Custom Cutlery Photography

[Buddy Thomason]

I have been active as an amateur in the tiny niche of custom cutlery photography. My images have steadily improved to the point where I'm curious to see how photographers outside of the custom cutlery world might respond. Essentially it's still-life photography. The image linked below represents my best technical effort to date.

#1
http://www.fototime.com/370D9CB42745618/orig.jpg

For this image I used my Canon 10D, 24-70 F2.8 L lens, indoor studio setting with soft-boxes and various 'bounce' techniques that I employ on a case by case basis. The image was a RAW capture processed with Adobe Camera RAW and Photoshop CS. Fred Miranda provided the frame program and Intellisharpen II, both used here.

I'd be interested in your reactions to this image and in meeting other photographers here who may have experience in this area. Thanks!

[iwatkins]

Buddy,

That is a nice shot. There is a high level of detail there and looking at the various materials there it looks like you have captured an exact likeness (although I'm guessing as I haven't seen the item with my own eyes).

It is easy to boost saturation and contrast to make the image stand out (some call it "pop"), but looking at that image I'm assuming you actually wanted to get as an accurate an image as you could. And you should be congratulated for that. :D

I shoot quite a bit of still life myself, but mainly using natural light or a single flash. I also use half a ton of black card and white foamcore to make a small set to get the lighting just right. I.e. I spend 90% of the shoot just getting it all setup and 10% taking the actual shots. I find it very enjoyable.

I'm soon to have my own studio where I'll be raising my game including studio flash gear, mini coves etc.

Oh, and that is a really nice looking knife. :)

Cheers

Ian

[ssim]

I like that shot alot. You have no harsh shadows, the colors are natural and the layout seems to suit the items you have. I would say nicely done.

[Buddy Thomason]

Thank you, sirs. Appreciate your comments - personally I love the saturation effect but it's not much appreciated by the blade smiths and custom knife makers. Understandably so, since I am, in effect, elaborating on their artistic vision to make it my own.

Some like it though, as in this image, which won a contest recently. You will easily see some of the enhancements I've applied. What really makes this image though is the natural late-afternoon sunlight passing through a diffuser panel from the Right. I love to get outdoors and shoot knives when I can because of the wonderful qualities of sunlight.

#2
http://www.fototime.com/721D1D8512FBE9F/orig.jpg

If there is some on-going interest in this topic, I do have a few images that illustrate some of the challenges and opportunities in this unique niche. However, I also understand this forum is not to be used as a 'gallery'. My intent would be to only post an image if it illustrates a point under discussion or as part of a serious question posed to the other photographers here.

Can you tell I'm new here? Probably so. For the record, when it comes to on-line forums I subscribe to the 'good neighbor' policy and the 'no negative' philosophy - just here to learn and share in the incredible fun of photography!

[iwatkins]

Buddy,

That is another nice shot :)

I hadn't noticed you were new to the forums, so Welcome here !!.

There is nothing wrong with posting an image just for the hell of it, you really don't need a reason. "Share" area is all for that.

But where the forum comes into its own is where people do put in the effort to put together a useful post and illustrate it with images. That is always useful to others. If you are going to post techniques posts, you want to post over in "Talk about Photography" section for maximum interest.

I, for one, would be interested in your techniques as most still life you see these days is fairly unnatural. That isn't a bad thing, clinical shots are fine for advertising but they leave me a bit cold. I like to see warmth in still lifes, that is what the life is still life means to me.

Cheers

Ian

[Buddy Thomason]

Thanks Ian, I think I'll follow your suggestion and move over to the Talk About Photography section and add 'technique' information relevant to each image I post. Your comments about the best and highest use of these forums makes sense and holds true in the custom cutlery forums as well.

I'll post one more here as it has to do with your comment about 'clinical' vs 'warm.' I struggled with how to capture the essence of this hi-tec precision folder. It's so clean and precise in its execution that I felt I had to go with that element some how. I settled on a profile showing the beautiful lines, the file-worked screws, the titanium hue of the handle and the black micarta inserts. Because the filework along the spine of the knife and blade was also a prominent feature I elected to shoot it from above, lift it from the image and create a sort of 'frame' around the knife with it. I selected a background that had some softness to it. I was looking for elegant, even formal but not sterile or clinical. Like many photographers, I try to avoid doing the same image over and over. Thus you see quite a difference between this one and #s 1&2.

#3
http://www.fototime.com/F188E1A2DBEE2C1/orig.jpg

BTW, here's a view of my funky little basement 'studio' set-up used in shooting image #3. In this case I dropped the store-bought diffuser 'tent' onto my 'shooting table' and brought the 1000W bulb in the Photoflex sliver soft-box (bare - diffusing material removed) right down on the tent - lots of light, but well diffused, not 'flat.' Same with the 500W light behind the tent except its light enters the tent from the side.

#3 a
http://www.fototime.com/28C5CC6F9982360/standard.jpg

[Buddy Thomason]

The continuation of this thread can be found here: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=55239