white background for items

[Former_Member]

Does anyone have any tips for creating a good white background for their items? Right now I don't use white backgrounds and I would like to start transitioning to them. I'm a newbie and when I started listing I just wanted good photos and didn't focus too much on the photo shoot and background. Now, when I try a white background it just looks like flash gone wrong. Any tips?

[Former_Member]

I use my drawing notebook as a background.

[spacefem]

bright lights, posterboard background and then post-process the heck out of it. play with brightness & contrast settings on the photo before you go for the gold and lasso-tool it out.

[Former_Member]

You can also use fotofuze free online (fotofuze.com) to make your backgrounds bright white.

[WoolWench]

It looks like you are using a flash directly onto your items? Try setting your picture up in good daylight, by a window, not sun streaming onto it but bright light, put your white background in behind, and then use something like fotofuze to process your images, adjust your white balance and brightness. Hopefully you will find a big improvement in the white that way.

[Former_Member]

I always shoot my white on white beside a window, but not in direct sunlight (its glarey).
I suggest using a piece of good watercolour paper. Set it up so that it curves, making both the floor and back wall of your miniature light studio. This also stops corners from being in your image.
I then set up a piece of paper on the opposite side to the window or light source, to reflect the light back onto the object, this way it is lit from BOTH sides, rather than having it well lit from the window side and shadowy on the other.
You should end up with one curved piece of paper as base and back wall, and one other as either left or right wall. Works for me.. and I agree - edit like crazy. If you have photoshop, play with curves, otherwise try contrast and lightness/brightness
Hopefully helpful!!

[Former_Member]

use a white background like paper, sheet, poster board. then, most importantly, edit the background with fotofuze.com.

@mary kate
looks like you've started using fotofuze since the last time i looked in your shop. i see many improvements.

[Former_Member]

A cheap white roller blackout blind works a treat....and an overcast day to photograph outside:)

[heyshopbonnie]

My apartment has NO good light, so this is a problem for me too. I shoot mine on white posterboard, then run them through FotoFuze. I used to shoot them on white fabric, but posterboard is easier.

FotoFuze is kind of annoying: the brush is round, so it's hard to make straight lines and right angles. However, it's the best free product I've found so I stick with it. It took me a while to get the hang of it, and at first the white background looked REALLY weird. If you stick with it and play with it, it works but be prepared to spend a lot of time editing!

After I FotoFuze them, I go back to Picasa (a free photo editing software from google) and adjust the lighting. Since the lighting in my house is so bad, I usually use the "fill light" and "highlight" settings a lot.

Then, I reupload them to Etsy!

[Former_Member]

thanks everyone! i will be trying out all of these tips!

[Former_Member]

I use this.... best money I ever spent

http://www.obnphoto.com/item/17in_product_photography_photo_tent_light_box_lamp.html

also I use picmonkey which is free and easy to use http://www.picmonkey.com/

[ElectronicGirl]

foamcore and hot glue it into a box. it bounces the light around really well.

[Former_Member]

I have a very simplistic camera, so I have to do some post-processing.
First I am taking photos in a light-cube with bright white bulbs. I am tweaking white balance as much as my camera allows (which is not as much as I need).
When I am filming, I am verifying that the color curve (thankfully my camera can output them to the screen) have a peak in the right edge - this means that white is over-exposed (a MUST for the white background). If not, you have to play with your shutter, exposition time etc.
When postprocessing (I am using Photoshop, but any descent tool, including free tools like GIMP has the functionality), I am "cutting" this peak off the curve (look for "Curves" menu, you have a "point" control over it), this usually leaving me with a perfect white background.
This may sound very complex, but in fact it is a very simple & easy process.
Good Luck!

[Former_Member]

what if your product is white? I sell cards so I try to use a light gray background...

[Former_Member]

I just love the way information is shared around here. Thanks for loaning me the benefit of your experience...

[Former_Member]

Well, this is more tricky.
Here, the basic idea is that you have to overexpose the background only (using your light) leaving your item with a little less light on it than a background.
So, your item will be a little-less-white than white, but you still will have a good stock photo.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/104090506/polymer-clay-button-large-rustic-shabby
http://www.etsy.com/listing/101559935/glass-shank-buttons-pair-white-yellow
For example (I am not pretending to be a good photographer, but I had very same problems as you in the past)