Browning .22 - 1 light, no "walls" set-up

[PhotosGuy]

One of the guys commented that he needed to get some lights, so I thought I'd make it easy on him. Now he only needs one! The first pic shows the result. Before you look below it at the set-up, try to decide where the light is coming from & how you might get the result shown here using 1 light. Only minimal PS has been applied, but some contrast processing was done during RAW conversion in RawShooter.

Don't read this yet! Don't read this yet! Don't read this yet! Don't read this yet! Don't read this yet! Don't read this yet! Don't read this yet! Don't read this yet! Don't read this yet! Don't read this yet! Don't read this yet! Don't read this yet! Don't read this yet! Don't read this yet! Don't read this yet! Don't read this yet! Don't read this yet! Don't read this yet! Don't read this yet! Don't read this yet!

The 2nd pic below is a shot from above WA example of the positions of the 30" X 40" cardboard "walls" which form a "kind of" tent. All of these will reflect into the pistol. Three are white, one is gray, & blue paper has been added to two. (The blue paper has been touched up in PS 'cause they were blown out by the light.) The gray card was used to illustrate that reflectors needen't be only white. Black or gray can be used to remove light, too.

There are 2 blue gells above the set at the left, on a piece of white paper which put a highlight in the front sight blade. These can be bought online, from a theatrical supply house, or you could use candy wrappers if you had to. ;) I tried using just the light through a piece of blue paper, but the light level through it was too low to make any difference.
Yellow paper & two white wood blocks add a highlight to the top of the barrel.

Again, I tried to keep things simple. Some work should be done in PS to clean things up, but I think the starting point is not half bad. It certainly will set your product above the others on eBay. ;)
Any questions?

Other examples can be found at: Studio Lighting Set-Up Links –illustrations of real world examples. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=66140)

[Ballen Photo]

DONT READ THIS!
OOPS! Too late, I read this. ;)
Frank, I looked at the shots of this pistol in your other thread as well, and IMHO, this is the best of the bunch. I'm going by the more realistic color of the blue finish of the gun. :D
BTW, is this a "Buckmark"? Great little plinkers. ;)
-Bruce

[PhotosGuy]

;)
It's the "Challenger" model, Bruce, & it is a great little plinker. I was really glad to get it back.
Re: "the more realistic color of the blue finish of the gun." It's an extremely deep blue & it really looks more like the look in the "3 light set-up" thread. But I wasn't going for realism in any of these. I just wanted something interesting & reflective to use for the "no-light" to "3 light" set-ups. Now it's time to look for something new! :)

[Vetteography]

One of the guys commented that he needed to get some lights,

That was me and this is still me being very grateful! :D

Thanks for the tutorial. It certainly helps to see real-world examples like this to make it click.

[PhotosGuy]

That was me and this is still me being very grateful! :) I'm glad that I was able to help out. Most people starting out think they need several direct lights on the subject, & I wanted to point out an alternative to that. Just another tool to add to your kit. :-)

[Alectron]

Not to be too critical but I feel like this lighting is somewhat flat. Throwing something soft from the side would have given you more detail in the handle some, shadows would give some depth.

[PhotosGuy]

I feel like this lighting is somewhat flat. - Throwing something soft from the side True, & I think I remember someone else bringing up that point in another of my Tuts. As I said in the title & 1st post, this is supposed to be a "starting point" showing what can be done with one light. I could have done these in a studio instead of a bedroom, but that would defeat the purpose of providing a simple solution that everyone could try for themselves?

Feel free to post a "2-light" tutorial illustrating your solution & filling in the gap between my 1-light & 3-light ones. It's your forum, too. ;)

[rhys]

That's a nice shot. I did a quickie with my Canon S1 IS and just an ordinary household lamp. It has a certain feel to it although if I'd shot with my SLR and used RAW I could have done a lot about the blown highlights.

[Andy_T]

Rhys,

very nice image, but the Kleenex box and speedloaders do not add to the 'retro feeling' of the image...

Best regards,
Andy

[rhys]

Lol. Anybody who knows their guns would realise that the cartridges for that one were only made from the 1930s onward.

I just liked the way the light fell on the wood and since this was a gun theme...

[rhys]

Rhys,

very nice image, but the Kleenex box and speedloaders do not add to the 'retro feeling' of the image...

Best regards,
Andy

Kleenex box removed...

Just messing with my S1 IS.

[Andy_T]

Wow!!!!

Much better.

I like the glow of the gun.

Best regards,
Andy

[rhys]

Wow!!!!

Much better.

I like the glow of the gun.

Best regards,
Andy

Thanks. That, by the way, is my .357 Magnum. It normally lives in my shoulder holster.

[PhotosGuy]

I like the glow of the gun. It does pop out & it's an interesting arrangement of period things. The glow does make it look like an old, slightly OOF film shot, but I can't help pointing out that the thread is about using indirect light? ;)

[rhys]

It does pop out & it's an interesting arrangement of period things. The glow does make it look like an old, slightly OOF film shot, but I can't help pointing out that the thread is about using indirect light? ;)

Lol. The Ruger 3" barrel .357 Magnum SP101 is not that period. Even the cartridge isn't that old. That was designed in the 1930s when there was a wave of people wanting to squeeze more power out of thier .38s.

[PhotosGuy]

not that period. 70+ years is "period" to me!