Photographing Traditional Knives

Back in the day, when I was shooting slides, I would select my f-stop for desired depth of field, and use a spot meter to meter off something medium (green grass, blue sky, a gray card). Then set the shutter speed to match manually. Once you meter off something medium (in the same light as your subject) everything else will fall into place, exposure-wise.
Even then, there was discussion about inaccurate representation of colors. I loved used Fuji Velvia, because it made blues and greens pop for landscape photos, but was told my photos weren't "real".
Historical record aside, if I am selling a knife and I saturate the color on a Case redbone handle to make it look better and sell for more, I am being dishonest. But if I do so because I want to craft a pleasing photograph for myself, the digital darkroom is a non-issue, in my opinion.
 
This Case Seahorse folder, one I do miss, well, I miss most all that I've owned, but this one was pretty sweet.
Shot on my brown leatherette iPad cover with a scrabble board in the background and lit by a bed side table lamp and a sheet of white paper to throw some light back onto the knife.

Fairly quickly done but I like it, added the vignette to provide a bit of a frame.

IMG_5017.jpg~original


G2
 
joeradza said:
And to think all I wanted to know is if a photo looked better one way or another.
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I thought you were right all along Alan . I think they do look better one way than the other . This is coming from a guy who firmly believes that the guys who design the camera knows more a about taking pictures than I do and leaves a camera set on an Auto setting .

Harry
 
Gary, I hate to give away secrets but I've shot professionally for some very demanding clients and if you're going for accurate exposure the new computer cameras are far closer to ideal than my eyes ever were.
 
Ratbert said:
Historical record aside, if I am selling a knife and I saturate the color on a Case redbone handle to make it look better and sell for more, I am being dishonest. But if I do so because I want to craft a pleasing photograph for myself, the digital darkroom is a non-issue, in my opinion.
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This is how I feel. As a product photographer, I have to take photographs that accurately display the product as it will arrive to you.

There are certain standards to placing a makers mark or a shield, but none of them are meant to accommodate the photographer taking a picture of the knife, and that's not a bad thing.
 
I've really enjoyed this thread and, despite the squabbles, I think some really good information has been shared. I think my wife would groan and shake her head if I mentioned I wanted to pick up a new hobby but I could definitely have a lot of fun with photography. Chief Chief has shared some info that has really got my brain ticking and I really appreciate that.

My picture taking is limited to what I can do on my phone and with my old phone I used a fair amount of filters that came with a decent photo editing app that I found. When I got a new phone fairly recently, I never bothered to get a new app and I simply just use what natural lighting I can find. My knife pictures are definitely artistic in the staging, which I don't really see a problem with as I am not taking the pictures in order to sell the knives.

My knife photography generally consists of me taking 50 pictures of a particular knife in a chosen setting and then selecting a few out of the bunch that I like. No filters, no settings manipulations, what you see is what the camera translated. I've often heard that you do not need a high end camera to take good pictures so I have been trying to learn what I can with my current limitations. Staging, lighting, etc.

Regardless, a lot of food for thought here.
 
BigBiscuit BigBiscuit Bob that's two nice Northfield Jack knives my friend! I love both patterns but I know you favor the Pen behind of the 77 Yankee Jack! That 77 is probably one of the most comfortable to pocket and for ease of use of all the larger than 3-1/2" models offered by Great Eastern Cutlery, IMHO! :thumbsup:
 
Thanks Ron. I'm in 100% agreement on the 77 buddy.
As for photographing my knives, all my pics are taken with my smartphone. I do have a small point and shoot digital, but the phone eliminates a step or two in uploading my pics to IMGUR to post here. I have the mobile app on my phone and just upload directly instead of having to connect my camera to the desk top and then from desk top to the picture hosting site. I just try to capture pics outdoors with indirect light. I find bright sunlight just causes harsh shadows and such.
 
JB in SC said:
Pàdruig Pàdruig It's all about the light.
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Exactly! You don't need an expensive camera, here's a BF post I wrote four and a half years ago about photographing traditional knives.

http://www.bladeforums.com/threads/...-knife-photos-the-answer-lies-within.1047735/

Alan, Since you already let out your secret, I admit to knowing you were a professional sports photographer 20 years before I owned my first SLR. As such I thought you were truly trying to get some discussion going to help the traditional folks photo abilities and took it further than you intended. I apologize to you allowing myself to be dragged into the mud. One thing I have learned is that when you encounter someone who is a legend in their own mind that the "ignore" option is awesome.
 
Pàdruig said:
I've often heard that you do not need a high end camera to take good pictures so I have been trying to learn what I can with my current limitations.
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Exactly, that's it right there. Any modern cell phone camera when given enough light and using the focus and exposure lock function. Learn your camera's limitations whether it's a DSLR or a smartphone camera and learn to exploit the cameras strengths. Most cell phones people have today have a better resolution than my old DSLR that I use now. The biggest difference is control and manipulation of the camera and the other elements of the picture.

I've mentioned it before, try pixlr there's two online editing programs the link takes you right to it, there's no signing up or registering if you don't want to and it doesn't have to be downloaded just open the site. You can create masks, layers, you can have control over exposure with a large selection of filters and adjustments that are able to be set or changed. It's the closest thing to Corel PSP or Photoshop I've seen out there and I looked a lot. It's free and it's that good, give it a try and you can regain the control you used to have. There's a desk top and a mobile version both give you much more than some you have to pay for. Last word because I don't wanna hijack the thread but I really believe if you try it, you'll appreciate the new control and stick it to your homepage and bookmark it. This was done in a couple of minute from 3 or 4 separate components that never existed together.

5bV9ql0.jpg


If you're lookin' for artistic control or just to correct what the camera missed this worth a look. If you do decide to try it and wanna tell me what you thought please don't do it here, send me a pm or post it on my profile page. I really don't wanna derail or abduct this thread so like I said last word here, I promise.
 
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Chief Chief
John if there's one thing I've learned about the internet is the ability to turn off the noise and walk away. You can thank my ex-wife for teaching me that. hahahaha!

Working as a photographer for a client is like the military, you may not like the orders but you know who's boss.
 
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