Some Emperors--Critiques please

[babyblues]

I also don't mind the linear restrictions posed by using the Emperor. Personally, I really dislike the aesthetic of a pen that deviates from that look. I will likely do a few with the bulbous center, but I have a few done at home that I just think look odd.

I think you're right when it comes to the Emperor. The hardware for that kit has alot of right angles so a bulge, even a slight one, doesn't fit with the kit. Barons, jr gents, jr statesmans, etc actually look better with a slight bulge.

And like Butch said, Nolan, Big Rob and Wolfdancer are the first places I would look for spectacular pen blanks.

 

[jttheclockman]

Being you asked for critique let us start with the amount of pens. I agree way too many and if you are going to do that then do them all in one post. Can't remember what I looked at 2 seconds ago. Second that is alot of money tied up in pen kits. Good luck in selling them but I sure do like the kit. I agree that a kit like that deserves the best of the best not only wood choice which needs to be very figured or absolutly none at all such as been done with a pure black and pure white.

Photgraphy, is something I am still learning but have noticed a few things from other photos. If you are going to use props which I hate, they take away from the pen, use something like a glass stone but not wood and especially not wood that the pen is made from. The first few photos and some others the depth of field needs work. Take the camera off macro if you are going to do a object behind the pen. I found that one out with my last photo of cigars.

Next when showing a two part pen I always like to see it both open and closed. When a pen is closed it gives it a different perspective and you really can see the and appreciate the wood. Next if you are going to use a dark background go all the way and use black not dark brown. But if you use black you need good lighting because the black will absorb the light and steal from the pen. That is why alot of people use white or grey. Some people here have mastered the black background and it looks great. I myself want to learn that technique too.

Well that is all I have but must say good job on all the pens. The fit and finish is well done. I am not a fan of a bulge with expensive kits like that but that gets subjective. Good luck with your sales.

 

[limited60]

There is a whole subforum here on pen photography which is a great place to start reading up on how to take better pictures. You mentioned you take pictures at 3 different angles....that's all good and well but it you're only taking on picture of each angle, it's not going to turn out that great.

I would say to start you need to build yourself a simple photo tent (pvc pipe and plastic sheathing with a couple of lights will do it). Take many, MANY pictures by doing what's called 'bracketing', which is where you take several pictures, change the aperature slightly, take several more, adjust it more, take several more, and so on. I use basically the same background on every one of my pens but the pictures can look way different even with the same settings because of the color of the wood or amount of light that shines off the hardware. There are many factors to taking a really great picture.

The simplest thing you can do though, is to get yourself some simple photo editing software. Photoshop would OBVIOUSLY be the best but is expensive....a cheaper option is something like Microsoft Digital Image. It won't fix a shaky hand, but it will have adjustments for light and color balance, have contrast adjustments, give you the ability to crop, frame, overlay text, etc. For less than half the price of one of the pen kits you're showing us here, you can take really good pictures (assuming you have a decent camera to start!).

This was done in a light tent, but I didn't plug any images into any software. I have Nikon Capture NX 2, Adobe Lightroom 2, Photoshop CS3, and Elements 7, so I just have to get in there to make the adjustments. I guess the criticism of "too many pens" was also something I felt when taking the pictures. I didn't take the time to do any post-production of the images....because there were so many.

I bracketed some shots and actually thought these looked the best, although the lighting could have been a bit brighter. I was having difficulty getting brighter ambiant light, without too much glow off the metal parts.

I am also using fluoroscent light bulbs, which might not give the best light. I'll see if I can re-work my light tent, get different bulbs and then try some more.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[limited60]

Being you asked for critique let us start with the amount of pens. I agree way too many and if you are going to do that then do them all in one post. Can't remember what I looked at 2 seconds ago. Second that is alot of money tied up in pen kits. Good luck in selling them but I sure do like the kit. I agree that a kit like that deserves the best of the best not only wood choice which needs to be very figured or absolutly none at all such as been done with a pure black and pure white.

Photgraphy, is something I am still learning but have noticed a few things from other photos. If you are going to use props which I hate, they take away from the pen, use something like a glass stone but not wood and especially not wood that the pen is made from. The first few photos and some others the depth of field needs work. Take the camera off macro if you are going to do a object behind the pen. I found that one out with my last photo of cigars.

Next when showing a two part pen I always like to see it both open and closed. When a pen is closed it gives it a different perspective and you really can see the and appreciate the wood. Next if you are going to use a dark background go all the way and use black not dark brown. But if you use black you need good lighting because the black will absorb the light and steal from the pen. That is why alot of people use white or grey. Some people here have mastered the black background and it looks great. I myself want to learn that technique too.

Well that is all I have but must say good job on all the pens. The fit and finish is well done. I am not a fan of a bulge with expensive kits like that but that gets subjective. Good luck with your sales.

OK, fewer pens. Got it.
White prop. Gone.
Background, seamless and not black. Check.
Depth of field. Thought it was ok, but will stop the aperature a few more stops next time.

Thanks. This is a tremendous help.

I have actually sold 11 of them already. I doubt it will always be that easy, but I'll take it when it happens like that.
I have donated the "pink thing" that everyone is such a big fan of, to a breast cancer fundraiser. They actually liked it (must be a chick thing), but I share the views of most here.

I'll look for better wood choices, and work on the photography a bit.

Chris

 

[GouletPens]

More light is good...sounds like you have all the right tools otherwise. When it comes to taking a really good picture, plan on having it take at least 15 minutes per pen, more if you're trying to get different angles and whatnot. That's one of the things that most people let slip...but a good way to put it is that the photography is much like putting a finish on your pen...if you rush through the last part of the process you'll end up with a normal or worse a bad looking product. I'm of the opinion a $50 or $60 kit deserves nothing but the best wood and pictures possible. Plan on spending at least as much time taking pictures as you did making the pens, maybe more.

Yeah flourescent bulbs are the worst for pictures too...they show all the flaws. My wife can't stand that I have flourescent bulbs in our bathroom because she says she can see all her flaws....but I say "isn't it better to see your flaws at home to be able to cover them up for when you go out?" I use only flourescents in my shop so I can see the flaws, and I use halogens for my pictures.

 

[limited60]

More light is good...sounds like you have all the right tools otherwise. When it comes to taking a really good picture, plan on having it take at least 15 minutes per pen, more if you're trying to get different angles and whatnot. That's one of the things that most people let slip...but a good way to put it is that the photography is much like putting a finish on your pen...if you rush through the last part of the process you'll end up with a normal or worse a bad looking product. I'm of the opinion a $50 or $60 kit deserves nothing but the best wood and pictures possible. Plan on spending at least as much time taking pictures as you did making the pens, maybe more.

Yeah flourescent bulbs are the worst for pictures too...they show all the flaws. My wife can't stand that I have flourescent bulbs in our bathroom because she says she can see all her flaws....but I say "isn't it better to see your flaws at home to be able to cover them up for when you go out?" I use only flourescents in my shop so I can see the flaws, and I use halogens for my pictures.

Whoops....that's what they are, halogens. I have my camera set up for fluorescents.
I will have to make that change asap and see what changes that makes.


15 min per pen huh? OK, I'm maybe doing 5.

Thanks again.


C

 

[GouletPens]

Chris, that's no steadfast rule. By all means, if you can get a nice looking picture faster than that, good for you! I'm just going off of what it takes me. But I'm taking the 'fancy' shots with the all black backgrounds and EVERY speck of dust shows up on those things (esp. in macro!). No doubt taking a picture like mine will take longer to make look good than a more picture-friendly background. I just think the black looks SLICK!:wink::biggrin:

 

[babyblues]

My wife can't stand that I have flourescent bulbs in our bathroom because she says she can see all her flaws....but I say "isn't it better to see your flaws at home to be able to cover them up for when you go out?"

Um, I believe the appropriate response would be, "What flaws? I don't know what you're talking about." :biggrin:

 

[babyblues]

Whoops....that's what they are, halogens. I have my camera set up for fluorescents.
I will have to make that change asap and see what changes that makes.


15 min per pen huh? OK, I'm maybe doing 5.

Thanks again.


C

Does your camera let you adjust the white balance? That way, instead of relying on a predetermined setting, your camera can adjust itself to the amount and quality of light. Not that I really know what I'm talking about, lol, I just know my pics come out better that way.

 

[limited60]

Does your camera let you adjust the white balance? That way, instead of relying on a predetermined setting, your camera can adjust itself to the amount and quality of light. Not that I really know what I'm talking about, lol, I just know my pics come out better that way.

I shoot in full manual mode, so I can choose from a half dozen or so light sources as a sort of pre-set, but I still set my WB manually. In these pictures, I was in Fluorescent mode(whoops!) and WB was up at +1.

I'll mess around with some different presets, and see if I can't flood a bit more light in there, while also preventing too much reflection.
NOt super concerned with this run of pens, since they're sold, but for future pens, I want a better system, and definately a "standard" by which I follow.

 

[limited60]

Chris, that's no steadfast rule. By all means, if you can get a nice looking picture faster than that, good for you! I'm just going off of what it takes me. But I'm taking the 'fancy' shots with the all black backgrounds and EVERY speck of dust shows up on those things (esp. in macro!). No doubt taking a picture like mine will take longer to make look good than a more picture-friendly background. I just think the black looks SLICK!:wink::biggrin:

No, I know there are no rules, but I'm not spending a fraction of that time on one pen...I think I may have exaggerated the time spent on these ones....I think I spent about 15 minutes getting the tripod set up, the "props" in place, the WB set proper, the light tent flooded with light, and all the screwing around running back and forth checking the tests shots in "real life" on my PC, then maybe each pen took a minute to get out the 3 shots I wanted.

I really need a better background. I'll have a look at yours again, and around the site at what others are doing, then come up with my own idea.


Thanks.