Fireplace Mantels...Lighting

Hi there!

I need to purchase a lighting system that will bring optimum results when photographing fireplace mantels (indoors, of course). I need the pictures to show the exact (or pretty darn close to) color and textures. I am so overloaded with lighting information from online shopping I don't even know where to start! What would be a good yet no too expensive kit to purchase? Attached are two pictures I took with my D70 and SB600 w/o any light kit - just to give you an idea of what I have done thus far...These two mantels are very different colors and textures, but you really can't tell can you? I know lighting would help. Thanks in advance for your help!

Tawni

Those examples are tiny! Can't really tell what they look like - but since you're shooting digital, one of the most important things you can do is to use a custom white balance/and or shoot RAW (.NEF files). This is true no matter what you use for lighting. You might even get by with the camera on a good sturdy tripod and just using ambient light and reflectors. I'll bet that you'll at least get much closer to the results you want this way.

If you shoot RAW (which I'd recommend especially here) then get one of the white/grey/black cards that photo stores will have. In Photoshop, you can set the white balance off the white portion of the card. Then in Levels, use the eyedroppers to set the white, grey and black points. Are you familiar with how to do this?

I have never shot in RAW before - it is quite intimidating to me. I will try it. Don't I have to change it to jpeg before I send it off for printing? I am so not familiar with RAW...sorry. Any help would be much appreciated. I am familiar with the photoshop levels eyedropper. I will mess around with it and see what I get. I need the photos to be good enough for a brochure as well as large prints for the office. Thanks for your advice thus far!

Tawni

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Originally Posted by tawnijo

Don't I have to change it to jpeg before I send it off for printing?

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Yes, but this should be the very last step - and *important* save this as a copy. To be able to do this, you will have to go to: Image > Mode > and if 16-bit is checked, check 8-bit instead. Jpeg files, by definition, are 8-bit files, and the file will have to be converted to 8-bit to be able to save it as a jpeg.

RAW is a little tricky at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's not too bad. The big problem that I think a lot of people have with it is that there's no reason to be careful with exposure anymore because you can fix it later. For a high quality finished image, this just isn't true. Get it as correct in-camera as you can, and it will not only give you a better file to work with (with less time on the computer), but a better print as well.

What version of Photoshop are you using? Are you using Nikon Capture or anything other than Photoshop too? If you happen to be using CS, I can give you a few more tips. But check out Scott Kelby's Photoshop books, too. And Nikon School Digital 201 is probably a good course if you're already shooting digital but not familiar with RAW (that's when I took it).