Secrets of Good Lighting in Guitar Photography

[8mileshigher]

Jeff -- its an Epson L-500V...a simple camera.
The contrast is as the camera created it -- I did not use any photo-editing software.
I was just using a manual setting so there was no flash on these outdoor pics.

[Danotron]

Rich,

Those are great pictures! Your dog is very photogenic (and the Rics aren't half bad either ).

I especially like the shots with the ocean in the background.

[8mileshigher]

Scotty, Dan
Thanks - Glad you like them!

[xpitt]

Okay, here we go with a little help from my friends here.... I took some pics this morning about three hours before the sun got highest.

Two beautiful flowers on a spring morning

More coming....

[xpitt]

The Laguna sisters enjoying the morning....

[xpitt]

V64 sisters

[xpitt]

Two 345

The family

[xpitt]

A Rick meeting a crocus

[8mileshigher]

Nice postings, Alex.
I especially like the V64 sisters, the first one, sort of "elongated" body close-up. It is a excellent side-angle view which shows off the two V64's tasty Double Binding.

The family portrait is nice too.... good use of morning sun light.

[scotty]

Great Pics Alex

[winston]

Great pics Rich and Alex. There's quite obviously some serious talent here.

[scotty]

There's quite obviously some serious talent here.

Thats me covered cheers B

[cjj]

Yes, nice pics! Makes me want to go outside and see if I can get a few of my own... Now, if only the weather would cooperate...

[bge66]

Remember that it's not as much about the light that you see as it is about the light that hits the sensor - the ways to increase that are to add a flash, softboxes, sunlight OR to increase the exposure time. To that point - get a tripod and try longer exposures. Have tried photographing in sunlight but the reflections always lead to way to much contrast - have found it better to shoot in even light - there always seems to be enough shine off guitars that you don't need to add reflections in...

Also - if you have photoshop (or similar) - correct your white balance. White balance basically is making sure the white in the photos is the right color temperature (think - in tune) - if the white is right the colors will be as well. In photoshop, you can do it automatically when opening raw files (first eyedropper - top left) - but most cameras these days you can change it - experiment a little taking shots with different white balance settings (most cameras will set it automatically, but it's not always making the right choice).

Coolest thing about digital photos - you can take as many photos as you want. Had a teacher once that told me to photograph any subject 10 different ways - try it - you'll probably delete 8-9 of them, but you might be surprised about the one you keep. Shoot in light, shoot in dark, AM, PM, indoors, outdoors, from a ladder, laying on the ground etc etc etc.

[jps]

Have tried photographing in sunlight but the reflections always lead to way to much contrast

Most digital cameras have their default setting for color saturation, contrast. etc. too high, trying to make the images straight out the camera 'pleasing' for the amateur crowd who just takes their flash card to the 1 Hr shop for prints, if they do even that! I set these to the lowest setting and do any correction in Photoshop, wherre there is far more control. Shooting in RAW is a big +, too as you get total domination control over the image.