Yes and no... Of course, having an great camera such as the D800 and a good bit of glass helps, as does a professional lighting setup and tethered shooting. But then, I am pretty confident that you could do it without all the bells and whistles - it will just take you longer to get that result. So at the end of the day, all the nice and expensive professional equipment is only there to let you work faster and more efficiently - which is what running a photography business is about. If you just do it for fun, you don't need a lot of fancy equipment. When I tried dipping my toes into product photography, I was working basically with a handful of Youngnuo flash guns, color gels and pieces of paper with sticky tape for snoots and scrims. Any my lighting setup cost less than half of what just one of Ed's Elinchrome lights probably cost.
@@DeputatKaktus Good points. I do watch repair. And I've done photography as a hobby since 2005. I scaled down my gear once I started having kids. But I still wanted to do some shots for my work. Or just product type shoots for selling stuff. I literally used a sunglasses case, some different size pieces of printer paper for bounce and diffusion. And 1 single LED flash light. my used D3300 and my 35mm or 18-200mm VR and I'm getting shots that are more than adequate. I even used a junk box someone gave me watch stuff in. Lined it with paper and it does the same thing. All this can be used even with a cell phone and result in a really good shot. Most people aren't willing to put this amount of effort in though. I've had a lot of people ask me how I get "x" shot or whatever. When I explain it, I can tell I lose their attention. They never attempt it, but keep complaining about the quality of their shots. Then they usually end up with a newer camera or other piece of gear and they're still disappointed.
Watchandjewelryloft Yep, I can relate. It’s what happens when people think the can just throw a bunch of money at a problem to make it go away. Maybe they were just looking for an excuse to buy new stuff. I can relate to that as well, because buying new stuff is fun and exciting. But then, a cook doesn‘t magically get better at cooking by buying new pots and pans, and athletes won‘t set new records all of a sudden because they have bought new shorts. I have taken pretty good pictures (even if I say so myself) with a lot of cameras, some of which were significantly older than me and do not have all those fancy features of newer cameras. Always wanting more of everything (eg focus points, fps, megapixels) is a disease...I call it „featuritis“. I can perfectly get by with one single focus point, for instance. In fact, on most digital cameras I turn all focus points off except the center one because I get confused otherwise. It’s almost a bit of a relief when I go shooting with my old analog Mamiya or Nikon cameras: much more to pay attention to, but less stuff to worry about. More people should shoot film every once in a while, as a sort of ‚shakedown‘ to keep their skills sharp.
@@clearlyed Nice work! To answer some of the responses below/above: This shot can be done with a simple very cheap set up or using a lot of expensive equipment. Better equipment = less time, less post processing and superior image. Cheap equipment setup = more time, more post processing and nice image (very sell-able image). I started with cheap lights, paper and a good camera. Now I use better lights, better setup and same camera. As I am making more money, I will invest in more lights, different type of lighting and maybe upgrade my camera to a Canon 5d Mark IV with a 24-105mm L lens.
This video successfully did 4 things to me. 1. I subscribed 2. I liked the video 3. I am dropping a comment 4. I can't wait to start product photography
FINALLY! Someone who understands that getting the shot right in-camera is the most important thing, not the editing afterwards. Very Ansel Adams of you :-)
I like how you are reinforcing the idea of proper framing of the photo before taking the shot. With today's technology, people get complacent by relying too much on Photoshop/Lightroom and the no cost abundance of digital photography vs. film. Better to go with quality over quantity.
This was a good tutorial man! Can you do more of these product themed tutorials, like how to create different backgrounds, food table photography etc. I love those
I was a product photographer for 40+ years. I started with 8x10 view cameras. You had to get it right in camera or you weren't going to get paid. You could have used hot lights and shot at f/22 or so. I used hot lights for almost everything in the studio except for models. I did room sets, photo'd airplanes, helicopters inside hangars, high-end jewelry, pots and pans, shoes, almost anything. great video.
One thing this video really shows is how long putting a shot together can take. This is something I am just really learning with my photography. I have an idea and take my camera straight out to shoot rather than playing around with the composition. In the long run, it ends up taking me longer to get that perfect shot. I'm trying to plan things out a bit more first before rushing in. Great tutorial :)
Nice work. I've never heard of the product or cause. I love the idea of spray painting the plastic. You just gave me a ton of ideas using different colors and inexpensive plastic from Lowes. Rock on, Ed.
New subscriber! I am an Applied Media student in college. This was very interesting to watch! Photography is one of my main subjects. Love watching product photography...we are sampling that soon. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. Hi from Nova Scotia 🇨🇦
I am a strong believer in not relying on post production for product photography. After all we are trying to show off the product and not a fake version of it. Thanks for watching.
Just have to say how refreshing this is to hear. I got here from an fstoppers "video" (aka: commercial) for their $300, 12 hr tutorial on retouching product photography. All I kept thinking was...."why not just get it right in camera and be done with it?"
That is Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch 2x Ultra Cover Paint+Primer in Gloss Black. It bonds to plastic. $4 at my local Home Depot! I paused the vid and took a screen shot and matched the can. LOL
Anything black will work. Doesnt have to be glossy. The plexi makes anything under it glossy, because the plexi is glossy. You could put clear plexi on black construction paper, or a black tablecloth and you will have glossy black, or paint matte black on the underside and still have glossy on top. The gloss comes from the plexi not whats underneath it.
There are a number of reasons why this wouldnt work. 1. The flash sync speed is 1/250 so that can’t be changed otherwise the flash wouldn’t do anything. Lower apathetic would have meant an even shallower depth of field with a macro lens so even more stacking. Thanks for your ideas and watching my product photography tutorial.
Fx is right. I ment smaller aperature as in smaller hole. That's why the shallower depth of field described surprised me. Thanks for the explanation of the sweet spots and problems occurring at higher f numbers.
I really love your live videos - I learn so much with your critiques and comments. It's also great communication between you and your audience! :) Looking forward to the next one
I always enjoy very much your videos. I learn a lots from your courses and it inspire me to love and enjoy more and more in the photography world each day. Thank you.
@@romancoins4429 or Affinity photo, or try On1 (a bit more expensive, but it's kinda of a mix of Photoshop and lightroom, it's like 10x better then lightroom but not even close to Photoshop. But it's awesome). Be warned though. It costs around 80 euros depending on when you get it. As I am writing this it is currently on sale for 70 euros for the basic version or 90 euros for the absolute full version.
All these little ideas you put in the studio to modify some classic light schemes are really intriguing, especially the black panel you're using for gradient the principal light. Great and really inspiring! Thank you! Beautiful watches by the way! Love the black one!
It's unbelievable that you are making such a brilliant photo using so little equipment. Thanks for this movie - it gives me a lot of inspiration. PS. The imprint of the lion is amazing!
Learned a lot about lighting the watches. Because for me thats the most important part. To Get the shiny glass all cleared up ! 👍 And those watches are beautiful !
I've become a watch fanatic within the last couple of years and have been looking for some cool ideas to take pictures of my watches. You've inspired me. Now, all I need is to win one of those watches (preferably the black one) and I will compose a shot with one of my watches along with yours and see how that looks. You've got some great ideas. I learn something every time I watch one of your videos. Keep inspiring!
Nice to see a pro at work. I should pursue still/product photography since I am finding that I am not very excited about shooting people. And I think the meticulousness of still fits my work-style better.
Great scoop, it really gives me wonder at first how did he made the shot on the black watch without reflection. Product shooting without photoshop is quite a challenge. Ed's tutorials do stuns me to awe. Thanks for the idea.
I have recently decided that I want to start practicing the craft of product photography. This video centennially gave me great ideas on how to go about it. Thanks for sharing!
Love the videos! I'm a custom knife maker and am always looking to make my product shots better with my limited camera setup. Those are lovely watches as well and would love the chance to proudly wear one of them! My degree is in wildlife conservation and restoration management so this really hits home for me. Thanks again!
Great work! Am from South Africa/Swaziland. Lion poaching has become such a huge issue. It's great to see more and more people taking animal conservation seriously 👍🏽
Mikko Talvitie thank you so much. Sometimes simplicity is the hardest to achieve. I definitely worked hard to get my vision perfect. Happy you enjoyed my product photography tutorial.
Wow... I love the way photographers spend hours just to get that tiny ray of light perfectly onto the product.
No EDITING needed but a lot of Professional Equipments Required lol !
In this situation yes. But get creative with less. I did for years and was still booking clients.
Yes and no...
Of course, having an great camera such as the D800 and a good bit of glass helps, as does a professional lighting setup and tethered shooting.
But then, I am pretty confident that you could do it without all the bells and whistles - it will just take you longer to get that result.
So at the end of the day, all the nice and expensive professional equipment is only there to let you work faster and more efficiently - which is what running a photography business is about.
If you just do it for fun, you don't need a lot of fancy equipment. When I tried dipping my toes into product photography, I was working basically with a handful of Youngnuo flash guns, color gels and pieces of paper with sticky tape for snoots and scrims. Any my lighting setup cost less than half of what just one of Ed's Elinchrome lights probably cost.
@@DeputatKaktus Good points. I do watch repair. And I've done photography as a hobby since 2005. I scaled down my gear once I started having kids. But I still wanted to do some shots for my work. Or just product type shoots for selling stuff. I literally used a sunglasses case, some different size pieces of printer paper for bounce and diffusion. And 1 single LED flash light. my used D3300 and my 35mm or 18-200mm VR and I'm getting shots that are more than adequate. I even used a junk box someone gave me watch stuff in. Lined it with paper and it does the same thing. All this can be used even with a cell phone and result in a really good shot. Most people aren't willing to put this amount of effort in though. I've had a lot of people ask me how I get "x" shot or whatever. When I explain it, I can tell I lose their attention. They never attempt it, but keep complaining about the quality of their shots. Then they usually end up with a newer camera or other piece of gear and they're still disappointed.
Watchandjewelryloft Yep, I can relate. It’s what happens when people think the can just throw a bunch of money at a problem to make it go away. Maybe they were just looking for an excuse to buy new stuff. I can relate to that as well, because buying new stuff is fun and exciting. But then, a cook doesn‘t magically get better at cooking by buying new pots and pans, and athletes won‘t set new records all of a sudden because they have bought new shorts. I have taken pretty good pictures (even if I say so myself) with a lot of cameras, some of which were significantly older than me and do not have all those fancy features of newer cameras.
Always wanting more of everything (eg focus points, fps, megapixels) is a disease...I call it „featuritis“.
I can perfectly get by with one single focus point, for instance. In fact, on most digital cameras I turn all focus points off except the center one because I get confused otherwise.
It’s almost a bit of a relief when I go shooting with my old analog Mamiya or Nikon cameras: much more to pay attention to, but less stuff to worry about. More people should shoot film every once in a while, as a sort of ‚shakedown‘ to keep their skills sharp.
@@clearlyed Nice work! To answer some of the responses below/above: This shot can be done with a simple very cheap set up or using a lot of expensive equipment. Better equipment = less time, less post processing and superior image. Cheap equipment setup = more time, more post processing and nice image (very sell-able image). I started with cheap lights, paper and a good camera. Now I use better lights, better setup and same camera. As I am making more money, I will invest in more lights, different type of lighting and maybe upgrade my camera to a Canon 5d Mark IV with a 24-105mm L lens.
This video successfully did 4 things to me.
1. I subscribed
2. I liked the video
3. I am dropping a comment
4. I can't wait to start product photography
FINALLY! Someone who understands that getting the shot right in-camera is the most important thing, not the editing afterwards. Very Ansel Adams of you :-)
I was looking for a little DIY at home lol
that black 'spray painted ' plastic is awesome!!! Best DIY tip I've seen in ages.
Wow! Who knew there was so much thought put into those product shots!
Dude, the black plastic spray trick is awesome! I never thought about that. And I have plenty of clear acrylic sheets lying around
My name is Hamza, a Moroccan amateur photographer. Hamza is another word for lion in Arabic. That watch is meant for me lol
so?
@@basicPROcreator the watch is named after him LOL
I like how you are reinforcing the idea of proper framing of the photo before taking the shot. With today's technology, people get complacent by relying too much on Photoshop/Lightroom and the no cost abundance of digital photography vs. film. Better to go with quality over quantity.
This was a good tutorial man! Can you do more of these product themed tutorials, like how to create different backgrounds, food table photography etc. I love those
I was a product photographer for 40+ years. I started with 8x10 view cameras. You had to get it right in camera or you weren't going to get paid. You could have used hot lights and shot at f/22 or so.
I used hot lights for almost everything in the studio except for models. I did room sets, photo'd airplanes, helicopters inside hangars, high-end jewelry, pots and pans, shoes, almost anything.
great video.
Love the glossy paint on the plastic!
One thing this video really shows is how long putting a shot together can take. This is something I am just really learning with my photography. I have an idea and take my camera straight out to shoot rather than playing around with the composition. In the long run, it ends up taking me longer to get that perfect shot. I'm trying to plan things out a bit more first before rushing in. Great tutorial :)
Your photography skills are legendary. So much effort.
I’m really happy you are enjoying my product photography tutorials.
Nice work. I've never heard of the product or cause. I love the idea of spray painting the plastic. You just gave me a ton of ideas using different colors and inexpensive plastic from Lowes. Rock on, Ed.
I was thinking, “oh cool I could win a watch” but then realized this was made 2 years ago and it’s definitely over
the brand seems over too now. the website doesn't exist anymore
Pretty impressive. Definitely a ton of dedication and patience needed to execute that 👍🏻
New subscriber! I am an Applied Media student in college. This was very interesting to watch! Photography is one of my main subjects. Love watching product photography...we are sampling that soon. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. Hi from Nova Scotia 🇨🇦
Spray painting the plastic is a game changer. looks great!
Well done! And you are right: Better get it right in camera than trying to fix everything in post!
I am a strong believer in not relying on post production for product photography. After all we are trying to show off the product and not a fake version of it. Thanks for watching.
Just have to say how refreshing this is to hear. I got here from an fstoppers "video" (aka: commercial) for their $300, 12 hr tutorial on retouching product photography. All I kept thinking was...."why not just get it right in camera and be done with it?"
Amazing video...Wasn't aware...So much efforts just for one pic... Perfect shot...Very informative video... Nicely explained
That spray came out way better than i was expecting!
Tell me about it. I didn’t think it was going to work either.
Which brand is it? The spray I mean... Couldn't get it from the video. Great tutorial BTW... :)
That is Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch 2x Ultra Cover Paint+Primer in Gloss Black. It bonds to plastic. $4 at my local Home Depot! I paused the vid and took a screen shot and matched the can. LOL
Facepalm... Ask a silly question, get a clever answer, eh. :) Thanks for clearing that out anyway. Appreciate your work.
Anything black will work. Doesnt have to be glossy. The plexi makes anything under it glossy, because the plexi is glossy. You could put clear plexi on black construction paper, or a black tablecloth and you will have glossy black, or paint matte black on the underside and still have glossy on top. The gloss comes from the plexi not whats underneath it.
wow! not only the watches are looking really great, the idea with the paw is amazing! Great great work! thanks for sharing
Sick watches, my favorite colors!
This is sheer perfection...with attention given to every tiny details... amazing..
Why couldn't you just lower the aperture and expose it for more time? (beginner here)
There are a number of reasons why this wouldnt work. 1. The flash sync speed is 1/250 so that can’t be changed otherwise the flash wouldn’t do anything. Lower apathetic would have meant an even shallower depth of field with a macro lens so even more stacking. Thanks for your ideas and watching my product photography tutorial.
Forgot about the flash and did not know about the way it would affect macro lens. Thanks!
Fx is right. I ment smaller aperature as in smaller hole. That's why the shallower depth of field described surprised me.
Thanks for the explanation of the sweet spots and problems occurring at higher f numbers.
That detail on the sand, great idea! Sick photo!
I'll do the giveaway at 3,000 likes.
Photos In Color Atlast u made a NORMAL VIDEOS .....i hated when you were doing LIVE VIDEOS
Robby Lolipop still going to be doing the live show every Tuesday but you can expect more ‘normal’ videos too.
I think the live shows are great. The technical issues you encounter makes each one unique and entertaining to watch! Keep up the great work!
I really love your live videos - I learn so much with your critiques and comments. It's also great communication between you and your audience! :) Looking forward to the next one
nice video. can you show how the focus stacking is done? thanks
I always enjoy very much your videos. I learn a lots from your courses and it inspire me to love and enjoy more and more in the photography world each day. Thank you.
Cancelling my adobe subscription tonite!
Good idea, try Luminar
@@romancoins4429 or Affinity photo, or try On1 (a bit more expensive, but it's kinda of a mix of Photoshop and lightroom, it's like 10x better then lightroom but not even close to Photoshop. But it's awesome). Be warned though. It costs around 80 euros depending on when you get it. As I am writing this it is currently on sale for 70 euros for the basic version or 90 euros for the absolute full version.
The ideas in this shoot are incredibly creative. Love it!!
YES! IN CAMERA.. Honestly this is always my best bet any how. My results from trying to use photoshop are not great anyway LOL!
Cheers for showing the behind the scenes of how to do this! Awesome colors too
I have been trying this recently thanks for the tips :D
This BTS was such great insight to the work you put in to create such stunning imagery! Looking forward to following your creative journey
How is it going?
I want to gift that watch to mg dad😍
Great idea with the paint on the plastic. And love the paw print!
didn't like the finished shot and the process seems weird
Long time follower, first time watch winner (I hope)!
Great tip for making black Perspex too.
THIS. This is the kind of tutorial I want to see.
Get it right in camera and avoid spending hours fixing mistakes in post.
All these little ideas you put in the studio to modify some classic light schemes are really intriguing, especially the black panel you're using for gradient the principal light. Great and really inspiring! Thank you!
Beautiful watches by the way! Love the black one!
It's unbelievable that you are making such a brilliant photo using so little equipment. Thanks for this movie - it gives me a lot of inspiration.
PS. The imprint of the lion is amazing!
Very nice tutorial and cool tips for light Btw that black Oliver Lion watch looks gorgeous. thumb up
Learned a lot about lighting the watches. Because for me thats the most important part. To Get the shiny glass all cleared up ! 👍
And those watches are beautiful !
Great thinking on the black spray paint! I also love the way that gold watch looks!
I've become a watch fanatic within the last couple of years and have been looking for some cool ideas to take pictures of my watches. You've inspired me. Now, all I need is to win one of those watches (preferably the black one) and I will compose a shot with one of my watches along with yours and see how that looks. You've got some great ideas. I learn something every time I watch one of your videos. Keep inspiring!
I absolutely love the idea of having that paw in the shoot! keep it up.
Love your work. Paw print idea was great! Resulting shot really shows the product off 👌.
Nice to see a pro at work. I should pursue still/product photography since I am finding that I am not very excited about shooting people. And I think the meticulousness of still fits my work-style better.
Nicely done shoot, Ed. Watches look great!
Great scoop, it really gives me wonder at first how did he made the shot on the black watch without reflection. Product shooting without photoshop is quite a challenge. Ed's tutorials do stuns me to awe. Thanks for the idea.
Awesome! That was a mindblowing shot and hatsoff to your effort making it minimal post-production!!!
Amazing photo, Ed! So many hours spent on this photo makes it stunning. I like the way you work and pay attention to details :)
Great idea to use the glossy paint on the plastic sheet! Awesome vid :)
Awesome shot!! and the black perspex man oh man!!! I would love to receive the black watch!!!
Love The black sand with the lion pawn idea !
Awesome! Will try to reproduce this setup next time. Thanks for the video Ed!
This type of video is almost a hole part of a photography course, AMAZING!!
Amazing idea with the clear acrylic sheet and black spray paint!!!
It was awesome to watch you go through and talk about the shot.
I have recently decided that I want to start practicing the craft of product photography. This video centennially gave me great ideas on how to go about it. Thanks for sharing!
Amazing work. Never knew how much went into a shot like this.
I don't get why this channel is only 211K subs. This guys is the bomb, he has been!
Love the way you set up the watches. And thanks for all the tips and tricks!!
I loved seeing the 'work in progress' nature of this video. Seeing someone's creative thought process is always instructive!
My favorite part was when you used that tiny rat of light to give it a pop. You’re awesome!
Love the videos! I'm a custom knife maker and am always looking to make my product shots better with my limited camera setup. Those are lovely watches as well and would love the chance to proudly wear one of them! My degree is in wildlife conservation and restoration management so this really hits home for me. Thanks again!
Hello
Awesome setup, and awesome final shot!
Great work! Am from South Africa/Swaziland. Lion poaching has become such a huge issue. It's great to see more and more people taking animal conservation seriously 👍🏽
Stunning watches! Great photography!
Beautiful product shot. I really like the tip for the gloss paint and clear acrylic sheet.
Excellent set up and stunning photo!!!!!!!!!!! Well done!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the great video. I love the spray paint trick on the clear plastic. I'm totally stealing that one!
Your creativity level is over 9000. Thank you for spending time creating this vid and sharing things you did in it.
Awesome stuff, great idea making a paw print in the sand!
Will definitely use the black paint tip to create a black shiny surface! Good one!
Woah never thought i would really like product photography but after watching this i really wanna try !!!
Love the shot, also the watches are great too!
That lights setup is lit af!
Yet another quality video! Well done, keep em coming!!😉
Nice photo - the lion print is over the top!
Amazing shot and beautiful watches!
It's a great science art and commutation journey and you've done a great job at preforming as well as instructing..
That black watch is amazing ♥
Nice tutorial. I particularly like shots that can be done in camera without much Photoshopping!
FANTASTIC!!! LUV the BTS info, etc.
What a simple but beautiful photo. Well done sir.
Mikko Talvitie thank you so much. Sometimes simplicity is the hardest to achieve. I definitely worked hard to get my vision perfect. Happy you enjoyed my product photography tutorial.
Loved this... I've been having trouble finding black plexiglass too - didn't even think of painting the back... Definitely gonna use this one...
First of all thanks for sharing the behind the shoot technics. Expecting more from you. Cheers....
It’s nice to see see SOOC kinda shots like this. Watches look really nice as well. Thanks for the tips!
What a gorgeous shot...love the lion paw print idea! Hugs from Texas! : )
Awesome technique to shoot! It creates nice pic straight from the camera.
We need more videos like this. Thank you for being inspiring!
More of product tutorials Ed... BTW, this one was great.
As always, great tutorial. Product photography isn't as easy as most think. Thanks for sharing.
Love the vid as usual Ed... you are developing an American twang there buddy !!!!
Awesome video! Nice to see how a product photo can be set up.
Great behind the scenes look at product photography
Beautiful photo and watches! Perfect reflection!!
Great setup! Great concentration = great pictures!