: Our best photographers will tell you that the key is in the
: PhotoShop / post-production / processing, but I have never had
: the patience to do much in that realm. I am basically going from
: the camera to the internet, with the minimal steps in between.

I will agree with almost everything that Jeff says above except for this. If you don't get it right in the camera Photoshop will never make it that much better. It is always better to get it right in the camera first. Some balance and color correction or touching out a bit of glare is always possible but the best photos come out of the camera very close to right on the money. If you come out of the camera with a nice file Photoshop and post processing may bump it into the stunner category. I think the picture of Jeff's lighting setup will tell you that he really agrees with me. What a nice setup.

I will just say this. Watch photography is one of the most difficult types of still photography. Photographing any object made out of reflective metal is difficult and when the metal has a mirror polish it is even worse. Great watch photos are 75% or more about the lighting setup and in the lighting setup category I will also put reflectors and anti-reflectors. Since mirror like surfaces will reflect back into the picture anything in the way you need to have white cards to create highlights and black cards to create black reflection or block highlights in places where you don't want them...and maybe even gray cards for something in between. Every watch is different. The other 25% is keeping the camera still and figuring out the focus and the depth of field.

Before you buy lights just get a few pieces of white foamboard for reflectors and use a mid-day window but a window without direct sunlight. Mess around until you have the watch and the reflectors arranged so that you see a good photo. Then look at what you have through the camera. If it looks good, set up the tripod and snap away. Use manual focus. Don't let the camera focus on what it wants to when you press the shutter button. Focus manually on what you want to be the focal point. I agree with Jeff about manual exposure. Bracket around what the camera says is right in 1/3 f stop +or- to about a full stop either way. After you mess around for a while you will start to develop and instinct for what is right and it will stop being such a pain in the but.

It's almost all in the lighting setup. With great light you can take a fantastic watch picture with an iPhone or a point and shoot.

JohnCote