How to make good pictures of a bass?

[Guest Marcoelwray]

SORRY 

If the thread already exists. I do used the search engine but I couldn't find what I'm looking for.

I used to be a photographer. But I never be good at picturing cars, Basses, you know... I was more into women, landscapes, portrait, black and white,...

I'm sure there's already something nice on internet, but as every thread, it deserves to be mentioned here, to gather infos at the same place, for all of us. 

Unfortunately I do not have anymore a good camera, so I have to use one of my phones, luckily it's 2 Huawei with Lenca lenses, works nice but still a phone's camera. So every tips/exp are welcome!

Cheers

[Newfoundfreedom]

I find you can make almost anything look good using Instagram's built in photo editor. I often post pictures on Instagram, edit them, then delete them again and just keep the edited copy on my phone. 

[Guest Marcoelwray]

Just now, Newfoundfreedom said:

I find you can make almost anything look good using Instagram's built in photo editor. I often post pictures on Instagram, edit them, then delete them again and just keep the edited copy on my phone. 

Thanks, but I'm mostly talking here about background and lighting, I do not have Instagram anymore. But I agree with you, there is some nice features on apps now. Thank you for your tip!

[ped]

With something like a bass which is quite a narrow surface I always try and separate the bass from the background, either with physical distance or by using something plain behind it. 

Ideally a camera with some control over the depth of field will allow you to make the background blurry so the bass ‘pops’

[paul_c2]

Top tip - the surfaces of (some) basses is quite shiny, so it will reflect and show the person taking the picture. Please, wear your clothes when you take the pic. Or do it at an angle, etc.

[bozzie]

ive struggled to take any decent pics of basses, yet stick me in a photopit at a gig, an I feel at home photography wise, with guitars or basses my pics are very average.

 

[itu]

First of all: the light. If you have the chance to take your pictures outside, do it. Find a shade, where the light is diffuse: no shadows, very even light. Some may say that the light is dull but it is far easier to take pictures in this "dull" light than in direct sunshine.

If needed, put something behind, like a brick wall or a cloth of wanted colour (or plain grey concrete or whatever you happen to prefer). You can take the pictures against the wall or the bass may sleep on the ground, you just have to find a good place up high to take the pics.

Third point is to have the camera attached or you may put it against something, so that there will be no shaking at all while taking the pics.

Usually I would say that use the middle area of the aperture, like 8. This way the instrument will be sharp and the aperture is not too small or big. At 22 picture will have all near and far details sharp and at 1.4 you get very, very shallow sharp area in the picture. Both ends have their issues, but you should try them some time.

Get closer. Try to fill the frame with the stuff you want to see in the pictures. Cutting the excess makes the photo smaller in detail. If your camera is a pocket model or a phone (yack!), you need every pixel available.

Last but not least: take several/many/lots of pictures. As the "film" is so cheap nowadays, it is always better to take few extra than lack a few. Taking more pictures gives you more good pictures, too.