Arranging still lifes or single objects for photographing is an important part of stock photography.Placing the objects on a pure white background, or sometimes a black background, gives the object an isolated appearance which is very desirable with the designers who purchase the images. It is not an easy thing to keep the background pure white. I have found that overexposing the image a bit seems to help with the "gray" that tends to seep into these isolated backgrounds. Also in post processing, it is easy to remove some of the flaws in the background. This takes time and experience to master.The lighting needs to be just right also, or shadows will be cast by the objects. The designers do not want these shadows, so moving the lights around will help eliminate them for the most part. The lights can create glare or overblown highlights on some objects, so you need to be careful where the lights are placed to avoid this problem also. It is all a big experiment to get all the technical aspects right, and it is something that takes time and lots of practice to learn correctly. Digital cameras are an economical way of practicing and testing compared to the film and processing methods of the past.
The filter I use the most on my camera is a polarizing filter. I keep it on just about all the time when I am taking outdoor and landscape photos.There are two basic kinds of polarizing filters. There are linear and circular varieties, and the choice between them depends on the kind of lens you are going to put it on.The older, non-auto focusing, lens will use the linear polarizer. The circular polarizer was developed for the auto focusing lens. Using the linear on the auto focus lens will yield very undesirable results with the exposure.I have recently discovered a new type of polarizer that is called Moose's Filter. It is a circular polarizer combined with a 81A warming filter which yields beautiful results.A polarizer traditionally casts a bluish hue over the entire scene. This is very desirable for skies and water and landscapes, but the warming filter corrects the color temperature, adding a pleasing, warm color balance to the scene.The greens and reds seem to "pop" with this filter also, so it adds a nice color saturation to the image. I have been finding though, that bracketing exposures is even more important, since adding this filter reduces the light passing through the lens, and throws off the exposure. It stills works great with removing reflections as well. I have one for each of my lenses, and am very glad I decided to try one.
To shoot images that are sharp and clear, especially at lower shutter speeds, a tripod is a necessity. Many things can lead to blurred images. It could be a focusing problem, an incorrect depth of field, a moving subject, or a moving camera. The solution to the camera moving is to use a tripod. Many DSLR cameras are heavy and adding any kind of telephoto or zoom lens to the camera body will only increase the weight. Using a tripod will ensure that camera shake or movement will not be an issue in your images. There are many different kinds, sizes, and styles of tripods and tripod heads. I use a small sturdy tabletop model for much of my indoor macro shots in the light tent. I have a full-size model that I use outdoors and for larger subjects. My favorite "pod" to carry with me is a lightweight monopod. It has a ball head for easy movement, and it collapses easy for carrying. When hiking and traveling it is perfect.
