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Old 14 September 2020, 01:39 AM   #31
shamzk2
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Great shots
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Old 14 September 2020, 03:30 PM   #32
DavidRT
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Wow; this is pretty great of a set up and I hadn't thought about using a computer monitor as a nice backdrop... may have to try this out myself. When I was shooting a lot of watches (I had a tiny watchblog back a few years ago) I was using a pseudo lightbox that I created with an IKEA desk, a lot of white styrofoam and white pieces of paper in front of any desk lamps I had. Worked great and a huge plus with having a Macro lens that forced me to really clean the heck out of the watch before shooting since you could see individual dust particles on the crystal. Highly suggest something other than a smartphone for shooting since it gives you much more control on focal length and shutter speed which gives you the coveted lume shots.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chadridv View Post
I actually work in photography and video production. While I do it professionally I don't specialize in jewelry or watches, but being that I'm probably more passionate about watches than I am my actual job lol, I love taking pictures of them. When I have time and feel inspired I will dedicate some time and energy. As Paul mentioned, but in other words, it's all about light diffusion. You generally don't want harsh and direct light on your subject (unless that's your intent as an artist). That means using light boxes, soft boxes or bouncing your light source off walls.

Here's a little trick to make night time scene come to life...
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Old 24 September 2020, 10:57 PM   #33
RexLexington
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Proffessional Photographer here, although I tend to shoot weddings. The key is having the lighting right. You can do this all with a smartphone and some flashlights but it is much easier with some speedlights and a DSLR. Creating a light box is a good idea to allow the light to bounch around and get the most bang for your buck. Shooting with the macro lens or macro setting allows you to catch those small details (just be aware of dust and particles because they will show up). Take your time and experiment with different angles until you get the bestshot.
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Old 29 September 2020, 10:31 AM   #34
Taylorgold
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Part of the answer is a light box and the rest is understanding a lot about depth of field, aperture reciprocity, and reflective angles.

Even in a light box the lens of the camera can often be seen reflected in a polished case side, or a crystal. So you need to properly plan your set-up and light source angles.


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Well explained...thanks for sharing.
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Old 6 January 2021, 09:29 AM   #35
Loxotime
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Great shots!
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Old 29 January 2021, 04:45 AM   #36
AuCrown
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Nice shots, what lens are you using?
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Old 15 February 2021, 05:03 PM   #37
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Great tips. Thanks
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Old 24 February 2021, 11:11 AM   #38
MattyMac
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Lighting seems to be the most important thing for a good photo.
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Old 1 November 2021, 08:31 PM   #39
FrenchBigCrown
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chadridv View Post
I actually work in photography and video production. While I do it professionally I don't specialize in jewelry or watches, but being that I'm probably more passionate about watches than I am my actual job lol, I love taking pictures of them. When I have time and feel inspired I will dedicate some time and energy. As Paul mentioned, but in other words, it's all about light diffusion. You generally don't want harsh and direct light on your subject (unless that's your intent as an artist). That means using light boxes, soft boxes or bouncing your light source off walls.

Here's a little trick to make night time scene come to life...



Here are some other photos (sorry no behind the scene shots)

It also helps to flag the light so you get interesting shadows and reflections in the polished materials. Meaning, if you have a light box, try placing a few thin black strips around the sides so it's not just one ring of even shine around the whole watch...



Using interesting (but not distracting) backgrounds...




Props can be helpful...


and again props that are also good backgrounds lol...


Here's another in front of a computer monitor...



Beautiful subjects is always a plus haha...


Play around with flat lays and interesting compositions...


Create objectives that highlight your watches attributes...


Again try to figure out a way to keep the light soft but powerful...


But the best quick tip, especially for a beginner is to use your iPhone and shoot from the inside of your car under the cover of it's roof. a cloudy but bright day is even better! It's hard to miss...













Thanks for the tips/info... and the photos... fantastic.
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Old 3 November 2021, 08:11 AM   #40
icecubee
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Very useful, thanks!
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Old 3 November 2021, 11:43 AM   #41
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Very helpful, thank you


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