pictures

[R Dockrell]

Ok now I have been following the previous threads on photography VS scanning VS digital
but when I try to scan my knives I get a image, red lines and all, of the inside of my scanner. I prefure to mirror finish my blades and that seems to be a problem with the scanner. Is digital easier(more idiot proof) than 35 mm, or should I continue to experiment with 35mm. I realy like the option of seeing the photo quality as soon as the picture is taken with digital vs the run to the photo lab and then starting all over.
Is indirect light as important with digital as it is with 35mm?

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Robert
Flat Land Knife Works
rdblad@telusplanet.net
http://members.tripod.com/knifeworks/index.html

 

[Senator]

Here's a post I made a while back on this subject:

I think the most important factor is the scanner. I had a mid-range Hewlett-Packard scanner and I did not get the same results. I now have an HP 5200 series profesional scanner. That's made all the difference in the world. I place the knives directly on the scanner bed and cover them with my cloth of choice. The tough part about scanning a satin/mirror/hand rubbed finish is that it gets the color spectrum and shadows on the blade. To counter that, I first have to place the knives at various angles and scan a
few times to determine the best angle to reduce the glare and shadows. Once I determine that, I then hold the knife through the cloth) and tilt it slightly (either toward the spine edge or toward the cutting edge - if that makes any sense) to reduce the glare/shadows even more. It's a trial and error thing. I usually end up scanning the knife a half-dozen times before
being satisfied. I then add about 10% to the brightness and 10% to the contrast in my imaging editor (Adobe Photo Deluxe Business Edition) to make the pic stand out slightly.

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Kelly

SenatorsPlace.com
AKTI Member #A000289

Deo Vindice

 

[PhilL]

Robert, I was a professional photograhper (Fashion) for many years, and I'm still scanning knives, and feeling very limited.
Between Digital and Film there are many trade offs. For speed you can't beat Digital, for quality you can't beat Film. Lighting concerns remain the same, a Flash on a camera is not the best way to go. Indirect or a broad light source is what you need. Once you have a consistant setup, and know what your exposures are, and if you can see where the light is falling on your subject, most of your mistakes will be eliminated.

I don't want to invest in a Digital Camera, not when I have Film Cameras from 35mm to 8 by 10 inches. What I am trying to figure out now is the best way Scan those slides (transparencies) with the equipment I have or at the least expense.

That I haven't figured out yet, so I'm still scanning.

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"Will work 4 Knives!"
Homepage: http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=254126