secrets to taking good cue pics ???????
- Thread starter k-carson
- Start date
Purdman
Banned
k-carson said:
I am still in the learning process and have a long way to go. I use a tri pod and a timer. If I hold the camera, I move it. I put the cues in the same place with the same light. I take one with the flash and one without it. I compare the photo's and go with what looks best. I think better lighting, filters, and a good photo program would help me out. You can't go wrong with digital.
Don P.
I don't know your camera, but I'm sure it has a "closeup" or other setting for getting really close pictures. That setting is good for capturing details like rings and inlays. Like Purdman says, I take both flash and non-flash of the same setting. Depending on flash spots and reflections from the finish of the cue, one will usually look better
Good luck.
Good luck.
Man, I didn't know that many people were interested in taking pictures of cues like that. Anyway, digital is cool, but I honestly prefer film. If I had the money, I'd get a medium format camera and take the pictures with it. Medium format film is huge compared to 35mm film and digital can't touch it on it's best day...period. Plus, if I wanted to, the now have digital back for medium format cameras, so I could go either way depending on what I wanted to do. 
Since I can't afford a medium format camera yet, I'm saving up to get a digital SLR (very, very, reluctantly I might add...), I'll be able to do more because you can change the lens on the camera. Plus 35mm film and digital, from what I've read and been told, is somewhat similar in comparison so I guess I'm leaning towards digital. In some ways you can still be a bit more creative with 35mm film.
If you can get over the initial start up, get a digital slr. Now, believe me, you can take the camera you have and take some awesome pictures with it. The guys at Proficient Billiards use an older Sony that prints directly to a disc, and you see what kind of pictures they create! For me, it's really boiling down to convineince, overall pricing (buying film, printing film, etc...), and ability to be in control. Example, you can manually focus with an slr, you can't with a point and shoot.
Also, I plan to do it from an art aspect as well so that means I'd have the picture printed on a paper designed to capture the fullness of digital photography. I'm no pro or anything, this is just what I want to do is all. For the record, Nikon has a new digital slr coming out called the D50. It's cheaper than the D70 and still has a lot of cool features to start out. It'll basically be competing against Canons digital Rebel.
But to finally answer your question,
check to see if your cameral has a macro setting of some sort. That will allow you to take pictures up close and all of the fine details of your subject. Good luck. 
Since I can't afford a medium format camera yet, I'm saving up to get a digital SLR (very, very, reluctantly I might add...), I'll be able to do more because you can change the lens on the camera. Plus 35mm film and digital, from what I've read and been told, is somewhat similar in comparison so I guess I'm leaning towards digital. In some ways you can still be a bit more creative with 35mm film.
If you can get over the initial start up, get a digital slr. Now, believe me, you can take the camera you have and take some awesome pictures with it. The guys at Proficient Billiards use an older Sony that prints directly to a disc, and you see what kind of pictures they create! For me, it's really boiling down to convineince, overall pricing (buying film, printing film, etc...), and ability to be in control. Example, you can manually focus with an slr, you can't with a point and shoot.
Also, I plan to do it from an art aspect as well so that means I'd have the picture printed on a paper designed to capture the fullness of digital photography. I'm no pro or anything, this is just what I want to do is all. For the record, Nikon has a new digital slr coming out called the D50. It's cheaper than the D70 and still has a lot of cool features to start out. It'll basically be competing against Canons digital Rebel.
But to finally answer your question,
check to see if your cameral has a macro setting of some sort. That will allow you to take pictures up close and all of the fine details of your subject. Good luck. 
Dark solid color backgrounds help.k-carson said:
Bright natural light (sun).
If you use a flash shoot at a slight angle, so the flash is not reflected directly back at the lens.
Try multiple light sources, you don't want shadows by the outline.
Experimenting is cheap with digital photography.
Tracy
pooltablemech
Banned
I found that resting the camera on the rail of my pooltable works good too...or on whatever you can.
And just taking pictures....over and over and over until you get it right. Like the guy said not sure what camera you have .....but for me it was just trial and error until I got it right.
Which even now I still screw it up sometimes.
And just taking pictures....over and over and over until you get it right. Like the guy said not sure what camera you have .....but for me it was just trial and error until I got it right.
Which even now I still screw it up sometimes.
B
Bruce S. de Lis
Guest
JimBo said:
JimBo is partially correct with his information, but your battle is half won with a Digital Camera, as you need not wait for the local PhotoMat to develop your film. HA HA.
I was a Freelance Photojournalist 15 years, and did some limited Commercial Work to supplement my income when the Client could Not Afford a REAL Product Pro.
Flash will work if you have a way to DEFUSE YOUR FLASH, like a Bounce CARD of White Foam Core, or an OMNI BOUNCE ATTACHMENT.
Tripod must be STURDY, and not a 19.95 Wally World WOBBLE SPECIAL. Tripod mush Hold the Camera STEADY. Cable Release of 18-24 Inches is a good Length.
I know one Photographer who use 100 Watt Soft Light Bulbs, in these Clamp Light Holders you by at Home Depot, he Painted the Reflectors Flat White and they work well for small products.
Micro Lens are a Big Plus, and Close up are a Great Way to show intricate work.
Almost last suggestion is learn to look at your work with a cridical eye, and compare it to Bryan’s at BCM Cue Web Page. As Bryan'ss pictures are very good.
Also shoot lots of pictures, and adjust your light source to get rid of hot spots. Edit out the bad pictures, and only show your best photos, and thus everyone will only see you successes, and no disasters.
Last Suggestion would be to make a Set up outside so when you have a VERY CLOUDY Day you can take advantage of the GREAT SOFT LIght Cloudy Day have, and you cue will be in a Soft Light Source, and you should get good photos.
B
Bruce S. de Lis
Guest
iconcuecom said:
True but no Full Length Photos, but his Photo are Nice....
With your camera, you probably only have direct flash (can't rotate the head to get bounce flash.) So you are kinda limited there.
One trick a pro showed me when I had to shoot a catalog of stainless steel sailboat fittings (which glare with flash like crazy) was to build a frame of 2x2 or larger and then staple some white diffuser sheeting (think I got it at a photo store). I took several (more the better) clamp type light sockets (as mentioned previously) with color corrected bulbs (Saves photoshop color correction time later) and clamped them to the frame above the frame so the light passed through the diffuser sheeting onto the pieces I was shooting.
Once this was built, I could set up and shoot and get very repeatable results without flash. The color was dead on and no glare off the shiney stuff. Seamless background paper is great with this rig. You get really professional results that only require cropping. When I took the photos to the ad agency that did the brochure, they figured they would have to reshoot everything because I wasn't a pro till they saw the shots. They used them all as is. Worked out great.
Tim
One trick a pro showed me when I had to shoot a catalog of stainless steel sailboat fittings (which glare with flash like crazy) was to build a frame of 2x2 or larger and then staple some white diffuser sheeting (think I got it at a photo store). I took several (more the better) clamp type light sockets (as mentioned previously) with color corrected bulbs (Saves photoshop color correction time later) and clamped them to the frame above the frame so the light passed through the diffuser sheeting onto the pieces I was shooting.
Once this was built, I could set up and shoot and get very repeatable results without flash. The color was dead on and no glare off the shiney stuff. Seamless background paper is great with this rig. You get really professional results that only require cropping. When I took the photos to the ad agency that did the brochure, they figured they would have to reshoot everything because I wasn't a pro till they saw the shots. They used them all as is. Worked out great.
Tim