How do you take nice close up photos?

thegloworm

thegloworm

Banned
I have a 10MP digital camera and am wondering how to get real good close up shots of my cues and cases.

I zoom and it is not so good, too far away.
I turn Macro on, back the zoom all the way out, and get close, not so good, can't get focused right.

I have a flash but it gets too bright at times.
If I get too close to the cue, there is a shadow in the picture.

Some of the things I am trying to show in photos are things like a Mottey signature, ivory grain in ferrules, and intricate inlay work in butts.


What technique do you use to get real good up close and personal photos?
 
Im no photographer, but if there is a setting on your camera that has a little flower symbol, use that setting. Another way is to take the picture from a bit further away, then use the zoom function on your computer when editing.




I took this picture with a 5 year old kodak easy share camera. It is one of the cheapest cameras you can buy. The picture isn't the be-all end-all of photography, just my example of the flower setting.
Road Trip 193.jpg
 
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I would read documentation on your particular model to determine if it is capable of very close pictures. I'm sure it has its limits for focusing.

If you post what kind of camera you have, someone maybe able to help you better.
 
I've seen very expensive cameras with blurry close-up pics and really cheap ones with great close-ups. It's all about the optics, some cameras just don't take a good and sharp close-up photo.
 
Get a tripod. Short focal lengths require rock solid camera support, especially when you are in "macro" mode. Holding it in your hand won't cut it. You can get a decent small tripod for $25-30. You'll be glad you picked it up. Plus, with the tripod, you can use longer exposures and without flash, you cut down on glare.

Brian
www.nittanyleather.com
 
Problem

I have the same problem. My camera is a lower model than the OP's. I have used the different techniques mentioned and it seems that with the 'flower mode' and the zoom from further away seems to work better.

I did notice one thing about some of Joe (bamacues) photos is that it appears that he takes them outside on his deck or something. I have also noticed other photos of cues taken under natural sunlight. There is no comparison to good, outdoor lighting. Sunlight just makes everything 'appear like it's supposed to' IMO. I believe that would be the key to make up for anything your camera is lacking, no matter the quality of the equipment.

Good Luck :wink2:
 
Macro mode is intended for the camera to be 12" or less from the subject, and is great for showing small detail. The key to better wider/full length pictures of cues is lighting. You must bounce the flash off of the ceiling or use outdoor, or other indirect lighting. Cue photography is not easy.
Mr H
 
thegloworm said:
I have a 10MP digital camera and am wondering how to get real good close up shots of my cues and cases.

I zoom and it is not so good, too far away.
I turn Macro on, back the zoom all the way out, and get close, not so good, can't get focused right.

I have a flash but it gets too bright at times.
If I get too close to the cue, there is a shadow in the picture.

Some of the things I am trying to show in photos are things like a Mottey signature, ivory grain in ferrules, and intricate inlay work in butts.


What technique do you use to get real good up close and personal photos?
Click to expand...
I used a simple Sony point and shoot camera in macro mode. Get to where you can focus on the object, and then try to zoom. Be careful with the flash really close up though, as the camera housing causes shadows. I didn't use a tripod, and am not sure one is necessary.

All of these pics were done with my simple camera in macro mode. Check out the cue pics in my sig for other examples.

Joint2.jpg

peng.jpg

Rings2.jpg

sig.jpg

jump2.JPG



-td
 
I have done the following in Macro mode

I put the camera in Macro mode
I zoom all the way out
I move in closer to the cue, physically
I then zoom in and everything goes out of focus and I have to back out to get a clear shot


I have been taking the pics on pooltables with regular long florescent tubes overhead. It is winter, so not much sunshine and gray most days.

Advice and suggestions accepted gladly.
 
These are a couple of examples of what happens when I use macro



Points out of focus with Macro
033.jpg


Ferrule out of focus on Macro
035.jpg



Here are a couple of photos that show about as close as I can get before it all goes fuzzy

MCD_Points1.jpg


MCD_ButtClose4.jpg


I tried to use the same "style" and get photos of the sig on my Mottey. I could not get anything like the Gilbert photos above.
 
I often get different results on the same picture, distance, lighting, etc. I also use Macro for close-up shots, but sometimes I have to take 2-3 pictures, before one is not blury. I am not an expert by any means and am curious at the answer to taking perfect pictures. Good luck!
 
thegloworm said:
Here are a couple of photos that show about as close as I can get before it all goes fuzzy

[Fuzzy pics]

I tried to use the same "style" and get photos of the sig on my Mottey. I could not get anything like the Gilbert photos above.
Click to expand...
I remember having this problem as well! Try to poke around with your auto focus features. I think mine was set at multi-point focus, which made many blurry pictures. I recall that I set it to a single point focus and that made the close-ups work better.

Give that a try!

-td
 
I also have been wondering how to take good pictures of my cues. I think I have the macro settings down right, I have turned off the flash and tried to use a decent amount of indirect lighting to make up for the flash. This helped reduce the bright spots that you see reflecting off the finish.

The problem I have, is what do I use to clean up the butt of the cue so that the small scratches or 'haze' is removed for pictures. This may be better asked in the 'ask the cue maker' forum, but I figure anyone who is really good at taking close up pictures of cues may have some handy hints.
 
I take the nicest shots - that are still amateur though :( - with macro and some zoom. That makes a very nice photo.

The one and most important thing that you will need for a good close-up is: SUNSHINE. You may want to use good indoor lighting as well and that should be fine as well but I have not yet bothered with eagerly searching for a better light source than Sun.

So, if you have proper lighting your pictures will be less blurry because:

1) the camera will find focus easier than in dark - not by much, but it surely helps
2) it will allow for shorter captioning (I can't remember the exact word in English) time so the picture will be made by your came in less time. Ahh, I found the word I think, it's shutter time: the shorter the shutter time the less time the camera has to shake in your hands and hence the pictures will be a lot sharper.
3) You won't have to use flash. Flash is bad most of the time so avoid it. You can take nice pictures with it sometimes but at first I'd say you'll do better if you turn it off.

Some cameras have two macro modes, i.e. one single macro and one 'super' macro or similar. When going extremely close - like 0.5 inch - you may want to use that.

Also, doing a search on google about your camera model could tell you what is the closest distance for your camera from which it can take a sharp macro picture.

Although your pictures are not blurry because of camera movement but because of lack of focus, you may want to use a timer on the camera. The timer is good for taking timed shots, so for example if it is set on 2 secs then after you focus and press the button to make the photo the camera will start actually taking the picture only after 2 seconds. This way you can minimize the movement of the camera in your hands as the camera always shakes/moves a bit when you press the button.

Using a different focus setting might be useful as well, there are 3 options on most cameras, they are matrix, spot and one that's pretty much all over. It depends on where does the camera take the focus from - I can't describe it better in English now.

So the have to do list in taking a sharp macro picture would be:

1) Get more light - preferably sunshine
2) Use little zoom
3) Hold the camera still and be patient with the autofocus. If it can't find the focus then try with a slightly different angle and/or distance.

Would you post the brand and model of your camera? If I knew it than I could give some better, more exact advices.
I am no expert in photographing but the hints I mentioned above work for me well.

p.s: here is a picture that I took of my ex-cue, a Capone. The neutral colored veneer in the middle is less than 0.5 millimeters wide.
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg118/poohkiller-adidas/burton22-043.jpg
 
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