I have some new lighting...

[Baka1969]

Admittedly I'm a terrible photographer. I find it difficult. Especially with the limitations that my smartphone camera has. What I do know is that one can almost never have too much light. 

 

I picked up an inexpensive light ring off Amazon. It comes with an adjustable arm to point the light where I want it. It also, supposedly, has 3500, 4500 and 5500 color temps. I have no way of verifying that though. 

 

What the light does do if fill in some of the shadows with additional light. This is an addition to the several other lights I have. A desk light, a Floor lamp and an overhead. All of which are 100w equivalent LED 5000-6000 color temps. 

 

What I have found is the color accuracy has improved and the color saturation isn't as drastic. 

 

I'll let you decide, but I think the 4500 gives better color accuracy but has a warmer appearance over the 5500. I tried the 3500 and it's way too warm and doesn't blend with the other lighting well. 

 

Here are a few pictures. 

 

 

 

 

I am not an expert photographer. Nor am I a hobbyist. Also, I did the above picture with less care than usual when I take many more pictures to get the right look and shot. They're just quick shots with two different color temps each. 

 

I'm just trying to improve my pictures so they look somewhat presentable given the below average camera equipment quality I have. 

[senzen]

That looks quite nice, congratulations.

[cunim]

It is not how much light you have. What matters is where the reflected light is going.  If the light is reflecting at an angle that takes it way from your lens, adding more direct light won't help.  Direct lighting is great when you know exactly how to take advantage of its properties.    However, 99% of this type of work is done with diffuse (soft) light.

 

Get an old white pillowcase and put it between the ring light and the pens, as close as possible without it getting in the way of your camera.  Here's a slightly more sophisticated tool, but the pillowcase will do about the same thing if you mess about with making it into a cone or bag.  Lots of youtube videos on this type of thing.

 

 

[Baka1969]

2 hours ago, cunim said:

It is not how much light you have. What matters is where the reflected light is going.  If the light is reflecting at an angle that takes it way from your lens, adding more direct light won't help.  Direct lighting is great when you know exactly how to take advantage of its properties.    However, 99% of this type of work is done with diffuse (soft) light.

 

Get an old white pillowcase and put it between the ring light and the pens, as close as possible without it getting in the way of your camera.  Here's a slightly more sophisticated tool, but the pillowcase will do about the same thing if you mess about with making it into a cone or bag.  Lots of youtube videos on this type of thing.

 

 

 

Thank you for the help. I've been using a 1/2 gallon milk container with the top cut out as a diffuser for my table lamp. I just received the light ring and am still working out the bugs. Adding a diffuser to the light ring is another step. Since this thread started I have found an area of shadow that I also need to fill. I'm not anywhere near competent at photography taking. I just want to take pictures that I can post that'll look semi decent. 

[Gadget]

i like your pics, i havent seen any of your pics without the ring light but with the ring light the images are good, i have looked into getting a ring light but so far i have resisted the temptation

[Baka1969]

55 minutes ago, Gadget said:

i like your pics, i havent seen any of your pics without the ring light but with the ring light the images are good, i have looked into getting a ring light but so far i have resisted the temptation

 

Thanks. I might add another one for fill. They're fairly inexpensive. I think I've gotten pretty accurate colors without being too over saturated.

 

Here are a few other pics. Ignore the composition. I took them for the lighting an color.