Taking pictures of your work

[Hank Rugerman]

This is what I have learned and used about taking pictures..Hope it helps..and by all means I'm no pro by any means, just stuff I picked up when building knives

I use an opaque (light diffuser) box like this one
http://www.sterilite.com/ProductDetail.html?ProductId=79&Section=Storage

I also use a couple of light reflectors like these with 100 watt soft white bulbs like these
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=98486

Take the diffuser and cut a portal in the bottom of the box, big enough to get the camera through and allow some movement.
I cut mine on one end..you can cut it on the side if you wish.

Place the lights as to were the deflectors light up the box, but don't shine the bulbs directly on it..you'll have to play with this a bit.

Use a backdrop, like a table cloth, indian rug, etc. I use a roll of canvas that I got from Home depot (weed matting)

Use some type of interesting backdrop item like a book, antler, bullets..etc...

Take several pictures, with different light filtrations..(move the deflectors a bit)
Add and remove backdrop items...

after you have taken your pictures....download them all, and weed out the ones you don't like.

Here are a couple of examples:

One without any light box...


Here are a couple with the way I explained...




You guys do excellent work and having a great picture of it to show it off, only adds to the enjoyment..

good luck..

[HorsePen Henry]

Well.........if that don't beat all!!!
I have that equipment already and didn't know to use it for photography.
Thanks buddy,
Horse Pen

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

        Great tip Hank, thanks, I'll give this a try 


                     TW 

[santee]

Cool. Now I gotta get a better camera. Thanks!!

[JD Alan]

I passed this one on to my wife, the photographer. I hope she will help me with some pictures!

[Ace Lungger]

Hank ,
Awesome work, you do it all don't you!
That stuff is all top notch!
thanks for sharing
ACE

[JD Alan]

Hey Hank, can you be a little more specific as to how you set the lights up and place the camera? Some of us are more "spatially challenged" than others. I'm trying to figure out if you put the item in the box, or exactly what you do. I sure do like the results.Thanks, JD 

[Hank Rugerman]

For the lights..I have a couple of stands that I clip them on....you could make these stands out of just about anything...PVC comes to mind..

The camera...I just hold it and take the picture..no tripod..

Imagine the light box..upside down and over top of your work...

In one end of the box a window of about 6"X6" has been cut out...hold the camera in that window and take the picture of the item..

[Hank Rugerman]

Hank ,
Awesome work, you do it all don't you!
That stuff is all top notch!
thanks for sharing
ACE

Thanks Ace.. I appreciate it...

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Thanks for posting the good information on taking pictures. You're right, it makes your stuff look even better. I'll have to start getting geared up for better pics.

[Hank Rugerman]

Thanks for posting the good information on taking pictures. You're right, it makes your stuff look even better. I'll have to start getting geared up for better pics.

I found that after I learned this little trick, of taking pictures..it just gave me so much more enjoyment seeing something that I created, to look (semi) professional through the camera's eye..

Hey Santee...any digital camera will get it done...heck the one I have been using for the most part is as old as the hills....

[JD Alan]

Thanks Hank, I thought you put the project under the box/defuser, but then I start overthinkin the thing. 

[Big Bear Johnson]

One thing you can use is a diffuser gel that you can buy at any photography store. It's a thin film, like tracing film we use in leather work. It should cost about $2.00 for a yard sized piece.
Put it over some of the orange stand work lights I bought at Home Depot. Gives a nice warm light. The work lights have a better color temp than regular incandescent bulbs so your work will turn out less orange. Don't use florescent because things will turn out more blue with them.
You can use a big sheet of white paper as a reflector too, this will allow you to bounce light in places where there are shadows.

Good photos can be done on the cheap.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Howdy Big Bear Johnson

        That's another good idea, thanks for the input Pard


                   tEN wOLVES 

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Howdy Hank

    Well I gave your method a try today, I already had what I needed so it was easy to put together, I couldn't believe how great the pictures came out. I arranged the items on green felt, tried it with an old rock, and a piece of yucca, I used a fairly large plastic container, and cut out a 6"x6" piece on one side of the bottom of the container, then I fixed my lights so that they reflected light onto the container without being directly shown on them, this gave a lot to play with, and a lot of ways to play with it. The camera was set so that I used existing light, and I set it not on macro, but one up from that which gave me a little more area and distance to play with, I plan on doing a session in my shop, and experiment with different things and angles.

                    Thanks Hank, you've opened up some more fun for us, and maybe our pictures will be nicer to look at.


                                                                             Regards

                                                                       tEN wOLVES 

           here's a couple pictures I just retook of the belt I made for a friend, he wanted some more bling so I added some spots.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Nice pics, TW. Good effect on those. Yucca, I thought that was cholla. OK, looks great.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Nice pics, TW. Good effect on those. Yucca, I thought that was cholla. OK, looks great.

              You know Will you are probably right, I've been calling it Yucca all this time, my Father in law gave it to me, and he'd had it for years , it came out of Arizona back in the 1940's or so.


                                           Cholla that's a good one 

                                                     TW 

[Johnny McCrae]

Howdy TW,
Wow! The pictures look great! Thank you for sharing your experience with this.

Howdy Hank,
Special thanks to you for starting this topic and sharing your expertise with us. Beautiful work and beautiful Photography!

[santee]

Ten Wolves, looks great! Came out real nice. Hank, I'm gonna try these tips on my next holster picture.

Yep, that's cholla all right. You can use their needles to punch through leather.
Hey...maybe that's a cheap solution for all of us... Cholla Awls!

[Hank Rugerman]

Good Job there TW...looks like you got the hang of it...

of course there wer'nt not doubt...

Good looking pictures there pard..

Thanks for all the comments guys...enjoy....