My bonsai photo setup.....

HorseloverFat

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Fantastic!

I'd like to see the FIRST pictured tree, in that SAME spot.. but not on the stand...

I'm curious about something.

I really like this smooth transition of the canvas/vinyl(?).. and it works well as an assumed horizon, ocularly.
 

Carol 83

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Very professional looking.
 

Fidur

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I think my ability to photograph bonsai is improving. I've been using a software called "Capture NX" that came with my camera about 14 years ago. It gives me the chance to light or dark areas of my pics, instead of using different lights. It's a fantastic tool. Shame it hasn`t been avalaible in the market for the last ten years. Some examples of the performance of this software: (the light setup and background was the same in all pics)


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Pitoon

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I think my ability to photograph bonsai is improving. I've been using a software called "Capture NX" that came with my camera about 14 years ago. It gives me the chance to light or dark areas of my pics, instead of using different lights. It's a fantastic tool. Shame it hasn`t been avalaible in the market for the last ten years. Some examples of the performance of this software: (the light setup and background was the same in all pics)


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Your first two pics you posted look very good, but these four pics look a little grainy especially the last picture. Could it be the program you are using?
 

Fidur

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Your first two pics you posted look very good, but these four pics look a little grainy especially the last picture. Could it be the program you are using?
Thanks @Pitoon. The last picture was a failure in the shooting. It was very underexposed. I was a bit lazy to make it again so I forced a bit the exposure in processing. That's the reason of the grainy and dullnes of it. The software has been the same in all the pics.
 

ShimpakuBonsai

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Very nice Fidur!!
Now you have a new adddition to the bonsai hobby to keep you busy when you have to scratch the itch of doing something bonsai related.
 

Fidur

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I've been working with different backdrops. After some tests.....

JMK_1631.jpg JMK_2952.jpg JMK_2275.jpg
... I'm coming to think that darkish hybrid are the best. Black is too flat...

Maybe I give too much time to brush up my photo skills, but if you want to make justice to the beauty of your trees, you can´t show them with casual phone pics...
 

Kievnstavick

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I agree that the darkish background looks best for just taking a nice photo of the tree. It helps back up the background and satisfies my brain to have evidence of how the tree is lit.

The flat black background just looks strange to be because of how it looks like the background was digitally removed. It would be nice as a background for showing just the tree and creating virtuals with.

The white background makes it seem overexposed overall despite the tree not looking overexposed.
 

Kievnstavick

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How far do you have your subject from the backdrop?

When I tried to use my washer and dryer, I found that my subjects sat too close to the background and it cast some strange shadows.

Also, how many lights do you use for this?

I have been using only two (plus room lights) and I have been thinking about getting a third to sit behind me to soften the shadows cast by my two-light set-up.
 

SouthernMaple

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I think my ability to photograph bonsai is improving. I've been using a software called "Capture NX" that came with my camera about 14 years ago. It gives me the chance to light or dark areas of my pics, instead of using different lights. It's a fantastic tool. Shame it hasn`t been avalaible in the market for the last ten years. Some examples of the performance of this software: (the light setup and background was the same in all pics)


View attachment 450202 View attachment 450203

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Nice photos, capture NX is Nikon exclusive freeware, so thats why not many people use it. I think its great and while not as feature rich as photoshop or lightroom, its free and I don't have to pay a subscription to use it. It also doesn't bog your memory down like a lot of the programs out there do.

As for lighting you would be amazed by what a few lamps around the house can do to eliminate shadows
 

Adamski77

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As simple as it gets. A cloth hanging in my laundry room, no ligths. A 80-400mm zoom lens... (I had to reread the manual after 8 years unused)
View attachment 438894

Results will improve with time. It's my first attempt....

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As simple as it gets. A cloth hanging in my laundry room, no ligths. A 80-400mm zoom lens... (I had to reread the manual after 8 years unused)

View attachment 438894

Results will improve with time. It's my first attempt....

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Fidur... WOW... this is really good looking!

Question... what kind of cloth are you using? These two photos have this kind of light/dark play that I love. Is this how the picture originally was taken or you added some spin to it through software?

... I'm pulling my Nikon back out from the closet...
 

Fidur

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Question... what kind of cloth are you using? These two photos have this kind of light/dark play that I love. Is this how the picture originally was taken or you added some spin to it through software?
I've been testing different kind of cloths and also vinyl. The vinyl backdrops are very cheap (2$ each), but they are also the worst (light reflective and not easily setup). The printed cloths are better, but they are also a bit reflective. And the best cloth is the not printed, black, velvet-like and non reflective.
Yes I usually try to make (throught software) the background as neutral and non intrusive as I can
How far do you have your subject from the backdrop?

When I tried to use my washer and dryer, I found that my subjects sat too close to the background and it cast some strange shadows.

Also, how many lights do you use for this?

I have been using only two (plus room lights) and I have been thinking about getting a third to sit behind me to soften the shadows cast by my two-light set-up.
I usually place my subject about 20cm (or less) away from the backdrops, but I have zero lights in front, so I get no shadows against the backdrop. I use a room light, and a lamp I can move to enhace whatever makes the tree beautiful...
capture NX is Nikon exclusive freeware, so thats why not many people use it. I think its great and while not as feature rich as photoshop or lightroom, its free and I don't have to pay a subscription to use it. It also doesn't bog your memory down like a lot of the programs out there do.

As for lighting you would be amazed by what a few lamps around the house can do to eliminate shadows
14 years back I used to be a good user of lightroom to develope my raw files, but capture NX is hands down the "best" you can use for NEF Nikon pics.
Yes, lighting is an art. Back in the past I used up to 4 coordinated flashes to light portraits, with umbrellas, diffusors,....Now I can't even remember how to use one of them (and as I age it`s worse). So I've come to embrace the KISS philosophy, and I use the celing lamp and just another one I place to light the trunk. So no complex setup, just as easy as I can.
 

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Wow, really wonderful pictures and even if "simple" for you, great technique! I'm really terrible with pictures of my trees, but I promise I will study in this new year!!!

What Is the distance between the camera and the tree more or less?
 
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