• Ernie Ball
  • MusicMan
  • Sterling by MusicMan

Photography tips for guitars?

candid_x

candid_x

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 26, 2006
Messages
3,272
Since many on this board post pictures of their guitars I’m curious what tips you may have to offer for the best shots. IE: Do you get best results using a flash or natural lighting? Do you manually set focus distance or use auto-focus functions? And what are the best angles you’ve found? Any other advise is welcomed.
 
Alvesang

Alvesang

Member
Joined
May 1, 2005
Messages
24
Location
Twistringen, Germany
Using a flash when taking pictures of a Mystic Dream JP makes the guitar appear all green. :D Plus, you always see the flash reflecting from any finish. So if possible try to avoid a flash. ;)

If you want to create some very stylish pictures try this: Mount your camera onto a tripod, make sure the room you are in is absolutely dark, set the aperture of your camera to maybe 1 minute or more and flash your guitar from different directions. I'm gonna try this as soon as I get my new camera. By doing so I should get all different Mystic Dream colors onto one picture. :D

As for the focus: I always use it manually. By doing so, you can always emphasize the part you want to highlight in the picture. Since many pictures of guitars are close-ups a manual focus is the best choice (imho, of course).

As for the angle: Experiment. ;) I know this ain't much of an advice, but there's no such thing as the "wrong" angle.
 
Y

yesandno

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 20, 2003
Messages
104
Depends on how fancy you want to get. Are you using film or digital.
I use film.

A full on with on camera flash will be the least flattering. Direct overhead sunlight also sucks however low angled early moring/late evening is good. I won't go into color temperature here. However, overcast is also good as would be in a shaded area but color tint will lean towards "blue". (I'm talking film. I have no idea how digital will handle it)
Background is as important for flattering the subject as the subject itself is. If you have no pro lighting equipment, you may want to try (indoors) one of those photoflood relectors and a high wattage bulb (photoflood) or one of those high wattage tunsten worklights. Bounce that off a large white card or bed sheet off to the side for a soft bounce light effect. You can also use a large photoflood reflector and direct lighting for more drama, but place a white sheet or board on the opposite side to give a bit of "fill in" light.

That'll be fifty dollars, please. ;)
 
brentrocks

brentrocks

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
Messages
3,682
Location
Paw Paw, MI
the best and least expensive thing to do is experiment with the digital in all types of light (flash and no flash) and see what you like best.
 
Colin

Colin

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 23, 2005
Messages
10,649
Location
Brisbane Queensland
When you ask about taking pics, do you mean taking pics the way Foggy takes them? Or do you mean using a camera? :D
 
candid_x

candid_x

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 26, 2006
Messages
3,272
yesandno, only $50? :D

I also try to work with natural light. The white board deflected light is an idea I haven't tried yet. I haven't managed to capture much reflection in the pictures I've taken, in spite of trying various lightening methods. I like the shots of guitars on a wall hangers, but at present I have none installed. Guitar stands seem to detract from the subject. I'll be listing my Axis Sport on eBay soon; an opportunity to experiment some more.

Thanks!
 
Roubster

Roubster

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 20, 2005
Messages
2,639
Location
Crooklyn, NY
NAtural lighting is always the best way to go, or what Alvesang stated with the long exposure. However if you dont have a GOOD camera, long exposures will give you grainy pictures and kind of ruin the sharpness and the actual color of the subject a bit. The best angles would be I slightly from the side, so that you wont get yourself in the reflection the the geetar. I personally HATE when I see some dudes hands and camera and feet sometimes IN the guitar lol. You just gotta experiment a bit, and the MAIN thing is: KEEP THE SHOT IN FOCUS!!!! :D
 
Y

yesandno

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 20, 2003
Messages
104
candid_x, this is for a pic to put on ebay? I thought you wanted to create some art!
;)
In that case use the $5 digi cam that came with the subscription of "Abattoir Monthly", lean the guitar up against the oil burner in the basement and shoot away.

Seriously though, you might want to try and take something with enough weight and height and some gaffers tape and prop the guitar up in the back securely so as not to have any unsightly things holding it up.
:)
 
candid_x

candid_x

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 26, 2006
Messages
3,272
Yesandno, to an artist everything is art, even an eBay photo. :D

Here’s an untouched photo of a reel I listed on eBay today, and it sold only a couple hours later for BIN price.

Hold the guitar up with tape? erm…
 
Last edited:
Y

yesandno

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 20, 2003
Messages
104
Nice reel. My old man was a sports bass (salt water) fisherman.

Well, yeah...duct tape should hold. You just need to use something heavy enough (like a tall gallon bleach bottle filled with sand for example..tall enough to be above center of gravity and still be hidden), prop it up against the back of the guitar and tape the crap out of it..especially from the bottom so the guitar doesn't slide out.
By the time you snap your pic, the tape wouldn't be on long enough to do any harm.
I think thats difference between duct and gaffers...gaffers won't leave that sticky residue if left on along time....but I could be wrong on that.

:)
 
kbaim

kbaim

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 16, 2003
Messages
4,949
Location
Red Rock Country
a great photography tip to improve your pictures dramatically is to take a lot of pictures instead of just a couple.

Then you'll have more good ones to pick from.

Hope it helps.
 
brentrocks

brentrocks

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
Messages
3,682
Location
Paw Paw, MI
kbaim said:
a great photography tip to improve your pictures dramatically is to take a lot of pictures instead of just a couple.

Then you'll have more good ones to pick from.

Hope it helps.
Click to expand...


good point, and from all angles, especially quilts.....different angle can really change the perspective!!!
 
pauldogx

pauldogx

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 16, 2006
Messages
350
Location
Allentown, PA
I think a tripod is a must------when trying to take pix of my new Luke with my digital cam---I found it very hard to get shots in focus without a tripod cause I was using a slow shutter with no flash.
 
Spudmurphy

Spudmurphy

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 23, 2005
Messages
12,037
Location
Cardiff, United Kingdom
I have used a guitar stand and a bean bag to hold a guitar at different angles.
A seruptitiously placed pillow or cushion works wonders too.

Natural light if you can and try and "bouce" some light back onto the subject.

If you are using an SLR compare the results you get from a 50 mm lens to a 80 mm lens.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom