InSideAMilkJug
Jul 22, 2014 17:31:52 #
and sitting on a turtle shell,
Having read OldTigger's surface-sheen thread, I was looking to create a fast light tent. So I got out the dremel and cut off the top of a milk jug. Then set a turtle shell on it, and on that these small dried flowers.
OldTigger recommends Styrofoam, so I'm on the lookout for an large Styrofoam coffee cup or bowl and will try that for a tent next.
One thing obvious to me though is that lighting was improved (in my opinion) over no tent at all, and I am curious to try the Styrofoam for this type of thing.
I can tell that BUGS will be next... (thank you OldTigger!!)
Having read OldTigger's surface-sheen thread, I was looking to create a fast light tent. So I got out the dremel and cut off the top of a milk jug. Then set a turtle shell on it, and on that these small dried flowers.
OldTigger recommends Styrofoam, so I'm on the lookout for an large Styrofoam coffee cup or bowl and will try that for a tent next.
One thing obvious to me though is that lighting was improved (in my opinion) over no tent at all, and I am curious to try the Styrofoam for this type of thing.
I can tell that BUGS will be next... (thank you OldTigger!!)
Jul 22, 2014 19:09:41 #
pfrancke wrote:
and sitting on a turtle shell, br br Having read ... (show quote)
Took me a moment to figure out what you were up to.
Tents can be good.
Jul 22, 2014 19:38:33 #
an aside - The ad that is with this post on my computer is an ad for a "flash modifier" kit. Are they good at targeting ads or what. - Dave
Jul 22, 2014 20:03:07 #
hey oldtigger, you fixed my colors! I am assuming you used levels and got rid of some of that extra red. It is much more clear. (I didn't notice it before, but those plants are laughing at me, I swear they are.)
Hi Wilson, they seem to do a good job in figuring out what add to attach, must be looking for certain key words, but to your point, looks like "flash" didn't have to be one of them.
I tried to do a Bug in the Jug. Found an assassin bug on my potato plants - a real monster too! But damn thing moves too much. My 10 second exposures sure weren't doing the job. And didn't want to kill this one since he was probably eating potato bugs... (not that otherwise I would have much mercy for a bug - in general they don't have mercy on me)
Hi Wilson, they seem to do a good job in figuring out what add to attach, must be looking for certain key words, but to your point, looks like "flash" didn't have to be one of them.
I tried to do a Bug in the Jug. Found an assassin bug on my potato plants - a real monster too! But damn thing moves too much. My 10 second exposures sure weren't doing the job. And didn't want to kill this one since he was probably eating potato bugs... (not that otherwise I would have much mercy for a bug - in general they don't have mercy on me)
Jul 22, 2014 20:37:02 #
pfrancke wrote:
hey oldtigger, you fixed my colors! ........
Check your cameras white balance
Jul 22, 2014 21:09:02 #
Jul 23, 2014 10:38:59 #
OK, I'm confused. If you cut off the top of the milk jug, then covered the now open top with the turtle shell and on top of that put the flowers to be photographed, how is the jug a tent?
Jul 23, 2014 11:36:26 #
JCam wrote:
OK, I'm confused. If you cut off the top of the milk jug, then covered the now open top with the turtle shell and on top of that put the flowers to be photographed, how is the jug a tent?
would you rather he call it a concave diffuser?
Jul 23, 2014 12:25:08 #
I certainly needed to be more clear. The turtle shell was just a convenient stand that was placed "inside" the milk jug (not on top of it). --- and the tent (if I understand the language) is the milk jug itself, since it diffuses all the incoming light and only has an opening in the front where the camera lens is. The turtle shell/stand it to move the "target" to the center of the plastic space.
Jul 23, 2014 13:41:55 #
Jul 23, 2014 13:55:34 #
<grin> If it was an elephant with a trunk and a tail that was standing on the turtle shell, there would have been no problem!!!
But remember, key to this is that the milk jug was just to see what would happen... This might work MUCH better using a styrene or Styrofoam bowl instead of the milk jug.
BTW, the left over milk that didn't rinse looks very much like sensor dust.... Scared me to death first time I saw the mess. And the X in the background is the crease at the bottom of the jug.
But remember, key to this is that the milk jug was just to see what would happen... This might work MUCH better using a styrene or Styrofoam bowl instead of the milk jug.
BTW, the left over milk that didn't rinse looks very much like sensor dust.... Scared me to death first time I saw the mess. And the X in the background is the crease at the bottom of the jug.
Jul 23, 2014 22:01:29 #
this one is not-inside-a-milk-jug. It covered (except for a lens hole) by a hefty Styrofoam soup bowl. Flash it to the left and a LED ring light provides light from the top.
I found the bug on my deck laying on it's back and thought it was dead. Well, it's alive and it moves too much! It is easier to chase my dogs around the yard. I'm going to put him back outside in a few minutes, but I am hating it at the moment and I don't know if I'm setting him on his belly on back on his back.
Overall I'm not happy with this and must be doing a million things wrong. I am thinking mostly that if the bug was dead, the lighting could be further away, the cup covered with tissue or something, and exposure much longer.
But in any event, due to where my lights were and the shape and size of the bowl (my idea about what the factors might have been), the light was not very soft or very flat. I think the bug is happier than I am...
I found the bug on my deck laying on it's back and thought it was dead. Well, it's alive and it moves too much! It is easier to chase my dogs around the yard. I'm going to put him back outside in a few minutes, but I am hating it at the moment and I don't know if I'm setting him on his belly on back on his back.
Overall I'm not happy with this and must be doing a million things wrong. I am thinking mostly that if the bug was dead, the lighting could be further away, the cup covered with tissue or something, and exposure much longer.
But in any event, due to where my lights were and the shape and size of the bowl (my idea about what the factors might have been), the light was not very soft or very flat. I think the bug is happier than I am...
Jul 23, 2014 22:18:21 #
pfrancke wrote:
this one is not-inside-a-milk-jug. It covered (except for a lens hole) by a hefty Styrofoam soup bowl. Flash it to the left and a LED ring light provides light from the top.......
Overall I'm not happy with this and must be doing a million things wrong. .....But in any event, due to where my lights were and the shape and size of the bowl (my idea about what the factors might have been), the light was not very soft or very flat. I think the bug is happier than I am...
Overall I'm not happy with this and must be doing a million things wrong. .....But in any event, due to where my lights were and the shape and size of the bowl (my idea about what the factors might have been), the light was not very soft or very flat. I think the bug is happier than I am...
Looks like you are headed the right direction, throw some more light at him, neat looking bug.
Jul 23, 2014 22:34:31 #
thank you oldtigger, I'm trying! Amazing how much better he looks with just a photoshop exposure increase and rotation so that he's not on his back.
I'm thinking about a lens ring too, so I can chase these things outside... but I'm not giving up on the tent idea. My current one is too flimsy and I think too small and not shaped right. (Need a super-sized ping pong ball I think.)
I toned the light down because the reflections were bugging me... A lot of sheen in his shell.
But in a mini-studio, I'm thinking focus stacking software might be useful (not useful on moving targets though). I've been reading that Zerene is pretty good, but I should put Photoshop through those paces first I'm thinking.
Well, in any event, stacking attempts happen only once I get a good still with good lighting. Thank you very much for your advice and friendship oldtigger!!
I'm thinking about a lens ring too, so I can chase these things outside... but I'm not giving up on the tent idea. My current one is too flimsy and I think too small and not shaped right. (Need a super-sized ping pong ball I think.)
I toned the light down because the reflections were bugging me... A lot of sheen in his shell.
But in a mini-studio, I'm thinking focus stacking software might be useful (not useful on moving targets though). I've been reading that Zerene is pretty good, but I should put Photoshop through those paces first I'm thinking.
Well, in any event, stacking attempts happen only once I get a good still with good lighting. Thank you very much for your advice and friendship oldtigger!!
Jul 24, 2014 10:03:13 #
experimenting further. Increased size of tent (by taping two bowls together), taped bug against block of wood, he's still moving a little.
Took 10 pics at different focus points - the bug moved a little once in a while and when you move in closer on the rail, I was obviously changing the POV causing other alignment problems.
Into PS CS6 for my first focus stacking attempt, default stack and default blend.
Wrote down all the PS stuff and filters I applied, so that I can attempt the same sequence on the same 10 images. Next I'm downloading the Zerene stacker 30 day thing and will upload the results of my first Zerene attempt next.
Took 10 pics at different focus points - the bug moved a little once in a while and when you move in closer on the rail, I was obviously changing the POV causing other alignment problems.
Into PS CS6 for my first focus stacking attempt, default stack and default blend.
Wrote down all the PS stuff and filters I applied, so that I can attempt the same sequence on the same 10 images. Next I'm downloading the Zerene stacker 30 day thing and will upload the results of my first Zerene attempt next.
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