Photo Techniques

[CaliBoy]

Hey everyone. I would like to get anyone's thoughts on anything I might need to do to get a good quality picture. I know there are many talented photographers in the forum so help would be appreciated.

I've been offered a opportunity to photograph about 8,000 prescription pills for a company that needs pics on their website so pharamacists know if they're dealing with the right pill.

I don't have any special equipment likea macro lense of a SB-600 or SB800 (I own a D70 outfit). The sample pictures they sent (example below)me don't seem like they need the highest quality work but I would like to give them the highest quality work I'm capable of. I do have money saved up to purchase a 70-300 macro lense that I may purchase before.

My questions are should I purchase a flash before a macro lense. Would a large aperature (small #) be a wise choice. Also any comments on composure or backgrounds would be a large help.

Also something I don't like to get into is pricing. I'll be traveling about 7 hours to get there and be staying with relative for a week or two. I know since I'm not a professional and I'm not expecting anything big but what are peoples thoughts on pricing for photographing 8,000 pills.

I know the questions can be answered many ways all I would like is to see what others might try.

Thanks

Caliboy

[PhilR.]

CaliBoy wrote:

My questions are should I purchase a flash before a macro lense.

I think that you might be better off using a light tent with exterior lighting, instead of a flash, if you are thinking a camera-mounted flash. A flash from directly in front of the subjects will was out details, especially the three-dimensional ones such as engraved numbers and score lines. Given the high cost of some flashes, I think you can probably get a tent and lights for the same, if not less, money. There's a lot of info on this subject on the internet, and you can look at some cameras store sites for the tents. The B&H Photo catalog also has a few setups too.

PhilR.

[CaliBoy]

Could I just get a couple of lamps and shine it over the pills.

[Norm in Fujino]

CaliBoy wrote:

Could I just get a couple of lamps and shine it over the pills.

Yes you could. . . then again . . .

Point is, now's the time to get started with some experimentation. Set up a few pills on a desktop, put your camera on a tripod, and try bouncing some desk lights around on white-board reflectors to see what results you get. Merely asking here won't tell you what actually happens with any setup, whether bounce flash or tent. FWIW, if it were me, a normal digicam with built-in macro (Nikon, Oly, Canon, etc.) should be plenty of gun to shoot the game involved here. I'm not a professional either, but I'd probably use one or more reflector lamps (or bounce flash) and umbrella or white-board to bounce off.

[rob_strain]

instead of getting a 70-300 macro, look at a Sigma 50mm f/2.8 macro. It has a ratio of 1/1 and is only $250.