knife photography (pic heavy)

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g4ghb

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 21, 2005
4,320
246
54
Wiltshire
They are very good pics, but I don't like the mirror reflection used in the first set. It detracts from the image and obscures the clarity.

Danzo

I can see what you (and Robin) mean Dan but oddly if you look at the pic as a whole I think it adds to it and looks good. But conversely if you just look at the knife / firesteel etc it does seem to distract.... odd huh!? :dunno:

or is it just me....... :rolleyes:
 

bushblade

Nomad
Jul 5, 2003
367
2
47
West Yorkshire
www.bushblade.co.uk
equally good pics!

how long did you have to hold your breath for? :D


I didn't, her camera and lights shoot real fast, she didn't even need to use a tripod.


Not a fan of the white background. Very difficult to get the right amount of light on the knife on a white background, blade is appearing bleached out, always easiest when background is similar or darker.


Noted. The wood looks real nice on white though, maybe we'll try a matt dark surface next. Though we also posted this on the RPS forums too and they seem to like the black acyrlic, probably more from an art perspective.

fantastic! could you let us in on details about set-up? post-processing?

In any case, I like the pictures a lot!

Maybe add some outdoorsy props like animal-skins as background?

ATB

Mike

She used:

Canon 40D
Canon 100mm Macro
Elinchrom BXRi 500/500 kit with softboxes
Sekonic flashmate light meter
Diffusing tent
Black acrylic sheet for background
Blutack

She had to use photoshop to remove the dust that seams magicaly atracted to black acrylic, then cropped/resized, her name added and thats it I think.

She did get this one, that I may use for a low opacity background on my site, similar to what I have now but better.

Woodencraft003sm-1.jpg
 

GeoffWood

Maker
Sep 30, 2008
53
54
Derbyshire
I didn't, her camera and lights shoot real fast, she didn't even need to use a tripod.





Noted. The wood looks real nice on white though, maybe we'll try a matt dark surface next. Though we also posted this on the RPS forums too and they seem to like the black acyrlic, probably more from an art perspective.



She used:

Canon 40D
Canon 100mm Macro
Elinchrom BXRi 500/500 kit with softboxes
Sekonic flashmate light meter
Diffusing tent
Black acrylic sheet for background
Blutack

She had to use photoshop to remove the dust that seams magicaly atracted to black acrylic, then cropped/resized, her name added and thats it I think.

She did get this one, that I may use for a low opacity background on my site, similar to what I have now but better.

Woodencraft003sm-1.jpg

An excellent piece of work. I had a look at your own website - impressive.

How do you make those low opacity backgrounds? Yours is very nice indeed.
Thanks for sharing the photos so far.
 

Klenchblaize

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 25, 2005
2,610
135
65
Greensand Ridge
The knife scales look unfinsihed and at deaths door from a lack of 'feed'.

Assuming this is not a trick of the light the pics are great if lacking a certain 'mood'?

Cheers
 

Tadpole

Full Member
Nov 12, 2005
2,842
21
60
Bristol
I like both sets of photographs, but for differing reasons. Taking ‘good’ pictures depends on your end market. (not necessary just selling) if you are looking at the photographs as art, and aiming for that market, then you take pictures one way, if you are aiming at selling the object in the picture, then you need to photograph them a different way.

The knives on a black shiny background look to me to be aimed at the “art market”, and the knives on the white back ground look more for selling on eBay. Somewhere in the middle is a place for selling to a knife buyer, most of whom have certain requirement as to what the images should look like so they can judge the quality and desirability of a knife.
 

bushblade

Nomad
Jul 5, 2003
367
2
47
West Yorkshire
www.bushblade.co.uk
An excellent piece of work. I had a look at your own website - impressive.

How do you make those low opacity backgrounds? Yours is very nice indeed.
Thanks for sharing the photos so far.

Thankyou. I made them low opacity in photoshop, if you would like more specific details/instructions feel free to pm me.

The knife scales look unfinsihed and at deaths door from a lack of 'feed'.

Cheers

Not sure I follow you :confused:

I like both sets of photographs, but for differing reasons. Taking ‘good’ pictures depends on your end market. (not necessary just selling) if you are looking at the photographs as art, and aiming for that market, then you take pictures one way, if you are aiming at selling the object in the picture, then you need to photograph them a different way.

The knives on a black shiny background look to me to be aimed at the “art market”, and the knives on the white back ground look more for selling on eBay. Somewhere in the middle is a place for selling to a knife buyer, most of whom have certain requirement as to what the images should look like so they can judge the quality and desirability of a knife.


That confirms pretty much what we are discovering, over on the photography forums they like the reflective black background and Lou is coming to this from a artistic background. The knife users want to see more of the knife and less art. With the next ones we'll try some dark none reflective backgrounds and more user friendly angles.

Thanks all for your input its been very useful and much appreciated.
 
Last edited:

malente

Life member
Jan 14, 2007
894
2
Germany
Don't you know that you have to please *everyone*, *every* time ;)

I had a look at your website, awesome! :D Bookmarked!

ATB

Mike
 

bushblade

Nomad
Jul 5, 2003
367
2
47
West Yorkshire
www.bushblade.co.uk
Thanks for that :)

Glad you like it, its getting a bit old fashioned now I'm doing a one day a week web design course at the moment with a view to updating it.
I took all the images on it (except the ones of me of course!) but mine pale in comparison to Lou's first go so I may be persuading her to take more :)
I posted those two knives to their new owners today so the photgraphy experiments will have to wait til I make more.
 
.........

She did get this one, that I may use for a low opacity background on my site, similar to what I have now but better.

Woodencraft003sm-1.jpg
I really like this one, the composition is just right, it think it could be made a touch better in my opinion though, with a little tweak or two in Photoshop.
Try a little boost to the contrast level (+10) and a touch of Unsharp mask (amount 200%, Radius 0.3, Threshold 0, should do it) to make it really stand out, let me know what you think?
The black backgrounds win my vote over the white ones (but thats from a photographers point of view :D ) but both are very good, and your girlfriend should be very proud of what she has acheived so far.
A little sharpening added in photoshop (settings above) and whatever backgrounds you decide to use...you wont go far wrong goodjob

I think i'm going to have to get a couple of animal skins, get my studio lights out and have go myself, very inspiring :)
Wonderful knives too!
ATB
Mike
 

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