No Frills Lighting

Thanks for the comments PhilL, I too am happy with the focus and lighting at this point, but am not 100% satisfied with the composition aspects, either. I'm always looking to learn more.

I plan on getting some other background materials and trying again sometime when I'm over at my Dad's.

Michael -- actually 5pm is a good time for outdoor shooting. The couple hours after sunrise and before sunset give much softer, diffuse light.

But if it's sunny out and the sun is overhead you'll get sharp shadows and generally unflattering light. But, if it's overcast, you're still good; because the clouds act like a huge diffuser for the sun. God's lightbox, some photographers call it.
 
If you can't take a good picture of a knife on a plain white background with no props, than you can't take a good picture of a knife.
No matter what you add to that shot it's not going to make the knife look any better, but just destract the viewer's attention away from the fact that you can't take a good picture of a knife.

Take the time learn the basics and then build on it. Stop kidding yourself that changing the background or adding some rock will make you a better photographer...It wont!
 
Are 3 rocks better than one?

rocksK9.jpg
 
NO!

Bwahahahahaha

Now let's see if you can take a decent picture of that Nachez Bowie. ;)
 
Out of the window and into the yard :D
Can you smell the eggplant on the grill?
driftsheath.gif
 
This any better Phil?
I took it outside on an over cast day. The knife is laying on a sheet of white paper.

xstghgjykgjgd.jpg
 
Yes Mike, I think it's better, but I still think this is the best I've seen from you.

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I wonder if you can tell me why?

Even this one with the pink color shift has a better angle to it.

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What do you think?
 
Good thread guys.., thanks! Lots of help for those of use that are Mega-Pixelly Challenged... :(
 
First off, thanks to Phil for starting this thread and thanks to everybody who has posted photos & tips.

In an attempt to add to the infobase in this thread:
After working out the basics as Phil is emphasizing, when you are composing your shot you can look for the geometric lines formed by objects in the frame.
  • A strictly horizontal or vertical line will usually appear relatively static & stiff. However, shooting a knife this way and cropping very close to the knife will create a smaller sized file, but a much duller uninteresting shot.
  • Diagonals or angular shapes (as seen in several of the shots already posted) are more dynamic than the horizontal/vertical line due to the visual balancing act caused by the object appearing to be somewhere between statically standing up (vertical) and statically laying down (horizontal). In a visual sense, tension is created by the object appearing to be in the midst of a fall.
  • Circular, triangular, and other enclosed-shape lines are even more dynamic by causing the eye of the viewer to follow the line around & around inside the frame. Further tension can be introduced by making the viewer's eye & imagination "virtually" complete some part of the shape not shown in the picture because it is being covered by another object or because it exists outside the edge of the frame.

Like spotting good and bad lighting, seeing these geometric shapes in the arrangement of objects is a matter of practice.

To reiterate, this is a consideration to be focused on only after you've worked out the basics of lighting and the mechanics of your camera, which is the point that Phil initially raised.

Thx again to all.

(edited to add)
Any comments or critiques on the photo linked below? (93 kb file) No need to hold back, I've got my asbestos suit on. ;) TIA. I recognize the lack of sharpness in the top knife and the distraction of the dappled lighting in the lower right hand quadrant of the frame. FWIW, the shot was taken outdoors with a BDU jacket laid on a picnic table in the shade of a tree (hence the dappling of the light). Camera was a Nikon Coolpix 4300 running on pure Auto settings atop a tripod for steadiness.
http://www.oz.net/~malinski/SRKW-BRPRHR-Oku.jpg
 
The photo itself is okay, the composition is difficult when you have multiple pieces with different viewing orientations. This makes the composition somewhat haphazard or confused. Technically, I think the photo overall is pretty good quality, considering you were able to convey some of the texture on the blades. I would like to see some kind of reflective device (even if just a piece of bright white paper) used to reduce shadows a little bit, particularly on the inside of the handle of the knife on the right.

I'm CERTAINLY no expert at all so my "critique" is very limited. I like how you opted to use a matte background that reflects somewhat neutral tones.

Using glossy materials or particularly harshly textured backgrounds is tough. While it is possible to take decent photos on such materials, I think it is a lot harder, and folks should probably stick with neutral, low contrast backgrounds or white/off white. Here's an example I did on black marble, very reflective.

cracka.jpg
 
RokJok said:
Any comments or critiques on the photo linked below? (93 kb file) No need to hold back, I've got my asbestos suit on. ;) TIA. I recognize the lack of sharpness in the top knife ... Camera was a Nikon Coolpix 4300 running on pure Auto settings atop a tripod for steadiness.
Click to expand...
First of all I want to thank you for your input and I think you're right on as far as composing a single knife in a rectangular format. That knife is almost always going to take best advantage of the space you being on a diagonal.

I think for the people that can gain something from this thread should stick with one knife per pic. Again walk before you can run.

RokJok, my comments of your photo. First of it's soft from front to back, not just the top knife. That might have happened during compression, but it's not as sharp as it could be. Second, your composition is just too contrived. Maybe a little over-lapping would have helped.

Maybe something like this?

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Simple lighting, shooting in the shade and all that are things that can work really well. Sometimes though you dont feel like waiting for certain times of day, so what then?

Obviously I turned the background black (since the knife was shot on our ugly propane tank :) ). The knife itself though is untouched and shot in direct sunlight around early to mid-afternoon. You can work with overly bright light, just make sure its a evenly lit as possible. There are of course exceptions to everything, and some finishes on knives wont work quite as well like this.

1/180 sec at f16
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Richard said:
Simple lighting, shooting in the shade and all that are things that can work really well. Sometimes though you dont feel like waiting for certain times of day, so what then?
Click to expand...

Rich, it doesn't matter one bit what time of day I shot those window light pics. Open shade or simple north window light can be any time between dawn and dusk. If you insist on shooting in direct sunlight you can use a screen like Murray White uses in his setup, only using the Sun instead of hot lights, to shine through the screen.

Of course the way I'm suggesting you light your knife pics with window light isn't the only way to photograph knives. I don't think you can make it much simpler though. The other important thing is that it can be repeated consistantly for as long as you want. Once you learn the setup you're set for life.
 
PhilL said:
Of course the way I'm suggesting you light your knife pics with window light isn't the only way to photograph knives. I don't think you can make it much simpler though. The other important thing is that it can be repeated consistantly for as long as you want. Once you learn the setup you're set for life.
Click to expand...

AMEN!

Coop
 
...but then again, I rarely use natural light. By necessity, I shoot 90% of my work in the evening, and in the basement. I need control and consistency. Hmmmm.....

Which leads us away from 'No Frills Lighting'. Nahh, don't go there...!

Coop
 
Rich, it doesn't matter one bit what time of day I shot those window light pics.
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Phil, I was simply inserting my take on an option of no frills lighting. I did not state or imply that you personally suggested that a certain time must be set to do pics.

Many times I see posts suggesting that outside light is ok if you are in shadows, or wait for sunrise or sunset. I myself used to think that was the only option. I have worked on also being able to shoot right out in the open at high-noon, and was simply demonstrating that it is possible, and one option to be considered if needed.

Murray might use screens in direct sun, I dont, both our ways seem to work. As do so many others.
 
SharpByCoop said:
...but then again, I rarely use natural light. By necessity, I shoot 90% of my work in the evening, and in the basement. I need control and consistency. Hmmmm.....
Click to expand...

Okay Coop, how long did it take you're lighting setup to evolve? How much money have you spent on equipment? I was a professional photographer for 15 years and over 98% of my work was done in a studio with huge and expensive strobe lights and a four foot square bank light....so what!

I still suggest that anyone that has a camera has access to all that's necessary to take good, consistant knife photos for ZERO $.
 
Not much to see Phil.
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Take away the knife, and you have the set-up I use the most. That is the bed-liner on my wife's truck. If the sun is nice and bright, you would obviously angle the knife in such a way that a mirror polish wont directly reflect the sun at you when looking through the camera. Fry your eyeball and it would really put a damper on your day. I set the camera so I can get the knife in focus as well as I can, and do a couple of test shots. If its to bright, I bump up the shutter speed, to dark and I slow it down.

There are exceptions of course, if the truck isnt here, I just set the knife where ever, such as in the driveway, or in the case of the SOG photo, on the propane tank :) Since I tend to do quite a bit of digital backgrounds, where I set the knife is not that big of a deal to me.
 
I still suggest that anyone that has a camera has access to all that's necessary to take good, consistant knife photos for ZERO $.
Click to expand...

You certainly wont get any argument from the on that one.
 
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