Photography Buffs Need your assistance PLEASE

NPHuskerFL · May 2014

I'm quickly approaching finishing my table and would like to get some good shots of it. The problem is I'm using a fairly decent smart phone camera (as I always do). But, I'm getting poor results (IMO) of capturing detail on SS. Is this a job for SWMBOs nice camera or is there something I can adjust on my phone (it does have all sorts of tweaking adjustments but, I have no idea what to adjust where etc).

MaskedMarvel · May 2014

I use the camera+ app on iPhone and iPad. The filters are the bomb. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/camera+/id329670577?mt=8

fence0407 · May 2014

Which smart phone camera are you using? How many megapixels is it? Use as much natural light as possible.

I'm sure more experienced photographers will chime in...just a few thoughts I had.

NPHuskerFL · May 2014

Thanks @MaskedMarvel‌ (not using Apple product) but, I guess that's my fault for not saying I am using my HTC OneS (Android). It's the reflections and shadows I'm having issues with especially this morning at 2AM even with soft white light I couldn't capture it like I wanted to (w/ & w/out flash). And I'm sure in daylight even in the partial shade I'll have similar problems.
Edit: include @fence0407‌

nolaegghead · May 2014

Ideally use a better camera, but regardless of what you use, you need good lighting (play around with a couple halogen lamps or something bright, maybe indirect lighting would work better on such a reflective surface. Also, move the camera around so you're not getting any direct glare into the lens. Flash is something that might help or might hurt you. Trial and error.

Since stainless is so reflective, your surroundings and background have a big impact on the table. Maybe hang some white sheets around it.

fence0407 · May 2014

You might have to wait for someone that has more knowledge around imaging to chime in. If not, I'd give SWMBOs camera a try.

nolaegghead · May 2014

The best natural lighting is at dawn and dusk. That's my favorite time to shoot.

MaskedMarvel · May 2014

Here's a shot I just took of a carpenter bee that buzzed by. First is my standard iPhone 4S camera unprocessed.

Next is cropped and a filter applied called "Clarity. "

And finally, Clarity and an HDR filter to make everything really pop in the image.

No idea if the app is available on other platforms. Don't see why it shouldn't be. As you can see it takes amateur bee flyby quick shots and really makes them better.

Eggcelsior · May 2014

nolaegghead said:

The best natural lighting is at dawn and dusk. That's my favorite time to shoot.

AKA The Golden Hour.

nola, have you ever seen Days of Heaven?

NPHuskerFL · May 2014

nolaegghead said:
The best natural lighting is at dawn and dusk. That's my favorite time to shoot.

I agree. However, you hit the nail in the head. The reflective property of SS is the largest challenge. So I'll just play with it some. And maybe I can snake my SWMBO camera for a few shots :-)

SmokeyPitt · May 2014

Eggcelsior said:

nolaegghead said:

The best natural lighting is at dawn and dusk. That's my favorite time to shoot.

AKA The Golden Hour.

nola, have you ever seen Days of Heaven?

AKA, the Golden Shower.

Ooooops...wrong web site.

nolaegghead · May 2014

Eggcelsior said:

nolaegghead said:

The best natural lighting is at dawn and dusk. That's my favorite time to shoot.

AKA The Golden Hour.

nola, have you ever seen Days of Heaven?

No I have not. I looked at some screen shots and was reminded immediately of Andrew Wyeth.

Eggcelsior · May 2014

OP, even though camera phones have pretty big apertures(Most are around 2) They are terrible in anything but the best lighting without lots of filters/adjusting. If you can get it into the shade on a sunny day if you can't do stuff that nola mentioned(sheets and what not).

Running a bounce light off of poster board or shining a light through a sheet will do wonders. You could even try rigging up a notecard "deflector" in front of the flash on your phone. Tape it on and bend the card with your finger to get the best bounce effect.

hapster · May 2014

If possible... Use northern light... If you have a garage that faces north, shoot the table with the door open and the table close to it but not in direct light.

High clouds will make you the largest soft box so you could also wait for a cloudy day as well.

Eggcelsior · May 2014

@nolaegghead, It was shot during twilight. Beautiful movie. I could watch it on mute.

tarheelmatt · May 2014

While cell phone cameras have came a long way, and as @Eggcelsior indicated, have large apertures, the sensors are still very small. The dynamic range of a cell phone is not that of that of a DSLR camera (and even that ranges). Size of the sensors really tell all about a camera and how the camera "sees" items (and not yet as good as the naked eye). You will likely need some type of diffuser to really spread the light evenly to ensure no reflections are visible.

nolaegghead · May 2014

One of the problems with cell phone cameras is, despite the wide aperture, they cram so many pixels into a tiny CCD (or CMOS) that each individual pixel sensor is extremely small and doesn't have the low light sensitivity that an equivalent, larger sensor would have. If they would lower the resolution in favor of better light sensitivity, I believe the usable pictures in low light situations would improve dramatically.

DaveRichardson · May 2014

Try on a cloudy day when there is diffused light from the cloud cover. It will soften the light and reduce glare a lot. Maybe even using an index card along the phone's sides to act as a barrier for side-light or reflections that will wash out the image - like using a lens hood on a SLR lens!

NPHuskerFL · May 2014

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am sorta stuck for now using my phone because SWMBO is shooting pics at the NJROTC Military Ball. When I can I'll try to use her fancy dancey camera. No problem. I'll Improvise, Adapt & Overcome.

chashans · May 2014

Indirect or diffused light...and a polarizing filter.

grege345 · May 2014

Lets see the table! Anticipation is killer

chashans · May 2014

grege345 said:

Lets see the table! Anticipation is killer

+1

nolaegghead · May 2014

grege345 said:

Lets see the table! Anticipation is killer

Buried in this thread: http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1165137/ss-restaurant-grave-yard-resurrection-caution-could-end-up-pic-heavy#latest

grege345 · May 2014

@nolaegghead‌ ya I saw it. I've been paying attention to it. Just waiting for the reveal

NPHuskerFL · May 2014

+1 ;-) Soon. Very Soon :-)

NPHuskerFL · May 2014

I'm knee deep in a Yuengling right now. And then back to it promise. Geez y'all are a bunch of slave drivers :-D

Eggcelsior · May 2014

Me too friend. Yuengling, Troegs, Oskar Blues, and now Flying Dog. I can't help myself tonight.

NPHuskerFL · May 2014

@Eggcelsior‌... I have a serious case of OCD tonight! It's like I can't get this table shiny enough! I've sanded it as much as I can muscle with 180grit then 220grit and finally with SS cleaner/polisher (been working on it for 2 days probably 12 hrs worth). SWMBO just got home. She said she's gonna help me with pics of the new table with her Nikkon D5100 (at least that's what I believe she has---either way it'll be a hellava lot better than my phone can do). She rocks! Then tomorrow I've gotta assemble a Sole E35 Elliptical that I purchased for us this afternoon.

nolaegghead · May 2014

@NPHuskerFL - I've been down that road and I the problem is getting a uniform pattern, doesn't seem to matter if you use a tool or by hand, the edges are going to drive you nuts. I have a Festool metal polisher and does a great job, but still, the pattern will make you crazy. This is one option, although it's hard to do on something already assembled.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KmnVLU304w

Anymore, I just use some stainless cleaner and have adopted an attitude of "urban decay character".

NPHuskerFL · May 2014

@nolaegghead‌ so is the "urban decay character" the same as me saying eff it :-). And I guess to be fair everybody else that has seen it has been in awe and my Son whom helped literally crawl inside of it to scrub it clean even on the underside has described it as "sick". So I guess tomorrow I will unveil it. My final dilemma is to caulk or not to caulk. There are a few seams where the top gets bolted down to the frame that could be caulked and the egg to the table (maybe a 1/16" or smigin more gap. The caulk I have is something we use at work on SS for ice cream machines and some ovens, soup wells etc.

nolaegghead · May 2014

I'd caulk it if the aesthetic is improved, but you definitely want some weep holes so water drains (if that would be an issue) lest it develop scum and mold from standing water. My criteria for outdoor construction: 1. look good 2. shed water 3. resist sun. Stainless, water not so big a deal.

Photography Buffs Need your assistance PLEASE

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