Cheap Acrylic Photography Table

I have been trying to improve the commercial useability of the stock photos that i am uploading to various microstock sites. So Over the holiday period i invested a small amount of money in a light box (81cm Ebay Brand) and some ghetto lights 2x20w Compact Fluorescents. I also liked the idea of shoot with an acrylic riser table, giving a nice white background and adding a reflection below the object.

Looking at various ones available on the internet I found them rather expensive for what they are. I looked at local hardware stores and found there prices for acrylic/plastic per sheet was pretty expensive. So what i ended up doing was drawing up a sketch and specifying the measurements (so that it would fit nicely in my light tent).

I then set about finding a local plastics manufacturer to see if they would make the table for me. After searching through the net and having no luck i went back to the analogue phone book. Success! I found someone to make it for me and for two thirds of the price of a similar table including labor. I can also get just about any color i want if i need it down the track.

For now i have a white acrylic photography table and set about testing it out the last few weeks (see results below). I will post photos of the table and measurements soon.

Results:

Fresh Ripe Cherries:























Barman's Friend / Bottle Opener:















Cordless Home Phone:

Photoshop Alternative Sharpening Method

Following up on Rich Legg's blog post regarding using the High Pass filter as a method of sharpening as opposed to the Unsharp Mask filter. I have used this method of sharpening for around three years now after a colleague introduced me to it. I have to agree with Rich that it is an effective method of sharpening while minimizing the degradation of the image. I found the video below posted on Youtube, check it out for further help on using this technique. Although when talking about setting the pixel radius of the filter it is best to keep this as low as possible (Rich Recommends a Radius of 4 pixels) to keep halo effects to a minimum.

High Pass Filter Sharpening Video by Lazerbri:

Useful Resources For Microstock

Microstock News: A great blog on all news relating to Microstock and photography. Check it Out

Microstock Group: A community forum of Microstock users from around the world. A great place for help and to find answers. Check it Out

Alien Skin Exposure 2

The new version of one of my favorite third party plugins for Photoshop has been released recently. Alien Skins Exposure 2 allows you to easily simulate a broad range of film stocks. To the right is an example of one of the image toning filters which can give you some great effects. The new interface and options make it even easier to use. [Visit Alien Skin]