Ideas for Inventive Table Top Photography

[bend the light]

Hi,

I am currently off work with a back problem. I can't get out for photos much, so I started thinking of projects to do that I could do on my table with just items found around the house.
I use a few of my old lenses, a few old flash guns and that's about it. So far I have come up with:

1. Oil on Water


2. Water Drops on a CD


3. Lighting a Bottle from the Inside


Would anyone like to share their ideas for "Inventive Table-Top Photography" in this thread?

[Tugboat]

Hi, I have done lots of images on my kitchen table,I don't have any fancy equipment, I like using what ever I can find around the house, a cardboard box with the top cut out with a glass chopping board over top & a torch or small desk light underneath for a light box...try doing themes, shadows, high key,low key, still life,different textures,different lighting, reflections with a piece of black glass(the famous Rudra glass) look at your kids toys and things,I have used my grandkids slinky and optic fibre torch for some great shots and it was lots of fun.I have added a few images to give you an idea of what I have done on my table.... having a table near a window for some good light is also handy.
hope this gives you some more ideas.

[bend the light]

Trena,
some lovely stuff there...food for thought, indeed!
My wife is going to get so annoyed with me, taking over the table every evening!

No chance of daylight...can't set up with the little one around, unfortunately.

[Arthur53]

Sorry to hear about your back.
How about "Smoke art" see Nick A, photo in gallery or food colouring in water or bubbles in water. Food still life.
Like your bottle light photo. How about same idea with bottle plus glass of wine, cork etc on a table?
Hope this gives you some ideas.

[Tugboat]

funny..I just googled Ideas for Inventive Table Top Photography, and guess what came up first...lol

[bend the light]

Originally Posted by Arthur53

Sorry to hear about your back.
How about "Smoke art" see Nick A, photo in gallery or food colouring in water or bubbles in water. Food still life.
Like your bottle light photo. How about same idea with bottle plus glass of wine, cork etc on a table?
Hope this gives you some ideas.

Indeed it does...need to buy a bottle of wine, though. I don't drink!

Or I could pinch an empty from next doors, fill it with coloured water...hmmm..

Cheers

Craig

[bend the light]

Originally Posted by Tugboat

funny..I just googled Ideas for Inventive Table Top Photography, and guess what came up first...lol

Me?

I follow a few forums, too, so I get about a bit.
Plenty of ideas and sharing of photography knowledge.

Cheers

Craig

[yelvertoft]

Hi Craig,

I think it was you that mentioned food photography. How about:
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...hp?photo=53416
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...hp?photo=27346
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...hp?photo=49668
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...hp?photo=47659
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...hp?photo=43102
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...hp?photo=35785
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...hp?photo=39616
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...hp?photo=32287

other still life stuff
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...hp?photo=28164
one or two of my wife's
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...hp?photo=51133
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...hp?photo=23375

You really don't need lots of equipment. A sheet of black cloth, a sheet of white cloth (see your local haberdashery shop), couple of sheets of black card - known as black flags to sink the light and emphasise darker bits, the side off a cardboard box covered in tinfoil to act as a reflector to fill in dark faces.

Still life on a table top is all about controlling light, managing where it's coming from, managing reflections, filling in darker and lighter bits. You can do a heck of a lot with natural light. If you use a flashgun, then it's pretty much a golden rule to not use it directly onto the subject. Bounce it off a sheet of white card or off the wall/ceiling.
This one:
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...hp?photo=41893
was done with a £10 flashgun and a big sheet of white paper.
This one
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...hp?photo=35785
was the same £10 gun, no paper, but did use a cocktail stick and a square glass flower vase.

Sorry to hear about your back, you have my sympathy as a fellow back pain sufferer.

Duncan

Edit: Correction, some of the above were taken with a flash costing more than £10, but with a bit of careful adjustment, they could just as easily have used a simple flash.

[bend the light]

Some excellent, and very tasty examples there, thank you.

I am keen to try the "fruit in a glass of fizzy stuff" idea...and water droplets and so on are of interest.

Love the wife's "bolts"...some lovely colour and symmetry.

Yep, definitely some ideas there...Cheers

[petrochemist]

Sorry to hear of your back, Craig.
Playing around with macro should be another possibility. I've seen some impressive shots of salt crystals (especially on CDs), and even just coins can keep you amused.
I've also used some small ornaments with a magazine for a backdrop.
Trying out techniques such as shaped Bokeh should also be possible...