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- May 5, 2000
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- 31
Ok, Come clean! Anyone have any good tips on shooting your prized work?
Photographing Knives
- Thread starter Richard
- Start date
Richard
BOUNCED EMAIL: I need to update my email address in my profile!
- Joined
- Oct 3, 1998
- Messages
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Practice practice practice!!!
Taking pics of my knives is something I love...when im bored...I take pics. Anyways...here is some advice...most of this I got from other forumites that are better at it than I am.
First of all...clean the knife well. You can see in this picture http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=110070&a=7000871&p=23620463&Sequence=0 that I neglected to clean it properly. I used break free and did not wipe it off quite well enough, which leaves a streak on the blade...I got some on the handle as well. I also seemed to have gotten a spot of dirt on the tip of the blade. That kind of stuff really shows in the picture. However, many dust spots can be removed using the photo editing software, but I didnt notice it until I already had it up.
Second is lighting, it used to drive me nuts takiing pics of satin finished or polished knives...only to see that the flash made the blade look black. I have found that you want one of two things. Either lots of non-direct light, and angle the shiny parts away from any direct light. Or, some can be taken in a normally lit room with no flash. The picture may turn out dark, but as long as its even, some good editing software works great for changing the brightness and contrast.
Background...thats what I have trouble with. This picture here http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=110070&a=7000871&p=23620468&Sequence=0 is one I took yesterday, one guy I asked says that the grass is to much...takes to much of the picture. He may very well be right, maybe backgrounds should be something simple. There is also a shadow in the blade...however, when I have time it will be easy to remove. One way to do that is to use your software to pick a spot of blade that looks perfect...select it and clone it over the shadow. I have done this and if blended in right...it looks great.
Next up is detail...I personally like a picture that is sharp and clean...a good camera that can do minor details is what I like. This next was done with an olympus digital camera, its quite capable of bringing out small areas in great detail. http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=110070&a=7000871&p=23620471&Sequence=0
One last thing...I use a digital camera. If I am looking for photo quality to print out on photo paper, I take the picture in a 'tif' mode. It makes for a huge file, something like 3.5 megs...but prints out in super detail. Most you see on web-sites and what I have shown are jpegs...much smaller files at the expense of detail.
Sorry, I got a little carried away. You can see all my pics here http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=110070 I started taking these back around Christmas when I first got the camera...you can see some of my early ones kind of stunk. The more recent ones, after lotsa practice and advice are of better quality (I hope).
Much of this advice is not really mine...plent of forumites were very helpful in helping me improve. Feel free to email me or whatever if I can help at all.
Richard
[This message has been edited by Richard (edited 07-02-2000).]
First of all...clean the knife well. You can see in this picture http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=110070&a=7000871&p=23620463&Sequence=0 that I neglected to clean it properly. I used break free and did not wipe it off quite well enough, which leaves a streak on the blade...I got some on the handle as well. I also seemed to have gotten a spot of dirt on the tip of the blade. That kind of stuff really shows in the picture. However, many dust spots can be removed using the photo editing software, but I didnt notice it until I already had it up.
Second is lighting, it used to drive me nuts takiing pics of satin finished or polished knives...only to see that the flash made the blade look black. I have found that you want one of two things. Either lots of non-direct light, and angle the shiny parts away from any direct light. Or, some can be taken in a normally lit room with no flash. The picture may turn out dark, but as long as its even, some good editing software works great for changing the brightness and contrast.
Background...thats what I have trouble with. This picture here http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=110070&a=7000871&p=23620468&Sequence=0 is one I took yesterday, one guy I asked says that the grass is to much...takes to much of the picture. He may very well be right, maybe backgrounds should be something simple. There is also a shadow in the blade...however, when I have time it will be easy to remove. One way to do that is to use your software to pick a spot of blade that looks perfect...select it and clone it over the shadow. I have done this and if blended in right...it looks great.
Next up is detail...I personally like a picture that is sharp and clean...a good camera that can do minor details is what I like. This next was done with an olympus digital camera, its quite capable of bringing out small areas in great detail. http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=110070&a=7000871&p=23620471&Sequence=0
One last thing...I use a digital camera. If I am looking for photo quality to print out on photo paper, I take the picture in a 'tif' mode. It makes for a huge file, something like 3.5 megs...but prints out in super detail. Most you see on web-sites and what I have shown are jpegs...much smaller files at the expense of detail.
Sorry, I got a little carried away. You can see all my pics here http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=110070 I started taking these back around Christmas when I first got the camera...you can see some of my early ones kind of stunk. The more recent ones, after lotsa practice and advice are of better quality (I hope).
Much of this advice is not really mine...plent of forumites were very helpful in helping me improve. Feel free to email me or whatever if I can help at all.
Richard
[This message has been edited by Richard (edited 07-02-2000).]
- Joined
- Nov 6, 1999
- Messages
- 2,639
I don't have any tips on how to take Good knife photographs. But on my first attempt at taking digital knife photographs a few days ago, I did manage to learn how difficult it is to take knife photographs.
It is very hard to find the correct settings so that the blade and handle exposures are balanced. Using a built in flash produces very poor results.
I ended up using mostly a single spot light, angled away from the knife to avoid super bright reflections. Mirror finishes come out Black.
And it's very difficult to bring out subtle detail in wood handles and carbon steel blades with temper lines. I think next time I need to try using More lights with some sort of ground glass diffuser on them to avoid direct reflections and to get More light on the knives.
I'm planning to buy some sort of image processing software. I'm told by a lot of folks that really helps a lot. And Senator's recent post shows what wonderful things one can to with background replacement:
http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum54/HTML/001714.html
Anyway, here is a link to my very poor photographs of my custom knife collection:
Para's Knives
Paracelsus
[This message has been edited by Paracelsus (edited 07-02-2000).]
It is very hard to find the correct settings so that the blade and handle exposures are balanced. Using a built in flash produces very poor results.
I ended up using mostly a single spot light, angled away from the knife to avoid super bright reflections. Mirror finishes come out Black.
I'm planning to buy some sort of image processing software. I'm told by a lot of folks that really helps a lot. And Senator's recent post shows what wonderful things one can to with background replacement:
http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum54/HTML/001714.html
Anyway, here is a link to my very poor photographs of my custom knife collection:
Para's Knives
Paracelsus
[This message has been edited by Paracelsus (edited 07-02-2000).]
its all in the lighting....nothing else really matters......to do it right you need a light tent.....the very best one is a pyramid shaped structure with three or four sides and a hole at the top, where your camera goes.....mount it there, wait for it to get dark or do in a room with no light, shine photo floods at 45 degree angles on each of the flat surfaces of your tent side, and click away, this gets rid of all the wierdness in knife photography, shadows, reflections, etc....the guy who told me this is a professional photographer who used to shoot knives for years....he has a completely dark room and uses strobes instead of photo floods. you can use artist vellum on the sides of your tent, or just some sheets, but the main thing is to have it pulled tight and even so the light is deflected evenly and thoroughly.
Guys I have photographed a bunch of knives for selling on Ebay Etc. What I have found is that the 45 deg angle is exactly right. I photograph on my kitchen table but only in the motning when the sun is at the right angle
Nothing beats good old sunlight. For me anyway all I have is a autofocus 35mm and a scanner. The pics are ok but not nearly as clear as some of the digital pictures I have seen.
One thing I have found that works with both shiny steel and dark (orlight) handles is using a light bluegreen back drop. I used an old towel and it works fine. That way both the light and dark areas come out and don't fade into the back ground. Be sure you know exactly when your camera is in focus. There is usually an indicator of some sort in the viewer that fades in or out as you position the camera. Know how this works and it is much easier to get consistant results. Hope that helps!
Nothing beats good old sunlight. For me anyway all I have is a autofocus 35mm and a scanner. The pics are ok but not nearly as clear as some of the digital pictures I have seen.
One thing I have found that works with both shiny steel and dark (orlight) handles is using a light bluegreen back drop. I used an old towel and it works fine. That way both the light and dark areas come out and don't fade into the back ground. Be sure you know exactly when your camera is in focus. There is usually an indicator of some sort in the viewer that fades in or out as you position the camera. Know how this works and it is much easier to get consistant results. Hope that helps!
Guess I should learn how to spell before giving advice
- Joined
- Oct 7, 1998
- Messages
- 1,459
Put a little piece of something under the knife to raise it a 1/2 inch or so from the surface on which its sitting. Photographers use a material that looks like a kneaded erasure - I forget what it's called - but it's sticky. You can form it like Playdow.
Then as Tom Mayo says, it's all lighting.
Bob: good Spelling isn't nessassary...
I knowed that my whole life.
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http://www.wilkins-knives.com
Then as Tom Mayo says, it's all lighting.
Bob: good Spelling isn't nessassary...
I knowed that my whole life.------------------
http://www.wilkins-knives.com
- Joined
- Oct 15, 1998
- Messages
- 3,556
A few basic tips...
Know your camera (read the manual).
Try to use a tripod if possable.
Make a quick note in a tablet of what setting you used so that when you get that perfect shot you know how to reproduce it.
Bounced lighting removes harshness. Or put a tissue or two over the flash with rubber bands if you can't redirect it.
The nicest thing about the light tent is you can manipulate the lights,knife and camera until you get the shot you want.
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~~TOM~~
Know your camera (read the manual).
Try to use a tripod if possable.
Make a quick note in a tablet of what setting you used so that when you get that perfect shot you know how to reproduce it.
Bounced lighting removes harshness. Or put a tissue or two over the flash with rubber bands if you can't redirect it.
The nicest thing about the light tent is you can manipulate the lights,knife and camera until you get the shot you want.
------------------
~~TOM~~
Something that just came to mind as I was reading these posts...ensure that your camera is as close to 90 degrees to the surface you are shooting. This will avoid any light bending on focus and remove paralax. The use if a tripod is crtical in obtaining a well defined image.
I don't know if it will help but when I used to photograph guns I always tried to find a background that complimented the weapon. If the gun had a deep black finish with a high buff I would use a smooth, high lustre light blue satin to bring out the details. A stainless weapon was usually placed on a crushed red velvet background. What ever you may use as a background for presenting your knives at a show or at home to compliment your knives will probably be the best photographic background. Just avoid reflective surfaces unless you are trying for a special effect.
All the Best
Dileas Gu Brath
I don't know if it will help but when I used to photograph guns I always tried to find a background that complimented the weapon. If the gun had a deep black finish with a high buff I would use a smooth, high lustre light blue satin to bring out the details. A stainless weapon was usually placed on a crushed red velvet background. What ever you may use as a background for presenting your knives at a show or at home to compliment your knives will probably be the best photographic background. Just avoid reflective surfaces unless you are trying for a special effect.
All the Best
Dileas Gu Brath
My first response would be to say, "Send it to me, I have children to feed."
Then my second would be to say that the light is everything. Make sure there isn't any direct light to reflect back to the camera lens. Try to keep the light even in all of the reflective surfaces. Then play with the angles that you are shooting. It's like making a knife, you have to practice. Good luck.
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It's never too late to have a happy childhood!
Terrill Hoffman Knife Photography http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=243110
Then my second would be to say that the light is everything. Make sure there isn't any direct light to reflect back to the camera lens. Try to keep the light even in all of the reflective surfaces. Then play with the angles that you are shooting. It's like making a knife, you have to practice. Good luck.
------------------
It's never too late to have a happy childhood!
Terrill Hoffman Knife Photography http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=243110
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2000
- Messages
- 94
What about your choices of film?
Believe me, I have tried every film worth trying. Assuming that you are using 35mm and that you want prints. I would try the Kodak Portra 160VC. Rate it at 125 ASA. It has a little more snap than some of the others but your local drug store won't carry it. Go to a good camera shop and then have a good processor print the film for you. One hour shops are bad for printing too light. But if you work with one long enough they will learn what you are looking for. Modern films have a lot of latitude as far as exposure and most bad prints are the result of the lab. (At least to a point.)
If you can work with slides go with Fuji. The colors will amaze you. But the slide film have NO latitude so bracket your exposures.
If you can work with slides go with Fuji. The colors will amaze you. But the slide film have NO latitude so bracket your exposures.
Believe me, I have tried every film worth trying. Assuming that you are using 35mm and that you want prints. I would try the Kodak Portra 160VC. Rate it at 125 ASA. It has a little more snap than some of the others but your local drug store won't carry it. Go to a good camera shop and then have a good processor print the film for you. One hour shops are bad for printing too light. But if you work with one long enough they will learn what you are looking for. Modern films have a lot of latitude as far as exposure and most bad prints are the result of the lab. (At least to a point.)
If you can work with slides go with Fuji. The colors will amaze you. But the slide film have NO latitude so bracket your exposures.
------------------
It's never too late to have a happy childhood!
Terrill Hoffman Knife Photography http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=243110
If you can work with slides go with Fuji. The colors will amaze you. But the slide film have NO latitude so bracket your exposures.
------------------
It's never too late to have a happy childhood!
Terrill Hoffman Knife Photography http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=243110
- Joined
- Oct 2, 1998
- Messages
- 1,874
Phil - since I know nothing about photography (other than pressing that little button is supposed to do sumptin') I won't argue with either you or Terrill. However, judging from the pictures that Terrill has shot of my custom knife collection, and by the number of shots he regularly gets into the three knife magazines (including my buckeye Carson Model 4 on pg. 81 of this month's Blade), I'll not disagree with him too often about knife photography. How's that for sucking up?
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Kelly
My Custom Knife Collection
AKTI Member #A000289
Deo Vindice
------------------
Kelly
My Custom Knife Collection
AKTI Member #A000289
Deo Vindice
Does anyone out there use 2 1/4", 4"x 5" or 8"x 10" formats to shoot knives?
I have some Hasselblads and Linhofs bodies and lenses kicking around here somewhere and this thread got me thinkng about the 'portrait' approach of shooting knives.
I used to do some photography in the advertising field before I was led astray to be a soldier/farmer/gunplumber/wannabe knife maker and the more light that you put on a photo plate means that you have more to work with in the final state.
Just some "out loud" thinking...
All the Best
Dileas Gu Brath
I have some Hasselblads and Linhofs bodies and lenses kicking around here somewhere and this thread got me thinkng about the 'portrait' approach of shooting knives.
I used to do some photography in the advertising field before I was led astray to be a soldier/farmer/gunplumber/wannabe knife maker and the more light that you put on a photo plate means that you have more to work with in the final state.
Just some "out loud" thinking...
All the Best
Dileas Gu Brath
Dave, lets mix formats a bit. I use a 4x5 camera but then I use a roll film (2 1/4)holder on it. That way I get the tilts of the 4x5 but the ease of using the roll film. Plus the 4x5 is just fun to play with.
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It's never too late to have a happy childhood!
Terrill Hoffman Knife Photography http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=243110
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It's never too late to have a happy childhood!
Terrill Hoffman Knife Photography http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=243110
- Joined
- Oct 1, 1999
- Messages
- 6,490
Originally posted by Senator:
How's that for sucking up?
Kelly, ya did real good.
I've seen and admired Terrill's work, and my comment as to choice of film was in no way meant to take anything away from him. It's just like two knifemakers discussing their favorite steel. The only reason I mentioned it that Kodachrome is and has been the standard by which all films are measured.
Let me give you an example. Several years ago a friend of mine got a photo assignment from Fuji to photograph race cars, to be used in their advertising as well as on Fuji film boxes. Fuji, sent my friend all the film he would need for the assignment, they did request that he back it up with Kodachrome. For many years my friends photo of a red race car was on every box of Fuji Film. Do you want to guess what film it was shot on?
- Joined
- Oct 2, 1998
- Messages
- 1,874
Originally posted by PhilL:
Do you want to guess what film it was shot on?
Uhhh.... Polaroid?
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Kelly
My Custom Knife Collection
AKTI Member #A000289
Deo Vindice