3D stop-action look at Steve Dunn's Feather Damascus Bowie

[HTMD]

Been foolin' around with this photographic technique (see 'Rotating Whale Tooth' thread previously posted in this forum) and figured a few folks might enjoy this 'new and improved' animation. If you're using dial-up (like me) it could take 3-4 minutes to fully load. Sorry 'bout that, but I do hope you enjoy it.

The knife is certainly one of the finest blades I've seen all year - a real stunner by Steve Dunn, MS. Steve is also a master engraver as is evident here.

So you have something else to look at while the annimation above is loading, here's another little piece of work by Steve that 'my attractive wife' enjoys wearing regularly.

 

[Keith Montgomery]

Nice way to get a better look at a knife. Showing the whole knife would be better, in my opinion.

 

[HTMD]

Keith,
I would really like to apply this technique to the whole knife but there's no way (that I know of) to do it. The lower part of the blade is secured in a vise that is able to rotate. One could prop the knife up somehow on a rotating table but then you'd have the distractions of the props, the rotating surface etc. People that photograph jewelry and similar stuff attach a wire to the piece and let it hang, then photoshop out the wire in the finished image. However, that results only in a static single image of an object that appears to float. I can get the floating effect with knives too (in a single image) but not with animation. Securing the blade tip in a vise that rotates is what gives the animation that relatively smooth motion. BTW, this one is made up of 33 separate images! It was a monster to put together.

I've got a couple of feelers out in the more serious photography forums to see if there's a way. Until then, this is all I know how to do. If you (or anyone else who might see this post) have ideas I'd sure love to hear them.

Good luck in your on-going effort to corner the big bowie market! :-}