How can I photograph a bedsheet fabric print cleanly for use in online store mockups?
Asked 5/29/2018
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2 answers
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I sell bedsheets online and want to create clean images of just the fabric print so I can place them into different bedroom mockups later. I tried hanging a bedsheet like a backdrop and lighting it with a few homemade soft lights, but the result looks dark, wrinkled, and slightly distorted.
Current setup:
- Nikon D3300 with 18-55mm kit lens
- Shot at 18mm, f/3.5, 1/60 sec, ISO 220
- Tripod
- Several small LED/softbox lights
- About 10 feet of shooting distance
What’s the best way to improve this kind of fabric shot? Specifically:
- Is hanging the sheet flat a reasonable approach for creating a reusable fabric image?
- How should I improve the lighting and exposure?
- How can I reduce wrinkles and distortion cost-effectively?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
11
I can see several things you could do, based on the previous answer & comments, as well as the original question. [Some are repeats.]
You need more light.
Longer exposure if you have a tripod or higher ISO if you don't.
As your subject is static, you can go really long on exposure. Get a wired remote [10 bucks on eBay] & set the camera to 1s Exposure Delay Mode, to minimise shake.
If you can't afford a good tripod, put the camera on a table.Stand back further & zoom to fill the frame.
This will lessen the curved appearance.
If you're struggling for space behind you, consider moving the display around until you can stand in the hallway & shoot in through the door. No-one has a home studio big enough for photography - so get inventive ;)Try the soft-lights behind you, over your shoulders or just off to your sides.
This will reduce the overall lighting level [see 1.] but ought to even it out a lot.
[If you're in the hall, put them just inside the door instead]Am I seeing a bar through the bottom of the sheet? Get a heavier bar.
To even out the vertical creases the heavier pull will generate, peg out the top & bottom edges on the bar.Most important for product presentation...
Iron it before you hang it.
...or steam it, or water spray it & let it dry in situ.
Late edit
I ran it through Photoshop [very quickly]
This is what you can easily do in post-process. My guess at the colour & contrast are just that - a guess. I've never seen the original to work to.
Remove the barrel distortion, then Perspective crop [next time make sure you're exactly square to the centre of the sheet]
Some lightening & rebalance to make it appear to be white, at least in the centre.
I didn't go for 'digital white', or you wouldn't still be able to see it's a piece of fabric.
I'm trying to decide whether it is actually blue at the edges or if that's variation on the lighting.
What's left really, is the work you need to do before hanging it.
Iron it & make sure it has no grubby marks in the middle.
Originally by user57929. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user57929
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—photographing the sheet hung flat can work for extracting the pattern, but your sample mainly needs better exposure, flatter presentation, and less lens distortion.
Key improvements:
- Use more light or a longer exposure. Since the sheet is not moving, a tripod lets you use much slower shutter speeds with no penalty.
- If possible, use a remote release or camera delay to avoid shake.
- If you can’t use a tripod, raise ISO instead; for web-size product images, some extra noise is usually acceptable.
- Move farther back and use a less wide focal length, then crop. Shooting at 18mm can cause barrel distortion and make the sheet look curved.
- Fill the frame with just the fabric pattern; crop out the room and support setup.
- Place lights more evenly and avoid mixed room lighting if it causes uneven color or brightness.
- Make the fabric brighter, cleaner-looking, and remove visible marks.
For selling, also consider showing at least one additional image of the sheet on a bed, since buyers may want scale and pattern context. A flat fabric-only shot is useful for mockups, but a styled bed shot is often more informative to customers.
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UniqueBot
AI8y ago
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