PHOTO HELP: Product will not stand on own, need suggestions on how to prop up for photo

[Former_Member]

I've decided to dedicate more time and money to taking better photos so I can spend less time editing them, and more time making bags.

To achieve this goal I've purchased myself an awesome little 2 light soft box kit where each head throws 350 watts of light. I also bought a roll of seamless white paper to use as a background.

I played around with my new setup last night, and had mixed feeling about the results. The soft quality of the light is really nice thanks to the soft boxes. The shadows look really good and light. However I'm still not getting the very white background I want without editing the photos.

After doing a little reach on the internet I found that I need to put some distance between my subject and my background, and light my background brighter then my subject. I want to try this, and see if I can get a really white background without editing the images.

The problem is that I make thin wristlet bags that are not designed to stand up on their own. In the past I have propped the bag up against the background, but that will no longer work. I need to find a way to prop up the bags that does not show up in the photos, since I want the photos to be of only the bags.

Can you please make suggestions on a way to prop up a bags? Is there something that is made specially for product photography that will keep a product in place while it is being photographed? I'd love to hear some around the house suggestions too.

[Former_Member]

Could you hang the bag from something?

[Cabooties]

they sell decorative plate stands at most craft stores for about $3. The joanns near me also has clear ones that would work well for your purposes. I hope this helps!

[Former_Member]

Erin Turowski from LessBtchMoreStitch says

Could you hang the bag from something?

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That's a good idea too, but I'm not sure how to do it easily.

I'm going for the look I have in my avatar picture. I suppose I could try using some monofilament (invisible) thread suspended from the ceiling. The only way I could attach it to the bag is by stringing it though the ribbon that attaches the hook to the bag. That sounds very time consuming.

Maybe I could suspend two threads from the ceiling and attach an anchor to hold them in place (or possible sew then into the white paper background). Then prop the bag up against the thread.

I'd love to hear more suggestions, or feedback on whether anyone thinks an idea someone had is one they think will work.

[Former_Member]

I would use a photograph easel. The Bag would cover the metal or plastic on the bottom and the easels I use are only 6 inches high in the back. You could get a white one to blend if the metal shows. You can purchase these at Hobby Lobby. I can take a photo of my girlfriend's purse display. Just tell me where to send it. I hope this helps. Alan

[Former_Member]

Now that I've seen your bags. An easel probably isn't the way to go. Maybe a couple of paper weights that are a couple of inches high on each side of the bag.

[Former_Member]

Thank Alen, I was thinking about something like paper weight, but I don't have any.

Kelly - I like the idea of a plate stand. I'm going to look around online and see if there are any small modern clear ones. It makes me wonder what other kinds of small stands are out there.

To help other people visualize the problem I'm going to give you the dimensions of my bags. I hope it helps you think of suggestions.

Wristlets have the following measurements.
Width: 7 1/4”
Height: 4 1/8”
Strap width: 1”
Strap length: 9 3/4” or 4 3/4" folded

[Former_Member]

Can you ball up some masking tape and stick it behind there?

[WishDesignStudio]

Maybe some small drinking glasses/tumblers behind them and use a bit of double-sided tape to hold them up? Actually, a piece of folded cardboard and some tape would probably do the trick.

[JanJat]

Paperweight aka big rock! I like the ball of masking tape idea too!

If you are putting something (like the rock) behind and the bag keeps slipping you could always try some glue tac underneath the bag - providing it wont stain...

[Former_Member]

WishDesignStudio from WishDesignStudio says

Maybe some small drinking glasses/tumblers behind them and use a bit of double-sided tape to hold them up? Actually, a piece of folded cardboard and some tape would probably do the trick.

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While I don't have any paper weight I do own a lot of glasses, so I like this idea. I have one shot glass which seems like the right size to stay out of sight in the photos. To make it heavy enough to support the bag I was going to fill it with change.

That go me thinking about other things that are about the same height. I found the following items to be about the right size and weight: A can of anchovies, a can of sardines, and a box of staples. Of these the stapes seem like the best thing for my situation. I'm going to cover the box (which is bright red) in white paper so it is less noticeable when it shows up in photos, and easier to Photoshop out.

Last night when I was photographing my bag I did have problems with the bags slipping. I took some white poster putty, rolled it out thin, and then stuck it to the paper. It kept the bags from slipping. Then I put the bag handle over it so it would not show up in the photos.

I think a strip of double sided tape might work well too to keep the bags from slipping, but I don't have any. If I did I would try it and compare the two.

I appreciate all the suggestions that were made, and encourage people to keep making them, or to talk about things that work for you. I think other people will find this thread useful.

[Former_Member]

This is what I've done in the past -
To get the background as white as possible, I shoot a plain white piece of paper first and use that as my setting for my white balance.
Also, for a prop to stand your bags on, you can get a thin piece of acrylic from the home depot or lows and then use a candle to help soften it (in a VERY well ventilated area) and bend the strip into a sort of cube to help support your items.

[Former_Member]

Cherise Carter-Smoot from MyLavenderPeacock says

This is what I've done in the past -
To get the background as white as possible, I shoot a plain white piece of paper first and use that as my setting for my white balance.
Also, for a prop to stand your bags on, you can get a thin piece of acrylic from the home depot or lows and then use a candle to help soften it (in a VERY well ventilated area) and bend the strip into a sort of cube to help support your items.

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I haven't heard of bending acrylic with a candle to make a stand. It sounds really interesting. Do you have photos?

[Former_Member]

Paperweight aka big rock! I like the ball of masking tape idea too!
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I use stuff like this all the time. Big rocks, tiny bits of tape, wood peices from a Paris city scape, mini glass vases... Could you put something heavy in the bag, like a paperweight sort of thing, and also behind it?

I have a lot of round objects that I sell, and they roll away when I photograph them. My favorite trick for this is to use small pieces of rubber bands. It took me quite a while to find out what worked and what didn't.

Congrats on bolstering your photo skills! It is hard work, but it is fun and it pays off. Photography is part of our trade, like it or not. I saw a video of a pro food photographer setting up a shot. She spends a few minuets getting everything right and adjusting her camera, took one shot, it needed no editing. Amazing.

[Former_Member]

Hi Victoria,

First let me ask if you have custom white balanced the shot? If not, you will probably get a truer white background without having to figure out how to prop up the bags. If you use any kind of string that could easily be cloned out afterwards, especially if you use black thread on the white background. They also have what is called museum mount that you may want to look into.

Jim

[Former_Member]

Celia avatar
Celia from KyraBotanica says
I saw a video of a pro food photographer setting up a shot. She spends a few minuets getting everything right and adjusting her camera, took one shot, it needed no editing. Amazing.
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Celia - That's what I want from my photos! Editing is way too time consuming. I want to nail the exposure and the lighting when I'm taking the photo, and more on.

[Former_Member]

Jim - I have my white balance set to the custom mode. My back ground is white, I just want it to be editorial white with out so much editing work.

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Now that I have tried the new lighting scheme the background is bright white, but the for ground is a gray white. I can easily edit it with a dodging tool in a photo editing program, but I'd rather not do it. Next I'm going to try adding a third light and see if I can figure out a set up that works with out creating harsh shadows.