Taking photos of LPs under unnatural light

[Turboellis]

You're probably going to hate me. I can live with that as long as I get some clues ...

I like to take photos of all the rekkids I buy. I'm very forgetful, so I got into the habit of taking a lot of photos.

Is there a cheap way to take photos in unnatural light? i.e. when it's dark outside, without spending a fortune?

[Paul-K]

buy a torch

[bongolia]

what are you after?

if it's the strange colours, then investigate the "white balance" setting on your camera. Basically you point at a bright white wall to calibrate the camera before taking the photo (or choose a preset mode depending on the bulb type or colour temperature of the room)

if it's the reflections on the cover, then I don't know...

[Turboellis]

I just want to take super-normal photos of the LPs I buy, but if I don't take the photos on the weekend, I generally can't use natural light.

Are those daylight faker blue bulbs any good?

Can I use some old stockings? 2nd hand pasta?

Can I buy some 2nd hand daylight anywhere?

[amidar]

Seeing from the Terry Reid thread you plan to shave off all your body hair maybe you can grease yourself up and use your hairless frame as some kind of human reflector.

Thread title of the year Alan Parsons is pleased.

[LDJB]

Can I buy some 2nd hand daylight anywhere?

Yes

https://www.discogs.com/Magazine-Sec...t/master/43893

[babycart]

I don´t know what you're complaining about. You live in a photographic paradise. In the James Bond book You Only Live Twice Dikko Henderson, the alcoholic old embassy expat, tells Bond

"But you're wrong about Suntory. It's a good enough brew. Stick to the cheapest, the White Label, at around fifteen bob a bottle. There are two smarter brands, but the cheap one's the best. Went up to the distillery some whiles ago and met one of the family. Told me an interesting thing, about whisky. He said you can only make good whisky where you can take good photographs. Ever heard that one? Said it was something to do with the effect of clear light on the alcohol."

[treeboy]

Yes

https://www.discogs.com/Magazine-Sec...t/master/43893

Trouble is you don't get Permafrost on the Ozzy copy

[Turboellis]

I'll certainly try the human body frame idea, while I'm sousing myself with Suntory White Label ...

What I think I might need is a natural daylight bulb. Anyone have any experience of these?

[Skip]

If you're using a digital camera then you can just set the white balance on the camera. This sets the colour temperature. Daylight is warmer than tungsten bulbs hence the orangey cast if you use daylight balanced film indoors. I'm guessing you're not using film though. If you want to use flash without it reflecting off the sleeve then try and diffuse the flash with translucent material or bounce it with white card. A daylight bulb wouldn't solve the problem of colour temperature. With dslrs you can usually manually set the white balance by taking a photo of something neutral like a piece of paper printed 50% grey and setting the White balance based on the photo.

[Tinhat Toyboy]

I'll certainly try the human body frame idea, while I'm sousing myself with Suntory White Label ...

What I think I might need is a natural daylight bulb. Anyone have any experience of these?

Get hold of two adjustable lamps (IKEA'S TERTIAL) with bulbs similar to these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006YTT7...I24AE2SH1LPCUD
Don't bother with those blue craft daylight bulbs.

Anything with a rating of around 6500 K. With your chosen disc on a easel type arrangement in front of you place the two lights on either side so that the angle of incidence is more than 45 degrees and the sleeve is covered with an even light. Make sure you are not picking up reflections from other light sources in the room. Or you can point a flash at a low ceiling. Irfanview's Auto adjust colours setting in the Image tab is very useful for a for a quick fix after the shoot if needed. It takes a bit of tooing and froing to get the sleeve square in the camera's viewfinder. It helps if you can move the easel as well as the camera/tripod.

[Turboellis]

Thanks Skip and Tinhat Toyboy. I'll try your suggestions. I thought someone here would have some useful info.