Taking good knife pic with an iPhone?

Joss

Joss

Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
7,353
Does anyone have some pointers on taking good knife pics with an iPhone?

Thanks,

Joss
 
any examples of what you have tried so far Joss? the techniques and concepts are the same for any photography. If you post some images some of the guys here will be able to give some critique and suggestions.
 
Have you checked out the photography section of BF? They have threads on IPhone photos. My tip is to make a light box where you can control the light without using flash.
 
I didn't know there was such a section. In fact, I can't find it now....
 
Or if you take the knives out on a cloudy day the steel usually looks like its under a light box if you aim at the right angle.

Its all about the light and angle, not so much the camera.

This was done on a cloudy day with an android camera which is way worse then the iphones. There was too much glare on the blade but its still cool.

hanson-carry-porch-web.jpg
 
Not an expert, but...

Most of my final photos are done with a 5D... but I have been shooting a ton of stuff on my iPhone over the past few years. It has gotten to the point where there are times -- when I go back through images -- that I can't tell the difference.

The most important thing is to start off with good lighting. For outdoor shooting, I like overcast days. If the lighting is too harsh and direct, I'll use a scrim to diffuse it. Sometimes I'll use a reflector to fill in the shadows. It's also very important to pay attention to what is reflected in the polished surfaces... especially broad/flat surfaces like on the blade. Reflections that you don't notice when setting up the shot will drive you crazy when you import them into your computer.

When shooting indoors, I shoot in a light tent... but all of the same rules apply. You may have to worry about white balance a bit more though.

Some keys to success:
  • Shoot a ton of photos. Tons. Vary the lighting. Vary the angles. Vary the reflectors and scrims. Shoot more photos.
  • Don't be afraid to edit. Play with your white balance and your levels, your sharpness and contrast. Spot all of your images... no matter how much you clean, there will be dust in your photos. Don't be afraid to use editing techniques to pull attention to the knife. Vignettes and gradients can be helpful. I use Gimp for editing on my PC... but have also done tons of editing using apps on the iPhone.
  • Don't be afraid to give up. Some days you won't be able to come up with a good image to save your life. Quit. Come back to it later with a new setup and a new attitude. Then take a ton more photos.

Your iPhone can take amazing photos. Go for it.
Erin

16912297978_9c919ea354_z.jpg

16477645684_0c36c3b89f.jpg

17074681946_1216de2afb.jpg
 
Last edited:
The volume switch on ear buds acts like a remote shutter when the phone or pad is in camera mode.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top