Jonathan Ziegler
Forum Replies Created
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Hey there, I’ve done quite a bit of jewelry photography and shooting stuff like acrylic awards and glass. Do you have some sample photos? Also, can you post a pic of your setup?
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293 -
Really, that depends on you. You are talking something like $800-900 for the whole job, about 8 hours of work + setup, equipment, deliverables, editing, post, etc. In both examples, the video work is okay (lighting is yellow/amber and backlit in the first and blown out in the second and has poor balance), but the post work is decent – see if you can wow them by doing better (underpromise/overdeliver). I think your price is good as long as you are getting some promotion time, full access to the businesses (and future clients) and they pay on time, but you will need to drive what you feel is a fair price – if you are happy and the client is happy, all is well.
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293 -
Well, consider the technology at the time – many hand-cranked cameras (means the frame rate wasn’t always perfect but it would be about 16-18 frames per second with variations that make action randomly jump faster or slower). Then there was the film which was black and white but very very grainy with inconsistent exposure from frame to frame. As it ages, vertical lines develop on the film from passing through the projector again and again. Don’t forget the bits of hair, dust, scratches, and places where the film drifts left to right when the sprocket holes don’t match up.
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293 -
Wow, now I know I’m getting older… Beta transfers from the distant magical age of tape-based workflows… 😉
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293 -
Sorry, I totally bunged up that link. Let’s try again:
https://h18006.https://www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/ProductBulletin.html#intro
For some reason the browser won’t let me cut and paste anything so if it gets goofed up:
Search Google for “hp download product images” (minus the quotes) and its the second link.
I think the script on COW is looking for “www” and it just drops the https:// in front by default which is wrong in this case, but there you go.
You will also notice you can download the HP Product Bulletin app for Windows. I’m on a Mac so I have no clue what this is, but I’m guessing its an easy way to get product vitals, stats, specs, etc.
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293 -
Hi there, just saw your post. Don’t worry about it, really. Product manufacturers generally understand you need pictures in order to sell THEIR products. Consequently, they want you to have the best possible images to use on retails sites. You only really have to worry if you are misrepresenting yourself (ie: YOU are claiming to BE HP or whatever).
HP is a massive array of products and companies and you can go here:
https://h18006.https://www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/productbulletin.html#intro
This is their “product bulletin” page. Look on the left side, there is a Product Photos link and you can download even print-size images of their products for retail sales websites or a catalog. Look there for product descriptions, sale points, etc. I used to do an online store for a client which was all music-related gear and we did a catalog before the website, too. Some companies want you to sign an agreement, but HP does so much wholesaling with so many companies, it doesn’t make sense to force you to sign something (notice the site doesn’t even give basic usage guidelines).
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293 -
For our setup which was almost all daylight balanced 48″ fluorescent bulbs (this was a very DIY setup in a 2-car garage), we used the Disney Gamma Sector Green from Home Depot. We also were using the Canon 7D and T2i for shooting as well as Nikon glass and we used the Panasonic GH1/GH2 a bit. We shot about 75% of the film in this tiny garage.
Best test is to grab color swatches and bring them to where you will be shooting, using the same type of lighting (whether CFL, tungsten, fluorescent, etc.) and see which ones give you the best green saturation with the lowest possible red and blue. For us, it was the Gamma green above. We painted everything with it and then put little blue, green, yellow, and other colored triangle markers on the wall to give depth so FX guy can add a 3D environment. Also, shoot some test shots with the same camera(s) you will use. If you can narrow it to 2-3 candidates, get a pint of each, paint on a board or foam core and do some test shots in the right lighting. Pull video to photoshop and your NLE to analyze footage. Remember you are trying to get the least red and blue and the most green without going over (like Price is Right… 😉
Some things to remember – get lots of light, the more the merrier. It won’t help if you have to keep the shutter and iris way open and adjust the ISO so high you get noise – we used fluorescent because we are in Arizona and would rather not boil. Video is around a 320 ISO and some DSLRs do lower with minimal noise, but you will need light to get a good DOF, contrast, and a balance of motion, etc. Don’t forget tests in ALL of your software so you can get a complete picture – no surprises is best.
The production to which I refer above is “Holodad” which is in post right now. This is an uber-low-budget/no-budget family feature and a labor of love by its creator.
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293 -
And the main reason I stress that lesson is because it was one of the hardest to learn at first! We’re all trying to teach you based on our own years of mistakes! 😉
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293 -
This question has popped up several times on this board and others. The low-end option just isn’t there even for that budget. A dslr will require more money in lenses and extras than that budget will allow. Either get a cheap consumer hd camcorder or rent a dslr – it doesnt sound like you are really in the market for the expense right now. Maybe a gopro hero or one of the mid range consumer brands. That budget is just too restrictive for quality unless you rent.
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293 -
Many years ago I had a graphic design instructor who still did freelance work at what most Of us considered a premium. That instructor considered it a bargain. After much harassment, he gave us a long formula that took into account about a dozen factors and a final factor he called markup. It was a multiplier that ran from 1/2 to 10 or more. He said some work you do for fun and you gave the client a discount so you get the job, but most people got between 2-5. The numbers made up an hourly that varied for everyone and changed from job to job or client to client. It was his system and I’ve made my own changes to it so I charge $10 an hour and up depending on the gig. I don’t quote less than 20 hours for a job unless I want to do it for fun and then I just get reimbursed and sometimes for free. Some think it odd to make paying clients make up the difference, but they will use my work to make money so why can’t I? Also, the free gigs are for fun projects which, hopefully, improve everyone in some way.
Point is: don’t give it away. There are dozens of reasons people buy things and price is only one. Unless you plan to be the discount guy all the time, charge more for your work. If you value your work, so will others.
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293