In the previous article,?What is still photography ?, I told anyone who is not a photographer or who is not, but who does not know still photography, I spoke to him in a simplified way: what it is, what it is for and how it works.
So, let’s say you read and liked the idea, I’d like to know a little more, this article is for you: today we’re going to talk about the most used material in still photography dedicated to e-commerce, the traditional with white background, you know, come with me!
The Camera
Well, I use a DSLR camera. Basically, any DSLR camera meets a reasonable number of requests, can you use a mirrorless camera or a camera with superzoom?You can, but you’ll probably have to change your goal at some point, and in that sense you’ll find limitations.Of course, there are other types of cameras, such as medium and large format cameras, but these are used in much more specific jobs.
It’s as important as the camera. However, there will be exceptions and the photographer will prefer to work without it at some point, but as a general rule it is essential to avoid blurry images, it is very common in still photography for e-commerce, to take photographs of several products in sequence, using the same scenario (with small variations, depending on the type of object).The camera tripod ensures that all photos will come out from the same angles, as well as saving time by allowing the camera to already be positioned and exchanging only the object you want to photograph.Important: Before purchasing the tripod, make sure it supports the weight of your camera with the lens.
Well, the more there is, the better, we know it: a 100mm macro lens, for example, does a great job, but the good news is that e-commerce photography is not mandatory.This 18-55 mm lens, usually overlooked, is enough to begin with.In fact, I have an STM lens of 18-135 mm and I especially like it.As the workload increases, it will be updated.
Torches
There are several models, brands and flash flashlight prices on the market, even the simplest are already doing a good job, the flashlights have two features that I consider important:
Light modeling: it is a continuous light that stays on to assist the photographer in positioning the torch, so that it is possible to glimpse the behavior of light on the object.
Power: Due to the wide variety of torches on the market, you can choose the power that allows you the best cost/efficiency ratio, depending on the type of work you want to perform, the most important thing is that this power has a linear power.(potentiometer), so that fine adjustments of the light intensity can be made.It is interesting to buy more powerful flashlights, so as not to use them to the limit of their capacity, which results in a longer lifespan.
It is also possible to use a flash (although I use it), but unlike the flashlight, it does not have a pilot lamp, apart from the need for at least two sets of batteries (depending on your request), so only use it when needed, or that is, when there are not enough torches, in addition the flashes are usually more expensive than the input torches and as you will need at least two units , you can already deduce that the cost will be relatively high.So, there are those who prefer them, it’s a matter of taste.
Tripods and giraffes
Flashlights and flashes need these brackets, after all it is necessary to position the lights. The giraffe lighting tripod is particularly interesting because it allows the use of more diverse lighting angles. It is important that the tripods are not too light, so that they do not overturn with the weight of the equipment on top.
Flash radio
If you choose the flashlight to work with, it must be said that if your camera does not have a pc-type input in its own housing (usually the most expensive cameras have this input), you will need an adapter like the one shown below., which is attached to the camera shoe, so you can take pictures.
The radio flash eliminates the need for this adapter and, as a result, removes the sync cable (which, by the way, is very fragile), connected to the camera.This may not seem like much, but a less cable crossing the ground can mean more.safety for the photographer, both because of the risk of tripping over the cable and tearing down the camera, and to eliminate the potential risk of electric shock or electrical damage, should he eventually return.the power from the flashlight to the camera, because radio A sends a signal to B, which will fire the flashlight.In addition, the lack of cable connected to the camera will give you more mobility, allowing you to work at different distances and angles.
If for flashlights the radio is “optional”, for flashes it is practically mandatory.Okay, you can even turn on the flash using the pop-up flash, but since in this case the flash should be at a camera-friendly angle, it won’t always work.You can start testing without the radio, but you’ll probably opt for that soon.
Drummers and announcers
The most commonly used photographic paste is undoubtedly polystyrene foam, precisely because of its low cost and uniform distribution of light, due to its porosity.But this same porosity can cause problems when working with reflective objects (we can take care of the characteristics of objects in another item, don’t forget), so other materials, such as different papers or even 7-in-1 batting machines.be interesting. They even have a diffuser that is perhaps the most useful part of the kit, as they are excellent for a softer light.In any case, other materials such as diffusers such as plant paper and various tissues can also be used.
Softbox
O também é um tipo de difusor e muito utilizado nas tochas e speedlights. Há diversos tamanhos e a escolha deve levar em conta os tamanhos dos produtos que você precisará fotografar, lembrando que quanto maior o softbox em relação ao objeto, mais suave será a luz obtida.
Fixed table
It works, it works, it’s not discussed. But it really is a team that is controversial for its versatility, because its size imposes limits, depending on the type of work, I dare say that it is more interesting for the owner of a small online store (assuming he knows how to use it, of course), for example, that he may not have the capital to hire a professional photographer from the beginning , because the stock factor makes that cost more or less viable, but it goes without saying that this is my isolated opinion, after all, I know who uses the table and gets along very well with it.Discover a professional fixed table model.
As an alternative to the fixed table, I would give a suggestion that works for me and that has a good cost advantage:
Of course, there are countless possibilities in still photography, but today we only talk about the essentials.We’ll discuss other topics soon, stay tuned!
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