When photographing my knitting, I try to take as many photos outside as I can. The lighting in our house is very poor. In the houses where we’ve previously lived, I’ve never had so much trouble with lighting. We’ve changed the lights in two of the bedrooms and that hasn’t made a heck of a lot of difference. We’ve changed bulbs. I think there just isn’t enough lighting and it would be too expensive to add more lights.
Here’s an example of the problems I run into when trying to take inside pictures.
Yarn for There and Back
Above is the yarn photo that was taken on the dining room table, which is where we have probably the best light as far as “installed” lights.
There and Back
Above is the photo that was taken in one of the bedrooms where we’ve changed out the lights.
There and Back
Above is a photo taken with light provided by an Ott True Color light. I would say the Ott does result in a fairly true color as that seems the most accurate depiction of the true color of the yarn.
As I find myself sitting here lamenting our bad lighting, my mind wanders and I wonder if my grandma, in her younger days for sure, would have been thrilled to have had what I consider bad lighting. I hope I don’t sound ungrateful but in this day, with so much good lighting options, I cannot figure out why this house has such bad lighting . . and so little lighting . . and so few electric plugs . . and no garage! 🙂
Seriously, it’s just a little house that was built to be someone’s deer camp. While I would like to change a few things about the house, the location, the view, the solitude . . I wonder if we could ever find a more perfect place.
OK . . I’ve convinced myself that the lack of lighting isn’t a big deal. 🙂
Frieda Z says
WE changed out light fixtures in our old house with daylight fluorescent lights. We used the same places, just changed the fixtures. Now I would try to find ones that use LED bulbs. I get the best pictures with the daylight bulbs.:)
Kay Sorensen says
I have changed bulbs to LEDs anywhere possible. They cost a few dollars but the difference they make is amazing. And they don’t burn out like regular bulbs. I can even leave them on for long periods of time. They also have lowered my electric bills.
Judy Laquidara says
We changed to LED bulbs right off the bat but there are just so few light fixtures in this house. The bedroom ceiling fans have a max of something like 13 watts that can be put in there and it’s a weird end on the bulb. Just in the past year have we been able to find an LED bulb that fits them. Our house in MO had so much light and I guess I just got used to that. Our outside walls are almost all windows so in the daytime, it’s not bad but at night, especially with dark wood floors .. it’s just DARK in here.
Rebecca in SoCal says
It certainly is a good thing you’re up with (before) the sun, then! You don’t want to “burn daylight.”
Katie says
I take project photos near windows, using natural light. Most of my windows have with lace or sheer curtains to filter and soften it.
pandrpeele says
For scrapbook layout photo shoots, I use a “photo booth” made of cardboard and used the clamp on lights. It folded flat to store. It was white and gave a very good light.
Mary says
We definitely use LED bulbs but, and I am sure Vince knows this, you have to look at the lumens the bulb produces. A 50 watt equivalent LED bulb can be rated for 500 lumens up to 1200 lumens (highest I’ve sent anyway) and the more lumens, the more light. Our living room ceiling fan in the house just recently bought, had 4 fluorescent bulbs that were probably decent but I hate fluorescent lights. Sent DH for LEDs and he came home with the 1200 lumens ones. Good golly, we could land an airplane in here! It was unbelievably brighter in here. A lot of the cheaper LEDs are the lower end of the lumens so you really have to pay attention. It should be on the front of the packaging, usually just under the wattage.
Jan O says
Getting good color reproduction in photos is sometimes tricky. Some colors just flare so much in different lights that you would swear it’s not the same color at all. Olive, khaki, some browns, and some purples are particularly subject to flare.
If I really need good color, I get good photo results by setting up a makeshift “photo booth” with my Ott light. I use a hinged white poster board (the kind with two side half-panels that open like doors) on a white surface. When the Ott light is aimed toward the back board, the side boards reflect enough light onto the project to balance the light evenly. Good luck!