What pic do you like best

[Bills Custom Calls]

I know the camo has a wrinkle in it

I have been told the camera needs something else to focus on other then the call that is why I started using the camo

I have also been told to loose the camo and use a plain white background cause the camo takes away from the look of the call

So folks let me know which one you like best
Pics were taken with the same camera settings and lighting





Thanks for your time

[Todd Rahm]

They both look a tad out of focus but I like the first for the call your taking a pic of. The lighter back ground makes the call stand out in a sharp way and it makes the colors in the wood pop.  

Sorry spelling error.  

[HaMeR]

IMHO-- I think the white background lets the colors pop a lot more. I also think any light solid color will do that for you as well. I like the camo but the truer colors come out on the white.

[HaMeR]

Are you using the hands free timer feature on the camera??

[Bills Custom Calls]

No Glen it is setting on the table and my finger pushes the button

[FinsnFur]

Glen, get off the table.

1st one for me 

[HaMeR]

Goofyass!!  ^^^^!!   


That might be the reason it looks out of focus or blurry. The camera is moving a little bit. By using the timer you start the camera with a push of the button & release it allowing the camera to take over unassisted. Give it a whirl. You might like it.

[Yotehntr]

I like the lighter background best Bill.  What kind of camera are you using?  You may do better to set the camera at the higher quality pic and stand back a bit...then crop the pic down to size. I believe the focus will be better that way.  I cheat and use a slr got tired of fighting all the settings.

[centerfire_223]

One thing that will help out in the photos' is using a photo box to put the call in to take the pictures. I have a link here somewhere telling how to make one. What it does is blankets the call with light, so you don't have to use the camrea's flash. This keeps a lot of the glare down, makes the object really stand out that way. Most people that use them use a white background too.

If your interested in building you one of these I will look up the link. Just let me know.

[Silencer]

centerfire is right, a photobox will help a ton.  Very cheap and easy to make. 

[Bills Custom Calls]

I have a photo box and some work lights but if you don't use the flash on this camera it just will not focus any at all

Thanks for all the comments

[FinsnFur]

Bill if you push your shutter button down half way and hold it before taking the picture doesnt it measure the light in the room and decide for it's self? Most digi's do.

Just dont let the button back up to take a picture. Hold it half way for a second, and then when your ready, or when they flash light changes colors, finish pushing it all the way down.

[Hawks Feather]

Bill,

I am going with photo with the white background since you want to show your call and not your camo.  Which one has the most accurate color?  I would guess that the one with the camo background is closer to the call's "real" colors.  Most cameras check the picture area and do an average exposure for the picture.  With lots of white (background) the camera gets the wrong exposure and the color of the call is off.  If you get a neutral density gray card (probably in a photo store or online) and use it where the call sits for your exposure you will get truer colors.  Just put the card where the call is, press the shutter half way down so that the camera take the exposure reading and focus on the card, KEEP the shutter pressed halfway down, remove the card, and press the shutter the rest of the way down.  This should give you a picture that has the proper exposure and focus that is set on the call and not the background.  The other option for the focus is to take the picture in slightly diffused sun.  Then there will be a higher f-stop used by the camera and more of the picture will be in focus.

Jerry

[pitw]

Bill I like the white back ground best and trust me I ain't giving no advice on cameras or any techy equipment .

[alscalls]

I now use a photo tent.....and a Camera mount to hold the camera still......I got the tent and the camera mount and 2 lighgts for $24 at Harbor Freight....
Then I use 500 W work lights instead of the ones that came with the tent.
One thing I was doing wrong at first was......I was leaving the top of the tent open to allow me to move the camera more....
I now use all sides of the box as I was needing to use the flash with the top off and My pics were blurry.

5 sides white in the box......camera still on the mount......push button half way to see if I get a green light.....If so, continue to push the button (No Flash) I am using a Kodak Easy share camera and I feel I am getting the best I can get this way.

I like the white better for sure.

Love the call!!  

[Bills Custom Calls]

Yes Jim That is the way I take my pics button half way wait till the camera says it is ready and then take the pic

Yes Jerry the colors in the camo are closest to the real colors of the call
The camera I am using is a samsung S850 5x optical zoom
I have tried every setting on the camera with both backgrounds and these were the best pics I got
I will have to try the gray card trick

Here is a pic I took this morning just a bit further away and no zoom  the camera on auto




Thanks for your input

[BigB]

Bill,

You can really spend countless hours researching photography stuff if you aren't careful.  There is a ton of information out there on photography.  I sat down one weekend and all I did was try to learn as much as I could about taking good photos.  I spent the whole weekend and just barely scratched the surfaces of most topics.  Taking good photos is as addicting as making calls.  I'm far from an expert, but I did pick up a few tips that weekend.

Light sources - different lights have different "colors" of light.  If you mix different light sources, say a halogen and a flash, the camera will have a hard time depicting the different colors and focussing on the object being photographed.  The digital processing of the image will be different with multiple light sources versus just one source.  I have a light box with halogen lamps.  I turn off all other lights in the room when I take my pictures.

The next tip has been mentioned - use a tripod and a self timer.  The slightest movement will make a good picture blurry.  Here is my settup of a light box, tripod and camera.  The photo tent is made out of poster board.  And I use vellum paper to soften the light coming from the halogens.


Camera settings - you can spend a few years studying the different types of cameras and the settings that are out there.  The biggest help will be to use the Macro mode.  It's the setting that is usually depicted by a little flower.  Here is my camera that I use, and you can see the flower on the left side of the dial.  The macro mode is for close up pics.  The camera adjusts itself to take pictures of items close to it.


White balance - If you are using a white backdrop, then this setting will try to ensure that the white background is just that - white.  My camera has setting for a cloudy day, a sunny day, inside lighting, etc.  All it is doing is accounting for the different "colors" of light, so that the photo will reflect the true colors that are being photographed.

Exposure - this is essentially your shutter speed.  The longer the exposure, the more light and colors that will be let in.  I have my camera set for a 1/2 second exposure for taking photo's of calls.  This is where the tripod and self timer are a necessity.  You can't have a long exposure level and try to free had the camera because you will always get a blurry pic.


But the biggest thing in taking good photo's is post processing.  This is done after the picture is taken with a software editing program like photoshop.  You can adjust the sharpness, hues, colors, etc with a post processing program.  If your white background isn't white, it can also make it white now.

Brian

[Todd Rahm]

Brian do you use the flash after you shut the lights out or just the lamps around the box? Nice post by the way. 

[alscalls]

I do everything you describe except the shutter speed......I did not know you could adj. that on a digital camera......
I will have to look and see if I can figure this out on my camera....
Nice post! Thanks Big B

[BigB]

Brian do you use the flash after you shut the lights out or just the lamps around the box? Nice post by the way. 

Todd,
I don't mix light sources.  So, it's either the halogens only, or flash only.  The only time I use the flash anymore is for the pearl acrylics.

Brian