Tips For Taking Photos Of Pens

[mcolen]

I would like to take better pictures of my pens for posting and sharing here. I have a fairly sophisticated point and shoot (with lots of menus/options) digital camera.

 

A lot of my pens are gold plated and/or silver - they come out too shiny in the photo...

 

Things that might help (I am more new to cameras even than fountain pens....)

1. best background for different types of pens

2. suggestions on lighting

3. how to get those beautiful close up shots of things like nib details....

 

and anything else I don't know that I don't know....

 

Also, the topic that is pinned here on how to upload is from 2005 and it seems that the process has changed (which this pinned topic finally gets down to)....there is a pinned topic in the sales forum that is newer and might be more useful here?

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/137183-guide-to-posting-images-in-sales-posts/

 

Thank you all! Best,MaryAlice

[mholve]

The best piece of equipment you could ask for, and thankfully relatively inexpensive - a light tent! Some come with backgrounds as well (usually a blue, red, white or black cloth). Controls reflections and gives nice, even lighting. Don't forget to set your camera white balance properly when using. Pro quality pictures.

[sirksael]

Good lighting is indeed key, and a light tent is a good tool for that.

But you can do it even cheaper: Here is my setup

 

http://www.krislaes.net/FPN/DSC_3972-1000.jpg

 

A plastic storage box, the milky white kind (from Ikea), wrapped in baking paper to diffuse the light (7€ + steal baking paper from wife); two construction lamps (5€ x2); 2 eggcrates to raise the box from the table; 2 sheets of A4 white paper.

 

This allows me to make photos like in these threads:

Delta 20th anniversary

Lamy Dialog 3

 

The construction lamps give yellow light, so either:

- You have a camera where you can set a custom white balance setting

- Set your camera for indoor loght (not TL), and do a little white balance correction later on the PC

- shoot in RAW mode and set the whitebalance on the PC

[dickydotcom]

For lighting I choose a bright but not sunny day.

Put the pen on the windowsill.

Wear a white shirt (this reflects light back to fill some of the shadows)

A light box would be better but this is better than harsh direct light.

 

For close up of nib, have you got a macro mode on your camera?

That allows you to put the camera very close to the subject.

It often has a button with a flower symbol on it.

 

Dick D

[leicaphotos]

best advice --

spend the $100 at wolf camera and get the softbox lighting kits -- you can really do some amazing work this way, also, shoot in macro mode, you want even lighting and such

 

I sometimes find a nice setting for photographing my cameras

[ethernautrix]

Hi, MaryAlice.

 

SF Pen Posse recently had a photo shoot session at Peter's Cafe (a coupla months ago). I'm sure we could do it again. Bring your camera and questions, and you'll get plenty of advice. Maybe too much, ha ha ha, but you know...

 

Just call a Pen Posse that's convenient for you, and whoever can make it will, and I will certainly try. I'm not an expert, but I can chime in with experts. It makes me look experty.

 

If you're coming to the Carmel Pen Posse, then bring your camera!

 

Lisa

[KrazyIvan]

I contructed a light tent out of paper but then realized that my desk at work has plenty of light. At home, sunlight from a window does wonders.