My Lifeblog: Back To Basics

Okay I suddenly just felt like exploring my basics again and renewing some old knowledge about photography. (In a CIP kind of tone) Basically what we're doing today is Product Photography. And what I did was to test out different flash sources & diffusing/reflecting material to see which gives the best result. The materials used are as shown below:

1) NJC Family Tee (Dry-fit material)
2) NJC Step Up Tee (Cotton)
3) Grey Clipboard
4) A4 size white paper
5) White translucent plastic bag

A Gundam figurine was used. And all test shots are done with the 350D, 70-200mm f/2.8 L & 580EX External Flash on a tripod. Natural light shines in from the right of the figurine through my window. My ceiling is White & the wall at the back is alil like Light brownish.

Test Shot 1: Only Natural Lighting
Analysis: Lighting looks pretty even ('cause it's the Sun duh) but flat. Figurine does not stand out.

Test Shot 2: Direct Pop-up Flash
Analysis: Lighting is kinda harsh and produces ugly shadows at the back.

Test Shot 3: Pop-up Flash w/ White plastic bag over it.
Analysis: The flash is diffused a lil bit but still too harsh for my liking.

Test Shot 4: Pop-up Flash w/ NJ Family T (Single layer) over it
Analysis: Figurine is slightly underexposed. Diffusing material takes away too much light from the pop-up flash.

Test Shot 5: Pop-up Flash w/ NJ Family T (Double Layer)
Analysis: Okay it's even darker now. Out.

Test Shot 6: Pop-up Flash w/ NJ Step-Up T (Single Layer)
Analysis: Produces around the same result as the NJ Family T but lighting looks better.

Test Shot 7: Pop-up Flash with NJ Step-up T (Double Layer)
Analysis: More diffused. More underexposed too.

Test Shot 8: Direct External Flash
Analysis: Ouchie. Really harsh lighting/shadows produced. Photo looks a tat too overexposed too.

Test Shot 9: External Flash bounced to ceiling (at 90 degrees)
Analysis: Whee finally we don't see those shadows produced by the wings at the background. Lighting doesn't look as even as I would have liked it though. Nat Bed.

Test Shot 10: External Flash bounced to Wall at the back
Analysis: Lighting looks pretty nice. Shadows aren't too harsh. Nat bed.

Test Shot 11: External Flash bounced to White A4 size paper with on Grey Clipboard at the back
Analysis: Lighting is harsher than the previous. Shadows are definitely more pronounced.

That pretty much concluded my experiment. Personally, I found Test Shot 9 (Bounce to Ceiling) & 10 (Bounce to Wall) most pleasing. Surprisingly Test Shot 6 (Step-Up Single Layer) ended up not bad too; just abit underexposed. Test Shot 1 (Natural lighting) looks fine but cannot draw enough attention to the figurine as I would have wished because the lighting was too flat. In conclusion, I found Bouncing to Ceiling produced the most pleasing results. The following are shot using this method. (I readjusted the figurine a lil)