Mike Moore Mike Moore

How to Make Better Product & Still Life Photographs / San Diego Product Photographer

Here are some tips for taking better product photography images:

  1. Choose the right lighting: Good lighting is crucial for product photography. You can use natural light, but if that’s not possible, consider investing in a lighting kit or softbox. Avoid using harsh overhead lighting as it can cast unflattering shadows.

  2. Use a tripod: A tripod helps to keep your camera steady and ensures that your images are sharp and in focus.

  3. Select the right background: Choose a background that is clean and uncluttered, and complements the product you’re photographing. You can use a white or black background, or opt for a colored background that enhances the product. Most local art supply shops will have colored paper.

  4. Consider the angle and composition: Think about the angle and composition of your shot. Try different angles, and experiment with different compositions to find the one that works best for your product.

  5. Use a macro lens: A macro lens is great for product photography, as it allows you to get up close and capture fine details. If you don’t have a macro lens, you can use a close-up filter or extension tube. B&H or Adorama have many to choose from.

  6. Edit your images: Once you’ve taken your photos, edit them to enhance the colors, contrast, and brightness. You can use photo editing software such as Capture One, Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom, or free online tools like Pixlr or Canva.

By following these tips, you can create professional-looking product photography images that showcase your products in the best possible light. Contact me if you have any questions at: info@mmoorephotos.com

commercial photographer near me, san diego product photographer, encinitas photographer, canon 90mm TS lens
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Mike Moore Mike Moore

Making the Image / Wine Bottle / San Diego Product Photographer

I used one light in a large 4 x 6 soft box, behind an even larger scrim, on camera left. This produces the soft gradient lighting on the bottle. I set up a white board to reflect light into the bottle on the right side of the camera, giving it a nice line down its side. The background gradient is subtly lit with a small soft box camera right.

A simple light set up to enhance the beauty of this delicious bottle of wine.

San Diego Product Photographer, Wine Bottle, San Diego Commercial Photographer, Encinitas Photographer
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Personal Mike Moore Personal Mike Moore

A Conversation with a Friend... / San Diego Portrait Photographer

Cancer sucks...

I was able to spend an hour with this incredibly strong human being. Anthony has cancer. We talked about the last thirty four years since our time at El Camino High School in Oceanside CA.  He spoke about his family and what this means for his young kids. At one moment he mentioned to me what it will mean if he wakes up and his skin is yellow... He's a fighter for sure!

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Project 52 Mike Moore Project 52 Mike Moore

Classical CD Cover / San Diego Commercial Photographer

This was assignment 11 for Project 52 Pro. Using Black Angels by American composer George Crumb I was to make this CD cover for the string quartet. You can listen to this piece for yourself right here. Below is my interpretation along with behind the scenes...

If you dared to listen to the music I linked above you may understand where I'm going with this shot. My thoughts were to use the graceful lines of the string instrument to bring your eye right into the bow with torn up horse hair coming straight down into the image, like an exclamation point. Below is the BTS...

I used window light but I had the violin about three feet from the window and the window was covered with two cards. Approximately 2/3rds of the window was flagged and the sunlight spilled over the top. You could say I used the window light as a strip light...

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Project 52, Personal Mike Moore Project 52, Personal Mike Moore

Vintage / San Diego Lifestyle Photographer

assign3-mike-moore-tues.jpg

This was a photograph made for Project 52. Still Life with a Flower...

Parameters are:

  • It should not require more than 20″ x 20″ of set space.
  • The objects should be simple and NOT shiny. (Please no chrome or glossy black.)
  • The objects should be something you can find around the house, or office, or neighborhood.
  • There should be at least 5 items in the shot.

Special Note:

The still life must include a flower. Fake or real. The flower does not have to be the main focus of the shot, and I do NOT WANT a bunch of flowers to be the shot. In other words, the client wants a flower for a reason, we add it into the mix of other items. It may or may not be the focus of your shot… that is up to you, but the image MUST contain a flower.

The book was written in 1886: The Complete Home, by Mrs. Julia Wright, the glasses are my wife's from the early 1970's, the pocket watch was made in 1925, the bronzed baby shoe is my wife's grandfathers and the spoons...they are just old.

How did I light it? Diffused window light coming from the right with a flag to keep the background dark and a flag in the very front. White card on the right angled just enough to create a small highlight in the upper left of the spoon on the far right and also to bring out the detail of the side of the book's pages.

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