Unusual small item photography setup?

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AlanZ said:
I am using software on my iPad called Photo Soft Box Pro HD. It's generally used to configure an iPad as a photographic light source (by displaying various images or patterns, e.g., a divided window). I think it costs a massive $2.99

I decided to use it as a background, and display a bright spot under the pen. The software lets you change all the parameters of the underlying image... size, position, rotation, color, brightness, etc.

One cool thing is that there is a companion app for the iPhone (Photo Soft Box Pro Remote, another $0.99)... and via bluetooth, the iPhone controls the iPad app, so I could change color, intensity, etc without touching the iPad screen.

Cool, eh?

The iPad was placed in a photo tent. There was one fluorescent light shining through the left side of the tent. A white reflector on the right, next to the iPad. A black board was angled above the iPad so the screen reflected the black card.

The reason the color of the pen is not quite right in my first attempt was that I was experimenting with the color temperature of the spot displayed on the iPad. I needed to make it cooler so I could up the red in the pen without the spot going red.

So, this setup is really only suitable to small items, but it suits my style (I like using reflective backgrounds anyway).

What do you think?
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I think it's AWESOME and a very creative use of the iPad (I may have to see if I can borrow the one I have at work!).
 
beautiful photo and the thinking is so far out there that it is new. Being old school, I was going with deep boxes and filters. Very good use of tech and your imagination.

Charles
 
So, it's been a few days.
Has anyone wrestled an iPad away from their significant other and given this a try?
 
I wish, none in the house to nab from anyone and the shared one at work is in use for other purposes right now. Anyone ready to buy a iPad3 when they're released and sell me your old one? :eek:
 
Alan--
Awesome!!! As you may have read I have a portrait studio, but we do some commerical. As you know, digital has destroyed most of the commerical guys. There are a few still hanging on, but 50 to 75% percent have hung it up. As a result small product photography has taken a serious quality turn for the worst.

We actually still do some large product work but only a fraction of small product work we used to do. We still have a small studio dedicated to small work on our lower level. We have a "Product Lighting Table" that is designed to do just that sort of effect your pen photo had, it is white plexi formed in a "seamless" fashion. I am sure you have used them. For those of you that do not know what we are refering to, it is a thinner piece of plexi that has a gradual 90 degree bend supported by angle iron. You light it from the bottom for a similar effect to what was shown. It came with black and grey sheets of replacement plexi if you wanted to have two people spend the hour bending plexi, cursing, and worrying about breaking or cracking the plexi. As a result most everybody who had one of these only used white ( Me included)! When I saw this photo the first that came to mind for me was OMG...he changed the plexi on his table!!!

After seeing your set up using your i pad I was excited!! The ipad is a little small for a lot of the products we photograph, but we have an ipad can use it for some of the stuff. Thanks for showing that...I would have never dreamed that it was what it was...just goes to show that we learn every day
 
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Mike,

Glad you found it entertaining <s>

I figured that the more folk knew about product photography, the more amused they'd be by this setup.

There are ways of extending the background, and of course, there's always PhotoShop or other editing programs to clean things up.

Alternately, one could just get a large flat screen monitor, lay it down, and use a computer to control the image being displayed on the monitor.

Lots of ways to get there from here, eh?
 
Mike, we both are getting too old, that was my first thought. When I had my studio, I was too cheep to buy the ready made table so I spent twice that amount and built my own. Probably another reason I used to have a studio.
This is one of the reasons I find this site so wonderful, the minds that still work are always coming up with things I never even had an idea where things were. Great idea Alan and thanks for your presentation. It was outstanding and very helpful.
Charles
 
Saw it in your other post. You mentioned doing something similar on a lap top. I went into my Paint Shop Pro(similar to Photoshop) and created a jpg with at black back ground, a center white oval then blurred the borders of the two, full screened it on my laptop monitor and this is the result. I know it is out of focus etc. but I was trying to hold up a black back ground to reflect into the screen and hold the camera in the other and snap the photo plus the composition sucks. But with a tripod and a better setup for reflectors and such the laptop idea is very doable.

IMG_4009.jpg
 
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This was on my desk with my desk lamp and the lap top turn up on its monitor, not the best setup. Will try it again with a new pen and a good setup.
 
I am surprised (and pleased) to see that this thread has had over 2,000 views in its first week.

I'm looking forward to seeing any photos using this or similar techniques.
 
Imitation sincerest form of flattery, I'm sure many will try this technique, know I will. Besides myself, how many have bought the app since reading this?
 
76winger said:
butchf18a said:
Imitation sincerest form of flattery, I'm sure many will try this technique, know I will. Besides myself, how many have bought the app since reading this?
Click to expand...

Bought the app? I'm still waiting to get iPad or tablet! :wink:
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I convinced the boss that I needed one for the plane. Ok, I do file flight plans, check weather, fuel pricing,:airplane::airplane:and track maintenance with it, but have fun stuff too...like accessing IAP while sitting on the ramp loading navigation databases.
 
Convincing the boss? Simple, when you are loading $6,000 to $10,000 worth of fuel at any given time and can demonstrate that by using iPad to get best fuel prices which will save on one load of fuel more than the cost of an iPad, viola one new (ok iPad2) iPad for me to play with. Of course when he changes the itinerary as he gets on the plane and I can file new flight plan as I start the engines, doesn't hurt either.
 
No but its a great ipad app have not had time to play with it.has alot of backgrounds to pick from. Thanks to you earlyer post about it .
 
I love it .... just a wonderful use of another tool ... a very flexible tool at that, as it would appear

:)

brilliant and of course, I won't sleep tonight thinking about all the possibilities for my own ventures.

thanks!
 
Great idea Alan. I have an iPad but use an Android phone. I do have an iPod Touch - could it be used??? I'm going to start experimenting tonight. lol.

Earl
 
OK, now that I've had my iPad for about 3 weeks I finally got around to trying this technique. It was set up in a hurry and after taking it I noticed dust on the iPad's screen and what looks like dust on something in the finial threads. So I'll have to revisit when I have more time.

Anyway, here's another attempt to play with the app and create a unique (if not quite cleaned up) pen photo:
 

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seriph said:
nice .... in fact a very nice pen - really appeals to me
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Yeah, I think all the stripes combined is almost hypnotic. The pen is a PSI Apollo infinity in Rhodium (which I'm a little disgruntled with them on because they seem to have replaced it with a chrome version on their website, of which I'm not as much a fan of chrome).
 
76winger said:
OK, now that I've had my iPad for about 3 weeks I finally got around to trying this technique. It was set up in a hurry and after taking it I noticed dust on the iPad's screen and what looks like dust on something in the finial threads. So I'll have to revisit when I have more time.

Anyway, here's another attempt to play with the app and create a unique (if not quite cleaned up) pen photo:
Click to expand...

Ooh my eyes :hypnotized::biggrin:

Interesting. Good technique but it makes me feel like I'm high on something. Reminds my of an old Get Smart episode or some old spy movie with psychological torture. Don't take this the wrong way, you did a good job, just not my style. :)
 
Xander said:
76winger said:
OK, now that I've had my iPad for about 3 weeks I finally got around to trying this technique. It was set up in a hurry and after taking it I noticed dust on the iPad's screen and what looks like dust on something in the finial threads. So I'll have to revisit when I have more time.

Anyway, here's another attempt to play with the app and create a unique (if not quite cleaned up) pen photo:
Click to expand...

Ooh my eyes :hypnotized::biggrin:

Interesting. Good technique but it makes me feel like I'm high on something. Reminds my of an old Get Smart episode or some old spy movie with psychological torture. Don't take this the wrong way, you did a good job, just not my style. :)
Click to expand...

:hypnotized: Yes, it kind of reminds me of that as well. Mostly, I was looking through the various patterns in the app, and when I saw that one, it made me think of the two black and white stripped pens I have made up (this one and Designer). So I thought it was worth trying to display another unique effect with the app. :cool:
 
Question... Do you have the back of the pen raised somehow? Looking at the reflection I suspsect it is. If so, what did you use?
 
Xander said:
Question... Do you have the back of the pen raised somehow? Looking at the reflection I suspsect it is. If so, what did you use?
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Yes, there's a small 3/8" square block of oak with a "V" cut in the top being used as a riser for the back part.

I think I'm going to try this again either tonight or tomorrow as see if I can get one that's closer to dust-free and get the threads cleaned up as well. Stay tuned!

Like AlanZ that started this thread, I think It would be cool to see a few others try their hands at the app and see what they can come up with! :wink:
 
Getting Psychedelic!

OK here's a dusted off version of the white (plus turned the iPad to portrait position) along with some colorized variations.

Are ya feel'n like yer back in the 60's agin yet?
 

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Purdy colors. Me likey (can you hear the 60's psychedelic music? Groovy man :biggrin:)
 
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