Diffusing Light and Pink Knitting
Well, I promised to tell you the trick I learned for diffusing light, thereby getting rid of shadows. I learned this a while ago from Domesticat. An article on photographing beadwork in the new June issue of Bead and Button magazine, spurred me to try it. My first diffuser worked better than the one I am using today, but today’s will work for demonstrative purposes. Here it is in all its high tech glory:
Yes, it’s a translucent, plastic wash tub with a light shining through it. It should be a bit more opaque and whiter for clearer color, but it does help (see the B&B article for more home-made diffusers). I do use a small tripod and the timer setting on my camera, a Canon PowerShot A510. I usually choose aperture mode so I can set the aperture and let the camera set the shutter speed, so setting the 2 second timer means I am not touching the camera at all when it takes the picture. I thought about getting a SLR camera a couple of months ago, but my back really, really wanted a new mattress for our bed, so the camera needs to wait a bit.
Here’s a close-up of the project in the tub:
Oooo, garter stitch!
It’s the start of a felted bag in Lamb’s Pride bulky, color fuschia. I’m knitting it using my new way to hold the yarn and tighten up my tension. But before I get too carried away with my new way of knitting, which I’ll talk about later, I need to finish my last project knitting in the old way. Therefore, we have the pink cabled rib sock:
The second sock is mid-heel flap. I like the sock, but the Tofutsies yarn is very splitty, which is kind of annoying. I have already planned in my head the second variation of the cable rib sock, so I want to get this pair done. I need to do some swatching in the round with some left over sock yarn to see what sorts of gauges I get with my new yarn hold. I think it will all work out well, but a little swatching will smooth the way.
To the needles!
I really need to knit that sock pattern. It looks great, now for the mate!
Ooo, what a great idea!
I love that sock pattern.
Brenda- I have the exact same camera- and I love it. A camera expert guy recommended Canon, because the company puts alot of money into technology. I just needed something fairly idiot-proof- that’s directed at me, not you.
Kitten-Chow suggests a litter box, empty, of course.
Thanks! I’ll have to pick up that magazing. This version seems a lot less complicated than a lot of them I’ve seen.
Very nice sock! It’s making me want a pair of cabled socks. Your diffused light system is so easy. I’m afraid if I bought a plastic box, I would fill it eventually. 😉
That is such a cool idea. Thanks for sharing the photography tips. I’m always a little dismayed with the majority of my pictures.
The sock is beautiful! I love the way the colors worked with the pattern. Can’t wait to see the finished pair! 🙂
Thanks for the diffused light tutorial. Your photos look great!
I really like your cable rib socks. I’ve been meaning to knit those for a while now.
I’ll check out the magazine, too! What an idea…had just never thought of it.
GREAT socks!
(((hugs)))
Hi Brenda. That sock looks gorgeous!
Speaking of difuser. You can get a muslin fabric from Jo-Ann, and get some plastic plumbing pipes from a hardware store. I made a rectangle from the pipes and pin the fabric to the pipes which resulting a diffuser (that was a long time ago). It works to spread the light, and reducing shadow too. It’s great if you are taking a portrait too.
I love your diffuser! LOL That’s great. 🙂
The pink cabled sock is fabulous.
Love the diffuser and the resulting pictures! Now I have to figure out how I can set one up at work since that’s where I take the majority of my pictures….hmmm.
(Also love the sock!)
The sock looks so great! And I can’t wait to experiment taking yarn pictures. Thanks!
Love the way your sock looks!
I’m making a pair with Tofutsies yarn too, and while the first sock didn’t have splitty issues, the second one is. Very annoying. But, the yarn is a nice weight, so I’m not sure whether the good is currently outweighing the annoying.
Thanks for the photography tip! I’ll have to try it out– my lighting is something that needs to be improved. Of course, it’ makes it even weirder to photograph a sock sitting inside a plastic tub, doesn’t it? 🙂
I love to hear about photography secrets… and this one is great! Who doesn’t have a big clear plastic tub lying around to use as a diffuser! The Cable Rib sock is beautiful!
Cool! Thanks for letting us in on your new photography tips! Hmmmm . . . all my plastic tubs have yarn in them. 🙂
Great idea for taking photos! I will have to try that, along with getting a better camera.