Failed Jewelery Ad (56kwarning) - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

04/20/2005 04:31:28 PM · #1

I first must start off by saying I tried to do something that I have not done before. With my low scores in abandoned bldgs and pretty much the same score in tacks. I wanted to try something new that I have not tried. I built myself a light tent (still haven't used it). And was planning on using it for the jewelry adv. challenge. I thought of a good idea but it required alot of building stuff. So here is what I did.

Went to lowes and bought a 4" PVC T, end cap with plug, lexan, sealent. I wanted to make a light water box. My idea was to stick a watch inside of it...light it fromt he top and on the T part put a peice of lexan and seal it up to view and take pictures of the watch. On top of that I had some black a/c hose with a fish stone bubblers thingy (I forget the name I am so bummed=). So I could blow on one end to make bubbles rise.

I got everything together no leaks...no problem..whoopie!!!. Well today I strung a watch up with fishing line onto a ruler to hold the watch in place. Being new to S A P M settings on my camera I went for S thinking I could speed the shutter up and capture the bubbles in their entirety. Well I went thr wrong way on the dial (:-) and it was slow...which was cool...made all the tracer type of bubbles. But I switched to 100 and above at shutter speed and with 2 50 watt lamps above the top the images were very dark. Even with 400 ISO settings. I shined a blue led flahlight near the camera to highlight the watch face but it just never turned out the way I wanted it too.

Just seeing if their was anything I could have done differently. Sorry for the large images but I took over 800 images and these were the only ones I liked. I am am not going to enter anything like this into the jewelry challenege and probrably won't at all. Just relating my bad experiences to anyone who wants a water holder that takes crappy pictures =)

Failed Test

downtherabbithole

Canon EOS-30D

04/20/2005 04:42:07 PM · #2

sounds pretty jazzy to me would love to see a how to build it thread with pics of each step

Art Roflmao

Canon EOS-6D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

04/20/2005 04:44:48 PM · #3

Sorry to hear about your experience. This might just be my opinion, but I kind of think it would be better not to post elaborate details of an idea like this during the challenge submission period. Now if someone does a "watch in water" shot, you, or someone on your behalf, will be posting a "Stolen Idea!!" thread.

I hadn't thought about what to shoot yet, but it might have been along those lines and now I can't pursue it for fear of being accused of plagiarism.

Just my opinion.

RonB

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

04/20/2005 05:03:56 PM · #4

Some of the images are very interesting, though a bit dark - I really do like the effect, and can see it being used to promote watertight watches.

Ron

04/20/2005 05:33:14 PM · #5

Originally posted by kpriest:

I understand your points. But was just wanting input on on what I did wrong techincally with the photographs. And lots of people are going to be taking pictures of a watch because it was the winner about 3-4 challenges ago.

It would be a shame for someone to post a picture and have it look horrible only afterward for someone to say hey you could have done this and this and thins to it to make it better. Sort of defeats the purpose.

Just like in rock,paper,scissors no one dicussed putting their hands in their for the actual game but their are 2 of them in their.

Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM

04/20/2005 05:37:53 PM · #6

Originally posted by gi_joe05:

sounds pretty jazzy to me would love to see a how to build it thread with pics of each step

Yeah I still have it and I can make a easy Tutorial on how to build one.

NathanWert

Canon EOS-90D

04/20/2005 05:38:25 PM · #7

Sorry, It wouldn't work, as is, for the jewelery ad, but I really like the pictures. Good work (even though it's dark). Maybe try another LED light or two.
Edit: Forgot a word.

Message edited by author 2005-04-20 17:39:23.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

04/20/2005 05:44:47 PM · #8

I tried everything I could think of. But I am a beginner so I do not know about settings other then auto (he he).

Yeah they are a bit dark....I used 2 50 watt flood lights up top and that did nothing. And an LED flashlight with blue filter.....it would reflect off the face if projected through the side. I also tried a 50watt side and a 50 watt on top but the lexan just reflected myself and had a watch super imposed onto it. These images were scaled down pretty far...at max size it might have worked for someone else but just nothing that I wanted to do.

singsunshine

Pentax *ist DS

04/20/2005 05:46:41 PM · #9

My thoughts are, yes sorry it didn't work out, but thanks for the idea! He already said he wasn't going to enter anything like it, so by that he is giving the idea to anyone who can make it work since it didn't work for him. Any thoughts on how to make it work could help with challenges down the road even for anyone willing to put the work into it....

soup

Canon EOS-30D

04/20/2005 06:04:17 PM · #10

two 50 watt bulbs isn't enough light for anything over 1/60th probably.
jumping the shutter speed, and leaving the other settings alone when you don't have enough light will always result in dark photos.

two 500w halogens might get you up to around 1/250th - while still having enough light to properly expose the watch.

04/20/2005 06:19:12 PM · #11

Thanks Soup, I guess I was way off. But that is the sort of things I needed to know. Chalk one up to experience.