Photo help needed

[tattoosteve99]

I want to take better pictures but still use my normal camera. It's an ok camera, but I hear a lot about a light hood? What is it and can I make one. Or what do you use make better photos?

[powernoodle]

One thing to consider is a light "box" or "tent" like this:  http://www.digital-photography-school.com/how-to-make-a-inexpensive-light-tent .

The point is to provide full, bright light without glare and shadows.  I'm no photography genius, but have found that excellent lighting is about half the battle.

[Chako]

Photography is all about lighting.

I basically use a Canon compact camera with one major difference. I always buy the model with a flash hot shoe on the top if it so that I can attach a flash with swivel head. All my product shots are done with the light either bouncing off a wall, or the ceiling. No need for a light tent if you can do it this way.

Another great way is to buy one of those goose neck lamps with a circular fluorescent light bulb. Place your item dead center, and have that round light blast it all around. You will get nice even illumination without the shadows.

You could even play with flashlights to spot areas in your photographs. Another thing, could be to use white paper in front of your small direct flash to soften it. There are quite a few ways to improve your photographs by improving the lighting.

[Ashley]

The best advise I can give you is outdoor photos turn out best IMHO. 

[ICanFixThat]

....  I'm no photography genius, but have found that excellent lighting is about half the battle.

Photography is all about lighting.
....

It depends a bit on the type and style of your photography.  You need the right light to create your vision.  Sometimes lighting is 99% of the battle, sometimes not.

You can use a lightbox, plenty of designs of the net for DIY, you can use diffusers, and reflectors as well. 

Outdoor lighting can help with color accuracy, and depending on the conditions might help with diffusion, but it can easily produce bad photos with strong shadows.  You can't control it in the same ways as artificial lighting, but you can manipulate it. It's constantly changing and it's not very often ideal at the time you want to take your photo.

I don't use a lightbox or tent, but I have a couple of them somewhere.  It's been my intention for a couple years to dedicate space for one, but just have not gotten around to it. I already spend too much time with SAK photos, and the backlog is huge.  A standard setup might make some of them easier, but too boring for me.