Anyone have any tips for taking pictures of dark fabrics?

quote:

Originally posted by marciay96:
Just wondering if anyone had tips they would not mind sharing. I am struggling with taking pics of two RL boys shirt, one navy and the other dark green. The pics keep coming out all greyed and washed out.

I have other navy items that I can take pics of without too much problems but these two I am struggling with. I take my pics on a white background in natural diffused light and I do not use a flash.

I have also posted on the ebay boards and have only received a few tips. I did look on the photo board but sometimes tips there are too technical for me.

Thanks in advance for any tips!

Marcia

I hate when that happens. Most times NOT using the flash works for me. Or Bounce the light off the wall if you're using light on a stand as versus an overhead. Overhead always seems to screw up my colors.

Suthrnjewl<-----not a photo guru

Hey Marcia wanna see what I'm doing?

I was hired by this gentlemen in my area to be his assistant.

http://stores.ebay.com/Watches-Unlimited_W0QQsspagenameZL2222QQtZkm

Here's some pics I took. I'm proud of myself...of course, I'm not going to tell you how long it took me to take those. <smile>

http://cgi.ebay.com/Like-New-Ladies-Omega-Constellation...Z31387QQcmdZViewItem

Talk about work...those pics were some of the hardest I've ever taken in my life. I'm learning but it's slow going.

My Best,
Donna

When taking pic of dark fabric - do not shine the light on the item
I take my pics in the bathroom. I hang the item on the shower doors covered with a white or black sheet,
I clamp a light on the towel bar on the one wall and clamp another light on the wall directly across from it.
I shine the lights at each other
and I snap the pics through the light at the item.

My only problem is greens like to turn brown!
It's my camera I'm sure because even when I attempt to try it outside
the fabric turns brown in the pics.
LOL, but the grass is always green, lol.

So try snapping pics through the light instead of shining the light on the item.

quote:

Hey Marcia wanna see what I'm doing?

I was hired by this gentlemen in my area to be his assistant.

http://stores.ebay.com/Watches-Unlimited_W0QQsspagenameZL2222QQtZkm

Here's some pics I took. I'm proud of myself...of course, I'm not going to tell you how long it took me to take those. <smile>

http://cgi.ebay.com/Like-New-Ladies-Omega-Constellation...Z31387QQcmdZViewItem

Talk about work...those pics were some of the hardest I've ever taken in my life. I'm learning but it's slow going.

Very cool pics Donna! Did you use a box/light cube to take those in? Or are they just your pure genius?

I loved those boxes...we used them all the time at the store to take pics in. Now that it is just me and my clothes, I find myself taking pics from all sorts of wierd angles, just ask my hubby.

I hear your suggestion BTPS and will give that one a whirl. I take most of my pics now in diffused light in my foyer (not really light shining directly on the item but enough light to take the pic.) I just need to get these two shirts up and out of here so I will try anything!

Thanks again!

Marcia

quote:

Originally posted by marciay96:

quote:

Hey Marcia wanna see what I'm doing?

I was hired by this gentlemen in my area to be his assistant.

http://stores.ebay.com/Watches-Unlimited_W0QQsspagenameZL2222QQtZkm

Here's some pics I took. I'm proud of myself...of course, I'm not going to tell you how long it took me to take those. <smile>

http://cgi.ebay.com/Like-New-Ladies-Omega-Constellation...Z31387QQcmdZViewItem

Talk about work...those pics were some of the hardest I've ever taken in my life. I'm learning but it's slow going.

Very cool pics Donna! Did you use a box/light cube to take those in? Or are they just your pure genius?

I loved those boxes...we used them all the time at the store to take pics in. Now that it is just me and my clothes, I find myself taking pics from all sorts of wierd angles, just ask my hubby.

I hear your suggestion BTPS and will give that one a whirl. I take most of my pics now in diffused light in my foyer (not really light shining directly on the item but enough light to take the pic.) I just need to get these two shirts up and out of here so I will try anything!

Thanks again!

Marcia

Marcia email me at: Suthrnjewl at Suthrnjewl dot com

Thanks, Donna

I'd bet big money your pics are just overexposed. If you have an exposure compensation setting on your camera, set it to -1 or -0.5 or so, or play with it to get the right setting.

Your camera's exposure meter is set for 18% grey. If you photograph something white it will be dark and something dark will be too light because the camera doesn't know it's looking at white or black, just assumes everything is that grey.

Starrynight, I'm having a similar problem with my camera as the other poster.
It lightens all the colors or casts a yellow tone to them. Black fabric always looks faded, royal blues look purple and oranges come out yellow! It's totally goofy.
I will see if my camera has the exposure thingie you speak of. I hope that helps!! I'm ready to trash my Olympus C-765 in the trash and start over!