pvuuZ-G

[bonjiri]

more light finessing

here is a simple lighting tool called a dot or finger, also called a 'flag' that allows further control of reflections and / or controlling/modifying light

setup w/flags and resulting image.

u can compare it w/ the image above that there are no fingers being used.

cheers
cory

i have a new blog. on lighting and photography

[bonjiri]

hi

this is a closeup of a finger (small flag) made from stainless steel bicycle spokes and black cardboard.

cheers

[Geekgirl]

Thanks! This is super helpful!

[Seeker]

Woh!

[Chip]

Glad to see the new wan is bringing you such pleasure, Cory! They are so cool with top lighting.

[debunix]

While I'm waiting (not at all patiently, I must admit!) for my yunomis from Gingko to arrive, I have to settle for drinking the tea brewed in my pretty kyusu from my plain glass or celadon mugs. The yunomis are going to be a photographic challenge with their sparkling glazes, but that's not my photographic question today.

Today's question is actually about photographing TEA. This was inspired by a post in another topic and shooting a couple of teas yesterday and today and not being satisfied with the ceramic plate I was using--it creates distracting reflections--and I wasn't so happy with my plain white corelle plates either.

So....what do you like to use to photography your dry loose tea leaves, to show them off to best advantage? Spoon, bowl, plate, scoop, tabletop; bamboo, wood, fabric, metal; shiny, silky rough, smooth? What shows off your tea?

[Geekgirl]

Hmmm, I wouldn't know the answer to that. I've used different things for photographing leaves. Reflections can be a problem, but that's as much about your lighting as the surface you are using (unless you are using something really glossy.) I like porcelain best, but I have a sweet little pewter plate that I've used a time or two, it's a nice contrast.

[Victoria]

I prefer using white porcelain, I think it works best for me and my normal lighting conditions.

[debunix]

I'm using a DIY softbox and off camera flash for lighting. I'm not ready to invest in a fancy cloud thing yet, nor to limit myself to daylight, and my setup with onboard flash as master still induces some glare. That, and a desire to not make the tea/surface contrast so stark as it is when the surface is stark white, are why I've been pondering a better way to show off the leaves.

This is getting closer to what I'd like:



(polished wood scoop on sanded but not polished wood board)

The scoop is too polished, shiny, bright, red; the board could be better polished itself; and the final image feels too busy.

Maybe just need a bit more time with sandpaper and a few bits of wood.

[Geekgirl]

How about a bamboo cutting board? Especially endgrain? It would have some contrasting texture, but relatively low gloss since they are usually polished and sealed, but not with a high-varnish.

[debunix]

An excellent idea. Will keep my eyes open as I go about other errands and shopping....