Product Photography for Macro Photographers

Greetings everyone,

My apologies in advance for what will be a perfunctory post today. There is much to be done for the coming week and there are still a number of important side-projects that need to be attended to. So I will get straight into today’s business. The theme for this week is “Product Photography”, a discipline with which macro photography has much in common. I have always found this type of photography especially satisfying. It is extremely demanding, requires a great deal of precision and attention to detail, and is probably the best way to learn lighting for macro photography. It is also one of the few ways, other than teaching, that I have actually earned some income over the years. And, of course, it will soon be gone forever.

This type of technical photography has been one of the prime targets for automation and standardization. Much of the day-to-day product photography, the bulk cataloging of a business’ line of goods, the pack shots, is already being taken over by clever automated systems that can produce decent pack shots quickly and with relatively little human intervention. But this is not where the product photographer makes her money. That is from the  creative “hero” shots, the images that are designed to sell a product by creating a  legend around the product, by telling a compelling story, and by making the product look bigger, better, faster, more desirable than the competition. The problem for product photographers is that they no longer need to spend a week photographing the latest Mercedes sport coupe, in fact, they don’t have to photograph it at all. A robot at the factory has already captured thousands of hi-resolution images to create a stunningly detailed 3-dimensional model of the car. The manufacturer can, with a few keystrokes, put the car on a Tuscan hilltop, or on the streets of Atlanta, it can change the color of the paint and the  style of upholstery, They can fill the car with beautiful people, or show it driving autonomously. This is not something we might expect to see within the coming decade - it is already here - and the top end product photographer has already begun to feel his relevance starting to fade as computational image-making becomes more and more capable with every passing week.

I think this is a real shame, of course, because I like to create interesting and creative product photographs, but that is not the main reason. The primary concern that I have is that as some of these technical disciplines are taken over by machines, photographers will forget how this sort of work is done, and we will no longer think it is worth teaching - and that will be a great loss. Product photography requires an attention to detail that is not seen in most other areas of picture making. Products must wow the audience while being tru to life in the tiniest fdetails. The images must touch something in the viewer and get them excited about the product. The images, to be reproduced on billboards, in movie theaters, magazines, and on the internet must be color perfect wherever they are seen. Learning how to photograph a product in the studio is one of the best ways I have found to teach lighting at the macro scale. When we learn how to develop a workflow when using multiple off-camera flash sources, or how to use a tilt/shift lens, or design a table-top composition that can sell a $20,000 watch, we are learning how to take full control of the entire studio environment. To really learn product photography you learn how to control all the ambient light, eliminate reflections and vibrations, use bounce cards, mirrors, flags, and snoots, along with filters, gels, and polarizers. I would go so far as to say that almost every skill that I have acquired in the studio, has been informed in some way or another but lessons learned in product photography.

And that is why I want to spend a couple of days this week talking about what we can take from product photography to use in our macro practices. On Tuesday (my birthday!) we will take a closer look at product photography and talk about some of the most valuable lessons that we can learn from this discipline. That will be the subject for Macro Talk at 8PM central time on Tuesday, October 7th. Here is your link to the dicussion…https://youtube.com/live/OReNvjtb3s0?feature=share

On Thursday I am going to bring the discussion down to earth by giving you a series of tips and techniques that you can use today. I’m doing this, of course, because of this months competition theme - “Product Photography”. It occurred to be, after I announced the theme that some of you may not know exactly what we are looking for. So, in MacroTalk Too (2PM Central Time, on October 9th, 2025), I will tell you everything you need to know t create a believable product photograph that you can enter for the competition. The livestream can be found by following this link … https://youtube.com/live/7v7kIJMrOW4?feature=share

By the way, my guest judge for the October contest is none other than last month’s winner, Graham Carey! I am so glad to have the chance to work with Graham, who is not only a lovely chap, but also a brilliant inventor, skilled “maker” and, of course, one of the most exciting macro photographers I know. Having Graham join me to make the “results video” and discuss all the entries is going to be a lot of fun, and probably very educational for me, but it also has a less obvious bonus for you. As a judge, Graham will not be competing in the October competition - do you see my point? You may never get a better opportunity to join our list of elite photographers! So come on Thursday, and get what you need to make it the winner’s circle at the end of the month!

No sooner is MTT over that it will be time to turn to the strangely addictive world of crystal photography and our third episode of Crystal Art - a group of photographers who share a common interest in finding, growing, and photographing birefringent crystals under cross polarization. This may sound like a weirdly narrow field, which I suppose it is, but it is also a great deal of fun. We have a fantastic group, led by my good friend Harold Hall (and his protege… me!). It is a new group but we are off to a great start and this Friday is shaping up to be a lot of fun. I have asked  Harold to give us a little introduction, telling us where his interest in crystal imaging came from and about his experience, going from professional travel photography to the mysterious world of Crystal Art. I have several pictures and some video footage to share, and if time permits I want to tell you about one chemical combination that I have encountered that demonstrates some seriously odd behavior. That is all in Crystal Art, which happens at 2PM Central Time over on YouTube, and which is completely free - if you want to come, here is your invitation…

Allan Walls is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Allan Walls’ Crystal Art with Harold Hall

Time: Oct 10, 2025 02:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

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After that it is back to our regular schedule on Saturday with another Pzoom meeting. This is a Patreon Only event that I do every other Saturday, and it is one of the ways I say thankyou to my Patreon supporters. The weekend I will be bringing some content that I have been working on for quite some time now - how (and why) to buy a microscope in 2025. That will be after we have all our usual activities. So if you want to give an update, ask a question, show off some work, or get some feedback, let me know on Saturday and I will make sure you get as much time as you need. If you would like to know more about Patreon and about how you can support my channel, please visit www.patreon.com/allanwallsphotography. For my Patreon friends - your link for the Pzoom on Saturday will be posted on Patreon later today.

Anyone waiting for the Microscope Focus Block Conversion / Crystal Polarizer Photography price lists, please bear with me a little longer. I did complete the lists but wanted to get a couple of my friends to look them over before sending them out.

Summer is drawing to a close in Middle Earth and I have had precious little time to spend in Nature this year. But I plan to remedy that this weekend. We have rain forecast for the next few days with nicer weather by the weekend. I plan to be crawling along the forest floor with magnifying glass in hand, in search of slime mold fruiting bodies. I can’t wait! If any of you live near here (Peoria in Illinois) and would care to join me for a few hours of myxomycetal exploration, let me know.

That’s all I have time for today and I hope to see you at one or more of this week’s events!

Allan

PS   I have been meaning to mention that I spent a good part of last week working out the optimal design of a lens hood that is for use with Mitutoyo M-Plan microscope objectives. I have subsequently made sets of these optimized lens hoods for the 5X, 10X, 20X, 50X, and 100X objectives, and which come in a matching box, designed specifically for these hoods.

M-Plan APO objective hoods

The bottom half of the case for the M-Plan objectives

The pictures show the hoods and the bottom half of the custom case. I am getting a few people to test these prototypes and may be making the sets available for sale in the coming months. If you want to get on the list for a set, use the Walls-app.com messaging center to give me your full name, email and mailing addresses. If I decide to sell these sets, they will be sold on a first come, first served basis. I have not thought about a price yet, but I will put the information on my website and contact anyone who signs up on the list, as soon as  the beta testing is done. Each set take 12 hours to print (the sizing has to be perfect to stay in the tiny sweet spot between too much and too little light) and each hood is hand-painted with high end ultra black 3.0 paint.

See you soon,

Allan

The XP3BIO - Instructions for Assembly and Use

Thank you and congratulations on becoming the owner of my Cross Polarizing Photography Platform for Birefringence Imaging and Observation (XP3BIO). Your model is the new and improved version and your device is number 1 of 10 in this very limited model. You cannot, to the best of my knowledge, purchase one of these viewers anywhere else on the planet!

The viewer fully assembled and ready to use

This version of the platform represents a significant improvement over the first model in several ways. The viewer is smaller and lighter, but with a larger viewing area. It is designed to be used both in the horizontal position. With a new 1/4” 20 TPI mounting point, it can be secured to an articulating arm and positioned in almost any orientation. It is intended for viewing and/or photographing birefringent crystals grown on microscope slides and such slides can be locked into position on the specimen cassette to ensure they do not move or fall from the cassette during use. It contains a powerful light source and two layers of high quality linear polarizing material, along with a built-in diffusion layer and an empty filter cassette for addition of an optional retarder (wave plate), useful for viewing weakly birefringent material. I have included a brand new power supply, matched to the current requirements of the viewer. As an added bonus, I have prepared a sample slide (Acetanilide and ascorbic acid in methyl ethyl ketone) and installed it in the viewing position on the yellow specimen cassette. In the next section I will explain the purpose of each level and provide detailed instructions on how to use the device.

The colors are all wrong but fusion is not letting me change them

The viewer is made up of 4 separate levels, held in place by a cap ring secured with a pair of thumbscrews. The cap ring and levels 2-4 can be removed from the base (level 1) by removing the thumbscrews. Each level can only be mounted in one rotational orientation - do not try to force a level into the assembly without aligning the side pins with the receiving grooves on the  upright extensions from the base.

The cassettes, in levels 2, 3 and 4 are freely rotatable through 360º by inserting the point of  pen or pencil through the groove on the side of each level to engage with the  circular depressions around the cassette perimeter. Each level and the cassette corresponding to that level are color coded and numbered. They should always be mounted onto the base (level 1) in the same order (2-3-4-Cap Ring).

Level 1 - the base layer - really black, not green

Level 1 - the base layer - color black - this layer contains the light source, wiring, 12V power socket and switch. When plugged in to the 12 volt power supply, the device is activated by showing the red switch. The Base Level also contains a cassette that holds a layer of diffusion filter material below and a layer of linear polarizing filter material above. The black cassette in the base is not accessible during use and it is not necessary to rotate this cassette during use. Avoid handling the level 1 cassette to prevent smudging, which could impact the quality of images photographed using this platform. This cassette may be removed to access the light source and wiring within the base layer. Not that the base layer has two vertical posts, with a brass insert at the top of each post. One post has a single square groove on its inward oriented face, while the other has a pair of round grooves on its inward facing surface. These grooves correspond to the vertical ridges visible on the perimeter of levels 2, 3, and 4. These insure proper orientation of the upper levels and prevent rotation off the level housings during rotation of the cassettes. The base level has a cubic prominence into which a brass thread insert has been installed. This allows for mounting of the assembled device on an articulating arm, which may be used to aid in positioning of the device during use. The insert accepts a standard 1/4”, 20TPI screw.

Actually pale blue, this is the 2nd layer, for a wave plate (optional)

Level 2 - the Retarder Level - Color Blue - this level is included for mounting an optional retarding filter or wave plate. The device is shipped without a retarding filter installed in the Level 2 cassette. A circular  retarding filter with a diameter of 100 - 102 mm, may be installed in the cassette and held in place by 2-3 drops of hot glue, or other adhesive. Make sure the glue has dried completely before installing the cassette in the level 2 housing - failure to do so may prevent rotation of the retarder plate during use. During normal use, this level and its cassette may be left empty. The addition of a wave retarder is not required for viewing the majority of common birefringent crystals.

Actually yellow - both the housing and the cassette

Level 3 - the  Specimen Level - Color Yellow - This level is designed to securely hold a glass microscope slide in one of two common sizes - 25mm x 75mm or 50mm x 75mm. The detents for each size slide are oriented perpendicular to each other, so that only a single slide may be mounted at a time.

Note the tiny retaining tabbe for each slide

At each end of the detents are either one or two tiny retaining tabs. To mount a specimen slide, the slide should be inserted beneath the paired tabs and lowered into the detent while gently squeezing the cassette on an axis perpendicular to the long axis of the slide. This will provide just enough clearance for the opposite end of the slide to fall into the detent, after which the lateral pressure is relaxed causing the single tab to engage with the slide, holding it firmly in position and preventing any movement of the slide during positioning or viewing. The slide is removed by gently squeezing the yellow cassette while raising one end of the slide (the end with a single tab) and pulling it forward, out of the slide holder. ***Care is required to avoid slide breakage. This cassette can also be rotated to adjust subject framing and composition.

Meant to be light gray - the second polarizer

Level 4 -  The Analyzer Level - Color Grey - This level is used to house the second polarizer in the system. It is this filter that is rotated to achieve the desired level of cross polarization (the first polarizer is fixed). This cassette is also rotated using the tip of a pen or pencil, inserted into one of the round depressions on the circumference of the  cassette. When the second polarizer is perfectly positioned, perpendicular to the polarizing axis of the first polarizer, all light will be extinguished except for that being refracted by the birefringent material. Note that this is the last layer at the top of the device and that it is prone to damage or the accumulation of dust and other debris. When not in use the device should be stored in a closed box to prevent damage to the polarizing film.

The top ring holds everything together

Level 5 - The Cap Ring - Color Black - this is not a functional level and serves only to secure all the lower  levels within the device, allowing it to be positioned in any orientation without movement of the component parts. The thumb screws must be used to secure the device when in use. I have recently replaced the original screws with much shorter fasteners that allow rapid entry to the stack and access to the slide cassette. There should be no reason to dismantle the levels except to change the subject slide. The slide cassette is easily accessible and can be removed simply by removing the Cap Ring and the Level 4 housing. It is not necessary to remove the Level 3 housing to  change the slide. Removal of the cassette will suffice.

A complex crystal photographed on the XP3BIO

Suggestions for use of the XP3BIO

• Until you have some experience with the equipment, avoid using slides that still have unevaporated solvent present. Some of the solvents used could damage filters or the device itself.

• Use only the provided 12 V power supply to avoid damage to the LED panel.

• Do not over-tighten components attached to the brass insert on the front of the unit.

• Never touch the filters - dirt and debris may lower image quality.

• In some circumstances you may wish to further diffuse the light from the powerful COB light source. To do this cut a circle of 200mm diameter and place it on the shelf holding the Level 1 (base) filter cassette. Remember to remove when no longer needed.

• Do not place anything other than a wave plate/retarding filter into the Level 2 (blue) cassette. A diffuser will lessen the effectiveness of the polarizing layer.

• You may wish to add small rubber bumpers to the base and/or edge facings to prevent slipping.

• Never leave the device turned on  when it is left unattended. I have tested each unit and the COB LED does not produce enough heat to effect the housing or filters. But it is prudent to err on the side of caution.

• The device works better when the cap ring is in place and thumbscrews are secured - without this locking layer it is possible to encounter difficulties when trying to rotate cassettes. Rotating the housing with the cassette may make it more difficult to maintain a particular level of cross polarization.

• To view a specimen, remove both thumbscrews and lif off the cap ring. Carefully pull up on the second polarizer level (Level 4) and remove the housing and the cassette with polarizing filter. Then carefully remove only the slide holder cassette, leaving the housing in place. Gently squeeze the sides of the cassette to release the slide from the retaining tabs. Position one end of the new slide under the double tabs, then squeeze the slide holder on each side of the slide to raise the tab slightly and allow the slide to drop under the single sealing tab. Return the cassette to the yellow Level 3 housing. Replace the Level 4 housing taking care not to touch the polarizing filter and making sure that the ridges on the perimeter of the housing engage with the slots in the upright Level 1 alignment posts. Replace cap ring and tighten the thunbscrews before placing the viewer under your microscope or on your photography platform. Use an articulating arm secured to the viewer at the square mounting post if you wish to use the viewer at an unusual angle. Turn on the viewer’s light with the small toggle switch. Carefully rotate the yellow subject level cassette to the desired orientation for your composition. Then rotate the Level 4 cassette to maximize the polarizing effect. If no wave plate is being used it should be possible to completely extinguish all light except that which is being redirected by the birefringent material on the specimen slide

total extinction of ambient light when polarizing layers are 90º out of phase

In closing, thank you for purchasing this device! I am thrilled that you have sufficient faith in my “maker” skills to part with some of your hard-earned monies to acquire an XP3BIO. If you are happy with the device, please tell your friends, but if you are not, please tell me. I have made many improvements to the original design, but I am perfectly willing to believe that there are many more still to be made. If you think of one, please let me know!

I hope you enjoy using this invention as much as I have and I hope to see many of your crystal images in the future.

Allan

More Color

With a little over a week left before the Christmas holiday is upon us, I find I have more to do than time to do it in. This is typically the season during which my inability to say “No, thank you” to demands on my time causes me more frustration than at other, less festive times of the year. Knowing this, it should have had no trouble saying “No, thank you” to the friend who called me at 8PM on Sunday and asked if I could help him out of a jam by organizing and cooking for a dinner party that had been scheduled for the next day, today, in other words. Monday is my busiest day of the week, the day I plan and write my livestream content, schedule my events, and get the week’s blog post published. I normally start at around 6AM and am done about 12 hours later. But, of course, I said I would be happy to help out - which I am, as my friend’s last minute emergency is a legitimate one, and I am a competent cook. The result is that this will be a brief post, with my apologies.

Last Saturday we enjoyed a lively discussion on the subject of Blend Modes in episode 12 of AfterStack. The conversation was led by Bud Perrott and you can find the recording on YouTube by following this link - https://youtu.be/BlULo1QMAW8

We kick things off this week with Macro Track on Tuesday at 8PM, with Chapter 3 of our 6 part discussion of Color in Macro Photography. In this episode we will look at how to use color in designing an image - in other words, we will consider how color in integrated into both composition and aesthetics. The question we will asking is how can color be understood and manipulated in order to create visually engaging images. To this end we will consider the psychology of color - how humans respond to certain colors. We will look into the practical applications of color theory - how to create balance and harmony in an image. Finally we will consider some practical applications of color theory - how to avoid color clashes, using depth of field in conjunction with color, and selecting the best backgrounds for an image. This is your link to Tuesday’s stream - https://youtube.com/live/yhPRixsIhSs?feature=share

On Thursday’s Macro Talk Too we will delve into the color workflow, or how we can make the most of color by accurate calibration and careful post-processing. We will talk about why calibration matters and the various tools we have for screen calibration. We will cover color profiles and color spaces - specifically, when and how to use them. Then we will get into post-processing and look at white balance and tone, selective enhancement with HSL and masking, and how to manage color noise while maintaining color accuracy and image fidelity at high magnifications. Your link to this stream is here - https://youtube.com/live/XR6ePF-Arok?feature=share

On Saturday, December 21st at 10AM our Pzoom Christmas Extravaganza will kick off with our first annual eggnog drinking competition followed by a presentation on “Close-up Photography of Flaming Christmas Puddings and Amateur Skin Grafting Tips for Eyebrow Burns”. Definitely not a Pzoom you will want to miss! The invitation is posted on the Patreon home page.

Immediately following Saturday’s Pzoom, at 12:30 to be precise, we will have our final Tangent 3D modeling session of 2024. I think Larry is going to be talking about the latest and greatest releases from the big 3D printer manufacturers, among other things - check the Tangent Channel over on my Discord Server for details. The invitation to this weeks Tangent is here - Allan Walls is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: The Tangent - with Larry and Allan

Time: Dec 21, 2024 12:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

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As I have mentioned in the last few posts, I will be away from the studio next week and have been forced to cancel both of usual livestreams, So there will be no Macro Talk on Christmas Eve and no Macro Talk Too on Boxing Day. I will not have access to the internet on either day. I will try to get a post out on Monday, and if there are any changes to the holiday schedule, that is where you will find them.

There will be an AfterStack on Saturday December 28th at 10AM - It will be my turn to lead the discussion and I will be talking abut a couple of the commonly used color tools in Photoshop. The invitation is posted here, in case I do not get a chance to post it next week. Allan Walls is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: AfterStack #13 - Color Tools

Time: Dec 28, 2024 10:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

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A final word about the competition - some people have been encountering difficulty posting their images for the November/December Wild Card Competition and it appears to be related to my website being over-quota from all the images submitted during the last few months. I am working to fix this today, so if you have had a problem uploading your images, please try again in a day or two, and check back before the end of the month to make sure your entries have been properly posted. I apologize for any inconvenience.

A busy week ahead! I hope to see you tomorrow!

Allan