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 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.
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
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 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!
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?"
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
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.
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.
@@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.
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.
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!
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!
Thanks for the video, I'm trying to do some product photography and have been looking for a black plastic that is shinny and haven't been able to find it so you showing the clear plastic and painting it is great.
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 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.
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 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 :)
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!
I wish you had described how you merged the stack of photos, but I'll look it up from somewhere else. Really great tutorial in every other aspect, thank you.
Wonderful! Great to see the focus being on the setup and exposure. Old school meets new school. This is the kind of care taken when one was shooting big sheet film.
I love product photography so much. It's so crisp and clean and ugh yes. But man all those lights and details are overwhelming for this newbie. Not criticizing your video at all, I just didn't realize exactly HOW much work went into product shots. Meanwhile I'm still learning to work with just natural light. 😱😱😱
Yet another great instruction video. I've watched all your Lightroom and Photoshop tutorials earlier and learnt alot. Thanks for share so much knowledge ;)
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!
I feel so much better. I only spend maybe an hour on each photo. By the way, you forgot to mention to STOP the clock hands before the shoot! Very important!
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
Dude, the black plastic spray trick is awesome! I never thought about that. And I have plenty of clear acrylic sheets lying around
I was looking for a little DIY at home lol
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 :-)
Wow! Who knew there was so much thought put into those product shots!
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.
Love the glossy paint on the plastic!
that black 'spray painted ' plastic is awesome!!! Best DIY tip I've seen in ages.
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
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.
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
Spray painting the plastic is a game changer. looks great!
Your photography skills are legendary. So much effort.
I’m really happy you are enjoying my product photography tutorials.
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!
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 🇨🇦
wow! not only the watches are looking really great, the idea with the paw is amazing! Great great work! thanks for sharing
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
Loved this... I've been having trouble finding black plexiglass too - didn't even think of painting the back... Definitely gonna use this one...
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?"
Love your work. Paw print idea was great! Resulting shot really shows the product off 👌.
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
Cheers for showing the behind the scenes of how to do this! Awesome colors too
Sick watches, my favorite colors!
Great thinking on the black spray paint! I also love the way that gold watch looks!
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.
This is sheer perfection...with attention given to every tiny details... amazing..
YES! IN CAMERA.. Honestly this is always my best bet any how. My results from trying to use photoshop are not great anyway LOL!
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.
I have been trying this recently thanks for the tips :D
Awesome! Will try to reproduce this setup next time. Thanks for the video Ed!
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.
Amazing video...Wasn't aware...So much efforts just for one pic... Perfect shot...Very informative video... Nicely explained
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.
Pretty impressive. Definitely a ton of dedication and patience needed to execute that 👍🏻
I want to gift that watch to mg dad😍
Another level of creativity!
didn't like the finished shot and the process seems weird
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!
The ideas in this shoot are incredibly creative. Love it!!
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!
Thanks for the video, I'm trying to do some product photography and have been looking for a black plastic that is shinny and haven't been able to find it so you showing the clear plastic and painting it is great.
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 !
Love the way you set up the watches. And thanks for all the tips and tricks!!
Thanks for the great video. I love the spray paint trick on the clear plastic. I'm totally stealing that one!
Amazing idea with the clear acrylic sheet and black spray paint!!!
Amazing work. Never knew how much went into a shot like this.
It was awesome to watch you go through and talk about the shot.
It's a great science art and commutation journey and you've done a great job at preforming as well as instructing..
Awesome! That was a mindblowing shot and hatsoff to your effort making it minimal post-production!!!
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.
Beautiful product shot. I really like the tip for the gloss paint and clear acrylic sheet.
That detail on the sand, great idea! Sick photo!
Great idea with the paint on the plastic. And love the paw print!
Will definitely use the black paint tip to create a black shiny surface! Good one!
Awesome technique to shoot! It creates nice pic straight from the camera.
We need more videos like this. Thank you for being inspiring!
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.
Simple and easy to follow. I have a watch I'm wanting to try, so now I have some direction! Thanks!
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.
Nicely done shoot, Ed. Watches look great!
Apart from the good looks of the watch, colour combination is doped.... 👌👌👍👍
Excellent set up and stunning photo!!!!!!!!!!! Well done!!!!!!!!!
Nice tutorial. I particularly like shots that can be done in camera without much Photoshopping!
I loved seeing the 'work in progress' nature of this video. Seeing someone's creative thought process is always instructive!
Very interesting seeing the methods you used and excellent photo that results from the care taken.
Woah never thought i would really like product photography but after watching this i really wanna try !!!
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 :)
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
I wish you had described how you merged the stack of photos, but I'll look it up from somewhere else. Really great tutorial in every other aspect, thank you.
Wonderful! Great to see the focus being on the setup and exposure. Old school meets new school. This is the kind of care taken when one was shooting big sheet film.
Amazing photo, Ed! So many hours spent on this photo makes it stunning. I like the way you work and pay attention to details :)
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?
Just starting to learn product photography for my business. Thanks for this video ! 👌👍
That lights setup is lit af!
I absolutely love the idea of having that paw in the shoot! keep it up.
Love The black sand with the lion pawn idea !
Great idea to use the glossy paint on the plastic sheet! Awesome vid :)
As always, great tutorial. Product photography isn't as easy as most think. Thanks for sharing.
Stunning watches! Great photography!
Awesome tutorial. I like how you described the whole process to get your shot
I love product photography so much. It's so crisp and clean and ugh yes. But man all those lights and details are overwhelming for this newbie. Not criticizing your video at all, I just didn't realize exactly HOW much work went into product shots. Meanwhile I'm still learning to work with just natural light. 😱😱😱
Nice tutorial. Good to see that it’s possible to make a high quality shot with less Photoshop.
Awesome shot!! and the black perspex man oh man!!! I would love to receive the black watch!!!
So much i get to learn from you... I am very happy.. may you succeed i your life like a LION.. Thanks Ed😁
thank u for the tips on product photography . very nicely explained. Loved the way u did with the sand awesome. thats what i call using brains.
Very nice tutorial and cool tips for light Btw that black Oliver Lion watch looks gorgeous. thumb up
That black watch is amazing ♥
Your creativity level is over 9000. Thank you for spending time creating this vid and sharing things you did in it.
love the black one....I have a product shoot coming up thanks for the tips.
Your artistic communication is phenomenal! Thank you very much for all your help.
Yet another great instruction video. I've watched all your Lightroom and Photoshop tutorials earlier and learnt alot. Thanks for share so much knowledge ;)
It’s nice to see see SOOC kinda shots like this. Watches look really nice as well. Thanks for the tips!
Nice shot and fun video. I appreciate you leaving in the mistakes/process path to the final image.
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!
Long time follower, first time watch winner (I hope)!
Great tip for making black Perspex too.
Awesome setup, and awesome final shot!
I feel so much better. I only spend maybe an hour on each photo. By the way, you forgot to mention to STOP the clock hands before the shoot! Very important!
Amazing setup and very nice result 👍📸
Love the shot now to take some of this information into my own shooting