How I photograph knives

Wally, nicely done.
The lighting in the top photo of the stag dropped point, seems to be more contrasty. You need more reflector fill, to open up the shadows. The other photos seem a lot better.

Are these straight from the camera, or have you already done some image editing?
 
PhilL said:
Wally, nicely done.
The lighting in the top photo of the stag dropped point, seems to be more contrasty. You need more reflector fill, to open up the shadows. The other photos seem a lot better.

Are these straight from the camera, or have you already done some image editing?
Click to expand...

The Denning I beat with the ps hammer.
:p
I wasn't going to include it, but had a WTH moment :D

The other 2 only had a tiny adjustment in the curves.
I darkened the darks by 2.
 
There you have it. Once you establish the basics, then you can start adding interesting backgrounds or additional stuff. But for display purposes alone these shots are as good as ANYONE needs. :thumbup:

Wow, these are clean!

Coop
 
After looking at Wally's photos for a while I would say that the Denning the stag dropped point should probably be reshot, or reworked in PS, it's just too contrasty.

In the group of six knives, the second from the top just jumps out at you because the highlights on blade are so much stronger than the other knives. That's one of the problems doing a group shot, each knife has to be adjusted to look consistent with the other knives. If you don't make these corrections while the knives are still in front of the camera, then you have to make them while doing the image editing.

I'm just nit-picking here, but I took the knife from the shot of the two double ground Dozier's and used in the group of six. I tweaked it a bit with Curves, and here's my fix.
 

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Thanx Coop!
PhilL, why take the blade from the other picture instead of selecting and darkening the one that's already there?

Those mirror finished blades are an adventure.
JCBwhite.jpg

Again, a little tickle in the curves dept is it.
I didn't see the hotspot on the denim handled (top) knife till later.
Like my Pop sez:
Practice makes perfect
:D
 
Ebbtide said:
Thanx Coop!
PhilL, why take the blade from the other picture instead of selecting and darkening the one that's already there?

Like my Pop sez:
Practice makes perfect
:D
Click to expand...

It was actually easier for me to just change the whole knife.
You're right, mirror polished blades do take some extra care, photographing more than one in per shot will test your skills.

Dad, was partially right, but "Only perfect practice makes perfect"
Which means you can get quite good at doing something wrong, and it'll still be wrong.

Love those two knives.
 
Thanks KS.
I know how easy it is to over complicate things, or to blame not having the right equipment. This is the exactly the setup I use to photograph knives, it's not magic. It works for me and it should work for anyone that gives it a try.

Like Coop said above, once you get the basics down you can build on it, different props or backgrounds. But, get the basics down. I'm not that great with props, I would rather use the space available to show different views of the knife in an illustration. It doesn't take me more than a couple of minutes to setup and photograph a knife from several angles. After that I will gladly spend several hours playing with the image in Photoshop.

230688321.jpg
 
PhilL said:
Dad, was partially right, but "Only perfect practice makes perfect"
Love those two knives.
Click to expand...

So you know my Dad?
That was his comeback after I'd get decent results.
:D

Come on the rest of you, lets see some pictures!
:D
 
Juggler, you're not getting any of that reflected window light on the blade or the bolsters. You need to get a little lower angle with your camera. Your photo is similar to my first photo on page one of this tutorial.

Still it's better than what your pics looked like before you found this thread.

Try again.
 
This is a great thread. Thanks for what you wrote up. I've been trying to take pictures of my knives, but they normally are woefully horrible. I'm going to try a few things I've learned from here!
 
Ok, in the first pic, I've repositioned the camera, and the angle of the platform the knife is resting on. Lot's of heavy shadow below the knife, and the blade and scales are too dark. Also using a folded sheet of typing paper, reflecting on the knife from the rear.

Buck110FGtest4006.jpg


After repositioning everything, platform, subject, and camera, the pics look darker overall. The light is the same though. Also used reflector. Now as I understand, this is the result of light reflected back to the camera?

Buck110FGtest410.jpg


Both pics, same light.
Camera is a Canon Rebel XTi, auto exposure, and focus on. Trying to keep things simple. Admittedly, I have little experience with this camera. And not alot with 35mm.

on edit: I do have a few photo editing programs, but wouldn't it be better to try to dial in the pics before resorting to that?
 
Juggler, you're getting no reflections from the window into the blade and bolsters, they're completely black. In the top photo you're getting direct sunlight on the knife, this isn't what you want. The window is supposed to give you a broad even light on the knife. You're not getting it.

Please refer to my setup again, the window the knife and the camera are all in a straight line. In you shots the window is clearly off to the left. That's why you're not getting any light (reflections on the blade or bolsters).

You've got nothing to image edit at this point.

Try this. open your knife in front of your computer screen, hold it in your hand and turn the knife until you can see your computer screen reflected in the blade and bolsters. That's what you're looking for, only with the knife resting on a table and the window reflected in the blade.
Ya see?
 
PhilL said:
Juggler, you're getting no reflections from the window into the blade and bolsters, they're completely black. In the top photo you're getting direct sunlight on the knife, this isn't what you want. The window is supposed to give you a broad even light on the knife. You're not getting it.

Please refer to my setup again, the window the knife and the camera are all in a straight line. In you shots the window is clearly off to the left. That's why you're not getting any light (reflections on the blade or bolsters).

You've got nothing to image edit at this point.

Try this. open your knife in front of your computer screen, hold it in your hand and turn the knife until you can see your computer screen reflected in the blade and bolsters. That's what you're looking for, only with the knife resting on a table and the window reflected in the blade.
Ya see?
Click to expand...

Gotcha, will try again tomorrow.
 
Ok, I think this is more what I'm after. But there are still lot's of heavy shadows.

Buck110FGtest5004.jpg


For what it's worth, I think this is the better picture of the two, the blade is better "lit", I know it could be better. The rear bolster looks darker, I tried to reflect light on it, as evidenced by the shadow, but no luck.

Buck110FGtest5011.jpg
 
Juggler the hard shadows are from direct sunlight on the knife, we don't want direct sunlight, we want diffused light. By the window where I setup for photography I get direct sunlight in the morning, so on a sunny day I have to wait. Now if you're getting direct sun all day long then you may want to use a diffuser on the window, which could even be a large sheet of tracing paper, or frosted mylar, or a piece of white translucent plexiglass.

But at least now you're getting some reflected light on the knife. :thumbup:

Better, but you can still do better I'm sure.
 
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