Translating three dimensional subject mater to two dimensions
Author: Commercial Aviation Photographer, John M. Slemp, Tucker GA
There are times when it necessary to render a three dimensional object into two, such as a photograph. While it may, on it’s surface, seem like a straightforward undertaking, doing so without some forethought can render a beautiful object less so. Let’s discuss some of the techniques that will make it a success.
Lens choice can have a significant affect on how an object is rendered, photographically speaking. A wide angle lens if used close to an object will distort its features, usually creating an “oblong” effect around the periphery of the image. While this is great if you wish to include a lot of information in an image, such as a grand landscape, it’s not very desirable when shooting a vase. It should be understood that if an object is to be printed onto a 2-dimensional substrate, such as a t-shirt, it is probably more desirable to render that object as we would normally see it.
The lens that comes with most 35mm cameras (which I know is passe` these days) is most often a 50mm lens, because that will render most scenes in a way that our senses recognize as “normal”. A lens wider than that begins to increasingly render items shot up-close as distorted, and a longer lens begins to render items as compressed, thereby flattening their features. While there may be desirable aspects to each, let’s discuss how it’s usually done.
This vase was shot during an arts fair in Puerto Rico. While it looks like an elaborate studio setup, in actuality it was a tabletop lit by an overhead skylight and some florescent lighting, supplemented with an on-camera flash. Nothing real fancy here.
There were however several factors working in our favor. First the overhead light was diffuse, so much so that it was almost like using a large overhead softbox, which is commonly used in the studio. Secondly, the white paper became a secondary light source, in that light bounced back up into the subject. This helped even out the light, and the frontal light provided by the strobe was just enough to provide a constant light source, thereby making the color consistent. Although I would have preferred to use a tripod, I didn’t have one with me, so I used a monopod instead. It was much easier to carry on the plane, and it worked almost as well as a tripod since it was steady enough to shoot at a slow
shutter speed. This allowed me to balance all of the light sources, so that one did not overpower the other. This was important because a faster shutter speed would have rendered the background much darker, which often causes the edges of dark objects to merge with the background. It then becomes difficult to separate an item out, especially if it’s to be printed on a shirt. Think “clean, distinct edges”.
Many times a lens longer than normal will render an object in a very pleasing way. The trick is to not get too long, or it really will begin to flatten out the object so that it loses it dimensions. I have found that anywhere between 50 and 100mm works pretty well, depending on the object. As you gain more experience, it becomes easier to make a creative decision as to how you want the object rendered.
Another item to pay attention to is depth of field. The aperture you select may render an item totally sharp, or only sharp in one area. It becomes a creative decision as to how you’d like to render an object, and depending on how an image is to be used, I’ll let that dictate my aperture selection. In the case of the vase above, F8 was a good middle-of-the-road choice in that it rendered the object sharp, while still allowing for a relatively steady shutter speed. It should also be remembered that most lenses are sharpest at their middle apertures (F8/F11)...not wide open or stopped all the way down.
Of course, I could have increased the ASA (speed at which the sensor captures light), but at 400 ASA, I didn’t want to go any higher, as the likelihood of increased grain occurs at higher speeds. With those trade-offs in mind, I wasn’t too concerned that the back portion of the vase was not quite as sharp as it could have been. It was a good compromise, which happens more often than you might think when working as a photographer.
Another point to keep in mind is that if the image is to be printed on a t-shirt or some other substrate that won’t render a photo as sharp as a lens might, it will appear to be a bit fuzzy anyway. It’s just the nature of printing on things that don’t have a smooth surface. You might even be able to get away with printing an image that’s not very sharp to begin with, because of the surface of your chosen substrate. Remember too how far away an image will be seen. If it’s a t-shirt, no one is going to inspect the image for sharpness anyway. Testing is the only way to determine just how an image will look, on a particular substrate.
This image was taken outside, with the object in the artist’s booth. It was lit mostly by natural, diffused light, with a bit of strobe in the front as supplemental lighting.
Notice how the light is even across the item. Even the face has detail, and the darker items also retain detail too. This is important to remember when the image may be printed on less than smooth substrates. The highlights and shadows won’t “block up” and render as totally white or black blotches with no detail.
I chose this perspective because of the background. While not perfect, it allows for the object to separated out from the background. I have seen this object printed on a black t-shirt, and it looks terrific.
Lastly, be mindful if the object is to be printed on a white, colored, or black t-shirt. It makes a difference, as dark objects on white have good tonal contrast, as do white objects on black shirts. Colors will render differently too, depending on the substrate. I would encourage you to experiment with different combinations, until you create a pleasing result.
If you have questions about how an item will render, ask your Yellow Llama consultant. They’ll give you an answer based upon experience, so that you work will look it’s best. Happy printing!