photography

[brokenflint]

I need some good links to photography of reflective surfaces.  I'm not really a photographer, but in order to post photos here which show finish conditions on the lock I'm polishing in another thread I need some guidance on this. So far I'm more of a snap and click kind of photographer.   If you have some tips to share fire away.  thanks

[Joe S]

Use natural light, low angle is better, a cloudy day is ideal.  If it’s sunny, take your photographs in the shade.  Use a tripod if necessary.  Don’t use a flash if it is mounted on the top of your camera.

[P.W.Berkuta]

Look in the archives -- there are some very good bits of info their

[Acer Saccharum]

There's a tutorial with a bunchof ideas from Jim Filipski, Bill SHipman and others. 

A cloudy day is your simplest and least expensive form of diffused lighting.

[fm tim]

A strategy for photographing shiny items indoors is to enclose them in a tent of white material - like sheets, then light the outside of the sheets, and put the camera through a small opening in the sheets.  The result should be a white reflection from the shiny objects.

[Jim Filipski]

For a polished metal surface indoors bounce a work light or two off a white ceiling
or a white card about a few feet above the piece. Arrange the card until you see its refection in the piece you want to photograph. Do not let direct light hit the metal only the card or the ceiling.
Also if using a small digital camera try to use manual setting if possible and do not use the camera flash...shut that off.
There should be a setting on the camera for macro focus ...usually it is designated as a flower icon or some such thing that will help if you are auto focusing at less then 10 inches

I'm at work right now (photographing high end chocolates!)
I can make a sketch to illustrate this late today
Jim

[Acer Saccharum]

Don't melt the chocolates, Jim.

or drool on them.

Maybe you can have them at the end of the day?

T

[Joe S]

If you think photographing shiny metal is hard, try photographing cellophane some time.  Do what Jim says.  He knows what he’s talking about.

[Jim Filipski]

For a polished metal surface indoors bounce a work light or two off a white ceiling
or a white card about a few feet above the piece. Arrange the card until you see its refection in the piece you want to photograph. Do not let direct light hit the metal only the card or the ceiling.
Also if using a small digital camera try to use manual setting if possible and do not use the camera flash...shut that off.
There should be a setting on the camera for macro focus ...usually it is designated as a flower icon or some such thing that will help if you are auto focusing at less then 10 inches
I'm at work right now (photographing high end chocolates!)
I can make a sketch to illustrate this late today
Jim

Ok use the above info along with this "crude" drawing

[brokenflint]

Thanks all for the replies, I'll see if I can round up a piece of poster board and some floods to give the drawing a try.  Probably won't happen for  a day or so, too many Honey Do's atm 

[Ron Scott]

There is a superb VHS tape available from  the ACGG on photographing guns. Is was done by a guy  who made living at do gun photos exclusively (I` remember his name about lunch time).  The materials are very simple and inexpensive. If you are interested, I`ll dig around for the ordering info.

Ron

[northwoodsdave]

Ron

I would be interested in that tape.  I'm finding a good ability with a camera to be every bit as important as being a skilled craftsman! 

If you can't get good pics of your work, your work just doesn't look all that good!

Thanks

Dave L

[Jim Filipski]

Back in the 1980's John Bivins did an excellent three part article in Muzzleblasts
on photographing muzzleloading firearms.
You would be hard pressed to find anything better for photographing our style firearms. Although much of the camera equipment as well as films he used is now antiquated, one can use the same lighting set ups with digital cameras with excellent results.
Jim

[doug]

     When I was photographing wet herring eggs, we used small flood lights shining through Albanene drafting paper as our light source.  The paper was formed into a vertical tube with the subject at the bottom and the lights off to the side.
     Currently for gun parts I try to photograph outside with natural light and have the light from behind the camera.  Also important to have a non reflective background preferably darker than your subject

cheers Doug

[Blacksmoke]

Jim Filipski has it nailed right on!  John Bivins used to say:" first you become a gunmaker - then you become a photographer".  There are few professional photographers out there that can do guns! It takes not only understanding in the realm of lighting but also what a gun is and how it should appear to the public who will want to examine it via the photograph.  The last professional that I hired I had to work with him for two days to get the pictures that I wanted. some of them can be seen on the maker's blog-end of April ,2008.  Anyway good luck to you Brokenflint.       Hugh Toenjes

[Dphariss]

You basically need an all white room with indirect light.
Since few of us have this you still need a soft light source the gives indirect light. if you have a room with a white ceiling bouncing the light off this may do the trick.
Its not easy to avoid hot spots.
If you have the capability use long exposure with the lens stopped down all the way or nearly so. Will give better depth of field. May require 2-5 second exposure though.
Really need a good 35mm a tripod and a cable release. Take a number of pics with the "bulb" setting counting the seconds from 1 to maybe 5.
This really works once you learn how.
This was passed on to me buy a guy that used to write for Guns & Ammo and did his own photos.
Dan

[Jim Filipski]

to add:
Whether I'm photographing huge industrial stainless steel refrigeration units , Photographing hand made custom furniture or photographing diamond & platinum jewelry. I use a particular lighting technique for each situation to get the images the I need.
The funny thing with photographing a longrifle is that you need to incorporate all those techniques and a few additional tricks to get to get the images that I may be looking for. Usually it is a normal job in my days work however sometimes regardless of experience one finds themselves humbled.
Keep it simple and add as needed, the little special tricks. Most times you will just do a excellent job with bounced light indoors & diffused sky light outdoors
Jim

[Ron Scott]

VHS tape on Firearms Photography is available Through the ACGG. Contact Jan Billeb at (307) 587-4297 for ordering information.

[Acer Saccharum]

My Nikon has a remote so I can trip the shutter without touching the camera.

[Jim Filipski]

My Nikon has a remote so I can trip the shutter without touching the camera.

Actually even the cheapest point & shoot has a feature to delay the shutter ( so you can jump in your own photos)
If you use this feature it will delay your exposure enough to prevent much camera shake...of course it has to be on a steady rest or tripod in the first place

[brokenflint]

Thanks all some food for thought here.  I've got to learn more about my camera it seems :-)  I know nothing about f-stops, depth of field or lighting LOL  for the most part I just try to prevent cutting off the image!!  Now where is that owner's manual 

[Jim Filipski]

Thanks all some food for thought here.  I've got to learn more about my camera it seems :-)  I know nothing about f-stops, depth of field or lighting LOL  for the most part I just try to prevent cutting off the image!!  Now where is that owner's manual 

brokenflint,
Hopefully we can get back to "Your" situation since we all have been off on a tangent

[brokenflint]

Hey Jim   stuff here has been good, even if it is off on a tangent, I learned something !  Thanks good

[Acer Saccharum]

Even the little crappy cameras have a surprising number of features and controls.

Learn about it and put it to use. The photo is your doorway to the new world.

[flintsteel]

A good "down and dirty" way to produce useable photos with a pocket camera is to cover the flash with three or four folds of a common paper towel and shoot away.  The flash is diffused enough to soften the flash glare.  Good luck!