The new Studio!

[JudyB]

Yes please on the continuous lights, I don't have flashes either.

 

[AboveBeyond]

I am trying to get my video finished with a 10 minute bonsai photography tutorial to start from having sun light to flashes a couple pieces of paper and a basic point and shoot camera. I will try to add in continuous lights as the ones you have. Wish me luck for recording the weekend if the weather permits, I have it almost scripted.

I look forward to watching the tutorial!

 

[barrosinc]

Yes please on the continuous lights, I don't have flashes either.

My idea is to use no artificial lights besides the sun... but will add continuous lights I guess and skip flashes.

 

[Vance Wood]

Yeah, I remember the softboxes from studio work I have done in the past. I want to get a couple colors to clip over my lights to improve the tint as well.. What do you recommend for that? I was thinking of getting a red, blue and yellow, but don't really know where to go for that sort of stuff.

My biggest issue with my backdrop now is that it is too reflective. I need something flat, that does not reflect light so I can get a true black like you have in this shot. I moved the tree away more, but I am running out of room! The diffused light makes for a nice soft image, but shadow isn't my issue as much as the reflection off the satiny fabric.

Try some black felt hung on a rod.

 

[barrosinc]

Yeah, I remember the softboxes from studio work I have done in the past. I want to get a couple colors to clip over my lights to improve the tint as well.. What do you recommend for that? I was thinking of getting a red, blue and yellow, but don't really know where to go for that sort of stuff.

My biggest issue with my backdrop now is that it is too reflective. I need something flat, that does not reflect light so I can get a true black like you have in this shot. I moved the tree away more, but I am running out of room! The diffused light makes for a nice soft image, but shadow isn't my issue as much as the reflection off the satiny fabric.

You could probably get away with something like this for 48x36 collapsible backdrop for 26 bucks.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/36x48-90x12...317?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e710bc7bd

 

[Eric Group]

So, for portability, this obviously will not work, but for my static location... I was thinking something like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/72-Manual-P...883?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item463d5bdf7b

Or something comparable... Obviously would want one that pulls down far enough to make a decent back drop...

 

[Eric Group]

So, for portability, this obviously will not work, but for my static location... I was thinking something like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/72-Manual-P...883?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item463d5bdf7b

Or something comparable... Obviously would want one that pulls down far enough to make a decent back drop...

Or this even...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apollo-Proj...8&pid=100005&rk=3&rkt=6&sd=131545070910&rt=nc

John- this might work for you to take out in the garden! Not sure how wind would affect it- probably Wouldn't work on a windy day at all! LOL

 

[Eric Group]

A couple more shots of some trees I like...
We have probably all had that day where we look around the garden and realize "I don't have a cascade".. So we rush out, buy a little Procumbens nana and MAKe one.. Presto changeo- INSTANT BONSAI!

I made this one about 2-3 years ago I guess, wired it, styled it up and left it to grow...

This was a little Wal Mart special Crepe Myrtle bought on clearance one day... Messed around with it for a while and my roommates DOG decided to "help me style it" one day about 8 years ago.. Chewed ALL the branches off but one... Huge scar... Thought it was going to die, but it didn't. It DID get real weak and struggle to grow for YEARS. to the point where I was just going to give up on it.. Decided it would get a complete overhaul- restyled it to a cascade/semicascade and it was a "sink or swim" moment for the tree... He was either going to crap out and die when I repotted him in the weak state he was in, or he was going to get better and finally REALLY start to grow again. Lucky for me and the tree he chose the later! grew a 2 foot+ leader for a cascading branch year one after the repot... Shortened, grew it back out, wired it, snapped it, grew it back out... Cracked it again earlier this Spring trying to wire it (you might see the green tape holding it together?).. Letting the lower branches run to heal the crack.. Seems to be doing great. The wound has finally healed over... It didn't heal or thicken at ALL for about 4-5 years after the dog attack, but over the past three has completely healed and regained 100% vigor.

gnarly old roots:

 

[Eric Group]

Getting the background blacked out a little better.. Moved it forward a ltittle more and had to find the right angle..

 

[Vance Wood]

You are doing well with your photographs.

 

[Eric Group]

You are doing well with your photographs.

Thanks Vance!

 

[Eric Group]

 

[sorce]

The first pic of the red one there is dope.
Not great to look at the tree.

But wicked sick to look at the picture.

You're really upping your Game.....Cock!

Sorce

 

[JudyB]

Second one is Chinese Quince? Thanks for the pictures, very pretty blooms.

 

[Eric Group]

Second one is Chinese Quince? Thanks for the pictures, very pretty blooms.

Yes m'am! That is the ole "Chines" Quince stump I made a thread about... Left the damn E off the end of ChinesE in the thread title somehow... I wired it out after taking this pic, but haven't posted that update yet. May post it to the thread about the tree today.

Thanks!

That J Quince is a great bloomer, always has been and the subtle color variations form light pink to dark red are beautiful! It is worthy of showing off this time of year.. Once they fade though, back to the back of the bench... Not a real looker without flowers!

 

[Eric Group]

The first pic of the red one there is dope.
Not great to look at the tree.

But wicked sick to look at the picture.

You're really upping your Game.....Cock!

Sorce

Thanks buddy... I think!
I forgot to caption the photos... It was kinda late and the laptop was dying... But I re-vamped my studio this weekend! Bought a kit off EBay that came with a pipe and drape and three "pro" lights with stands, clips, diffusers, reflectors... It was only like $60! I was just tired of trying to make it work with that crappy hung sheet backdrop and some clip lamps I got at Lowe's! This gives me a lot more control and variability in how I light my stuff...

 

[bwaynef]

It was mentioned earlier (MACH maybe?), but you'd do well to increase the distance between the plants and the background. This would send any detail in the background further out of focus and ...due to the inverse-square law of physics (as it pertains to light anyway), would diminish the amount of light on the background (making any details in it less prominent).

 

[Eric Group]

It was mentioned earlier (MACH maybe?), but you'd do well to increase the distance between the plants and the background. This would send any detail in the background further out of focus and ...due to the inverse-square law of physics (as it pertains to light anyway), would diminish the amount of light on the background (making any details in it less prominent).

I know it might help, but I have limited space. I have moved the trees forward a couple feet from where they were, but unless I bring the camera closer to get a tighter range of focus on the trees, it will not blur out the back drop very well and if I DO bring the camera closer, the perspective makes it thought to keep the background covering the entire shot... It would also probably distort the trees a bit more than the transition to 2 dimensional images already does.. I am deffinitely still tweaking my set up though.

 

[bonsai stl]

Man, you're an awesome trainer!

 

[Eric Group]

Added a new toy to the "photography studio" today- a light box! Works pretty good- need to dial in the lighting a bit...
this is a new @Dale Cochoy pot I bought in Asheville this weekend

Little Barberry

Same Pyracantha I posted another place or two here...