Hey man, nice stuff… you didn’t mention it so I’m not sure if it was on purpose or pure dumb luck, but the watch was set to 10:10, which is the de facto time for all pro watch-ad shots since it 1)doesn’t hide the brand name generally at the top middle, and 2)it’s a subtle smiley-face which makes potential buyers feel warm and fuzzy. At any rate, you did it so rock and roll.

Since your in the studio, why not get the background, table top, and watch lit in one go and skip the photoshop?

the time is 2 minutes off ;)
Watches in watch ads ALWAYS show 10:10. (I got that from a random facts app on my phone, but living in Zurich, Switzerland, I’ve been given a thousand different ads and once I had read that, I started noticing it is in fact true :))

Great job in any case :)

@ Lee: Rolexes are always set at 10:10:31 for their product shots – they “cheat” though, none of the watches used in the shots have any interals, making it easier to get the time spot-on…

Great video and great shot. This inspired me to give it a try on my new Tissot. I don’t think my turned out quite as well and I’d love any feedback on making it better. Thanks!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3606/4566532765_777713858e.jpg

Great video!! I do a little product photography, and this was helpful. I’ve seen videos of guys who do product photography on plexiglass, using different types of lights to create the backgrounds. Perhaps try that sometime?

As you point out lighting shiny metal is actually lighting the area that is reflected in the metal surface. Consider what range of tones you want in the final image, you could use more tonal gradations bridging light and dark. As mentioned by Phil Way using diffusion panels to light can be very effective as you can move your lamphead around (in close or feathered across an angle) creating a gradated tone to be reflected by the watch. You should also have reflectors in a wider range than black and white to provide another tool for more tones reflected in the surface. The flexible nature of the paper is useful in some ways, but also using stiffer card stock allows for solid placement and angling. Always good are dowel rods attached to stands with a lump of funtack to grip the reflector. These reflectors can then be placed where ever they are needed and cut to size and shape for the particular highlight desired.

THAT’S UNFAIR !! ;)

Before we had our digiBacks, DSLRs or PS you had no way of “tweaking” your pictures. All had to be real.

One of my most painful memories is, when I was working as assitant to a still-life photographer (R.M.Schnell) back in the early 90ies we had received 4 brand new LEICA R6 bodies with 50mm Zeiss lenses and we sent them to some kind of “specialist” to freeze them into huge blocks of transparent white ice with some cracks in it. My boss made his pictures (5×7 inch slides) and they were beautiful but the cameras were “gone” forever.

For my own folio and pain I later did a shot of a Rolex Daytona with 4×5 slide film and after 2 days (shoot/takem to the lab/wait 2hrs/rush back/correct light/shoot again a.s.o.a.o.a.o…)
You can see the still at my website:
http://www.soheili.eu/stills.html

Keep up the good work guys!
Cheers, Phil

Nice video please keep them coming.

Try focus stacking for those out there with less powerful flash heads as you won’t be able to get down to F36.

What is focusing stacking?

Read more here:
http://www.wonderfulphotos.com/articles/macro/focus_stacking/

They say when you can light products and food you can light anything.

Saludos,

Robert.

Good work

clearly a fake Daytona

It would have been nice to use an authentic Rolex for this photo shoot.