My first pic post

[stevers]

This is my first pic post.
The slimline pen is some Maple I found in my scrap pile, I think its fiddleback maple. The other is a Jr. Gents 2 made with spalted maple from CSUSA.
Its my first order from CSUSA, love them so far.
Opinions and comments please.
Steve

 

[Gary Max]

Looks like you are off to a great start. I buy most of my pens stuff from CSUSA---real nice folks.
Keep the pens coming.

 

[pete00]

howdy

both look good, nice job, i like jr gent better.
just my opinion but theres something about the backgroud that doesnt look right, takes away from the pens, dont know enough to tell you why though...[]

 

[arioux]

Nice job on the pens, you will find out the meaning of the word addiction pretty soon if not already [}].

For the background, the probllem is the pattern in the tissue. People have a tendency to choose a very flashy backgrood when they take small object photo. Anything that is not plain will attract the eye and distract it from the main subject, unless you can make it blurr and out of focus (look at Old griz's album, he mastered the out of focus background). This is why most of the professionnal photographer will take plain material or mat paper. Black velvet is their first choice (because it does not reflect light, like mat carboard too). For pen i think that lighter background make the wood look better.

Sorry for the intermission,i'm getting off topics. Now back to your work. I really like the grain in the maple one, and i'm a little jalous, have not made one yet that is woth posting (my photo skill are better than my turning[])

Alfred

 

[airrat]

They look great. I agree the background takes away from your work. Also are you using a digital? Take it at the highest quality you can. They use a program to crop and reduce the size of the photo.

 

[Jim15]

Steve, Nice looking pens.

jim

 

[gerryr]

Nice looking pens, but I agree the background takes away from it. Something in a more neutral color and a lot less texture will work better. Then crop it tightly.

 

[stevers]

I know the background is not the best. I borrowed a camera to take them. Kind of in a hurry. They were at a pretty high res. My first time. I'll get with the program.
Thanks for the complaments. I also like the Gents more. It was my first one. CSUSA is waiting for some more Gents. They said near the end of the month.
Thanks again,
Steve

 

[stevers]

Me again. I was being pressed earlier to get to a dinner for our HOA.
The background is one of those anti-slip mats you put under a rug. It was the first thing I could find. I'll find something better befor the next pics.
Alfred, would you believe the wood for the slimline was a cut off of a piece of maple I used for another project. I got a bunch of maple at the hardware store as close outs. Its from the end of one of the boards. I was going to throw it out before I started turning pens. But I have trouble throwing out sraps. Now thats even harder than before. The center band line up is off, I think from cheap bushings. And I also am finding that lighter woods are much harder to sand and MM. They really show dark marks from dirty sand paper, like by the nib.
Oh, addiction, too late.
The Gent is my first real challange. Up till now it has been slimlines and designers, and a few comfort grips.
I really like CSUSA. She was so nice on the phone. I got the info from you all, thank you.
Sorry to ramble on so much. Not sure what is proper on this portion of the post.
Thanks,
Steve

 

[Johnathan]

Both look nice. I have always been very happy with CSUSA.

 

[jwoodwright]

Nice Pens and I see the "bug" has bitten to save <s>scraps</s> valuable short pieces of wood for pens...[]

 

[jdavis]

nice maple pen