Improvement, I think

[Cwalker935]

I have been frustrated with the quality of my photos lately and was particularly unhappy with the photos that I submitted for some of the bash contests. We had demo from a professional photographer at last weeks meeting of the Richmond Woodturners club which inspired me to invest in better lighting, change my photography setup and my approach to shooting my photos. I tried some photos today and think they are much improved.

Here are some shots that I took this morning of my Palo Duro pen that failed to advance in the FOG contest.

Following are the photos I submitted for the contest. I think todays photos are much improved perhaps not enough to have improved my FOG outcome but I would have been happier with my submission.

 

[Joebobber]

I think i had a great picture, but I failed to advance as well. I actually did find the alabaster too.

I think the newer pics with more light look better for sure and it looks shinie, while the darker ones show off more of the grain. I found the ones I think I will do well in I do terrible, and the terrible ones end up winning.

 

[Cwalker935]

I like your pen!

 

[Joebobber]

I like your pen!

I like yours as well! Mine was tied for last place.

 

[LouCee]

The new pics are a big improvement, you can see how good the pen actually looks, and it does look good.

 

[RGABEL]

I like yours as well! Mine was tied for last place.

You were only tied for last place in your group. Mine was last overall with a whopping 7 votes(). To be fair my photos were not great and the pen was underwhelming compared to the others. I had done some other small turnings with some of this wood and the grain colors really popped in those. Was disappointed that there was not much character/color in the pen.

A few days after I submitted the pen I found some box elder flame logs at our local dump. That would have been a much better entry.

 

[jttheclockman]

I always struggle to get decent photos also. My biggest problem is when I shoot pens that have alot of glare I can not get the details to stand out. The blank gets washed out. I would like to know some of the secrets if you would care to share. Please! Please!. I am willing to try some of the simple things. I want to be able to point and shoot. By the way your photos are a tremendous upgrade. Sorry you did not win but again we learn and advance our skills. That is what the Bash contests were about when we started. Going up against your peers in the same category and see how you stack up. There are really no losers. You took the time to partake and give that extra effort. Means alot and should to everyone who does. I pick up a few things in the photo area too over time and one is to angle the pens slightly to give it depth of field. I was always straight on weather laying down or standing up. I am trying to correct that when I remember.

 

[Cwalker935]

I always struggle to get decent photos also. My biggest problem is when I shoot pens that have alot of glare I can not get the details to stand out. The blank gets washed out. I would like to know some of the secrets if you would care to share. Please! Please!. I am willing to try some of the simple things. I want to be able to point and shoot. By the way your photos are a tremendous upgrade. Sorry you did not win but again we learn and advance our skills. That is what the Bash contests were about when we started. Going up against your peers in the same category and see how you stack up. There are really no losers. You took the time to partake and give that extra effort. Means alot and should to everyone who does. I pick up a few things in the photo area too over time and one is to angle the pens slightly to give it depth of field. I was always straight on weather laying down or standing up. I am trying to correct that when I remember.

The photographer doing the demo talked about using your cell phone to take good photos. Light seems to be one of the keys. He suggested a 5000 degree Kelvin bulb with a high cri. I bought this bulb at Home Depot and put it in a clamp light:

EcoSmart 150-Watt Equivalent PAR38 Spot Light Energy Star Dimmable CEC LED Light Bulb Daylight (2-Pack) FG-04302 - The Home Depot

The 150-Watt Equivalent EcoSmart PAR38 medium base LED light bulb is a great replacement for traditional incandescent bulbs - with all the benefits of LED technology. These light bulbs are dimmable and

www.homedepot.com

When using your phone he suggested shooting in portrait mode. He also suggested using a gradient paper background like this one "

Flotone 31x43" Flotone Graduated Background, Thunder Gray to White

" from Amazon.

 

[Woodchipper]

I got into photography about 5-1/2 years ago. Here's what I use for pens and flies. Two clamp on lights from Harbor Freight, curly Q bulbs and cloth diffusers made by my wife. I can move the lights on the doors or frames for the best effects and eliminate glare.

 

[mark james]

While I liked your more recent photos, the first were perfectly acceptable. Photography has been an enjoyable side-skill as I became interested in woodturning. Just another skill to learn about and give me fits to get better at. I am happy for the challenge, and IAP (Sylvanite's threads) have been a great resource. 10 years ago I bought a nice SLR camera and several lenses (used), but now do most with my IPhone and an older Mac photo editing function. This is standard on my Mac (Photos); I did not purchase any photo editing apps.

 

[DesertCanyon]

I have a tough time getting good clarity when I reduce my file size for the contests. Any suggestions?

 

[leehljp]

The photographer doing the demo talked about using your cell phone to take good photos. Light seems to be one of the keys. He suggested a 5000 degree Kelvin bulb with a high cri. I bought this bulb at Home Depot and put it in a clamp light:

A note on this for some with cataracts: I started off with 5000k bulbs back between 2005 and 2010 when I was overseas (Japan). Then I came back to the USA and it took me a couple of years to get set up to making pens again. around 2013-14, I started using 6000k bulbs in my shop. 5000k looked slightly yellowish. But Everything looked fine with 6000k bulbs.

THEN I had cataract surgery a year ago (spring 2023). The 6000k bulbs were far too blue from that point on.

THE POINT: Cataracts change the colors we see without us knowing it! Since my cataract surgery, 5000k makes colors look more natural, almost as in daylight, as they did back in the early 2000's for me.

 

[jttheclockman]

The photographer doing the demo talked about using your cell phone to take good photos. Light seems to be one of the keys. He suggested a 5000 degree Kelvin bulb with a high cri. I bought this bulb at Home Depot and put it in a clamp light:

EcoSmart 150-Watt Equivalent PAR38 Spot Light Energy Star Dimmable CEC LED Light Bulb Daylight (2-Pack) FG-04302 - The Home Depot

The 150-Watt Equivalent EcoSmart PAR38 medium base LED light bulb is a great replacement for traditional incandescent bulbs - with all the benefits of LED technology. These light bulbs are dimmable and

www.homedepot.com

When using your phone he suggested shooting in portrait mode. He also suggested using a gradient paper background like this one "

Flotone 31x43" Flotone Graduated Background, Thunder Gray to White

" from Amazon.

Well I do not have a cell phone that takes good photos. I still use a flip phone. I have used the gradient paper in black and grey as well as Blues and white. But have recently flipped it over to use all white. Now I use a cloth on it to muffle the glare and seems to help. I have lamps like that which I move around to try to get best light source but believe it is too much so I will be trying some diffusers on them next to see what that comes out like. As far a editing software, I use to use Picture It on my older computer but they do not have that any more and the software on 10 is not very good but I use it. I guess I need to play with it some more. Or stop making shiny pens. I do better if I use the overhead fluorescents and pose things on my tablesaw. Those photos are alot better. Thanks. You did well.

 

[Cwalker935]

Well I do not have a cell phone that takes good photos. I still use a flip phone. I have used the gradient paper in black and grey as well as Blues and white. But have recently flipped it over to use all white. Now I use a cloth on it to muffle the glare and seems to help. I have lamps like that which I move around to try to get best light source but believe it is too much so I will be trying some diffusers on them next to see what that comes out like. As far an editing software, I use to use Picture It on my older computer but they do not have that any more and the software on 10 is not very good but I use it. I guess I need to play with it some more. Or stop making shiny pens. I do better if I use the overhead fluorescents and pose things on my tablesaw. Those photos are alot better. Thanks. You did well.

The new Bulbs I bought are really bright and create hard shadows when shined directly at subject. We have a white ceiling in the room where I take my photos so I point the lights at the ceiling and bounce the light down to illuminate the area I am photographing. This give plenty of light and creates soft shadows.

I can move the lights around to get the effect I like.

 

[jttheclockman]

The new Bulbs I bought are really bright and create hard shadows when shined directly at subject. We have a white ceiling in the room where I take my photos so I point the lights at the ceiling and bounce the light down to illuminate the area I am photographing. This give plenty of light and creates soft shadows.

I can move the lights around to get the effect I like.

One of these days I will find that sweet spot and get the photos better. Thing about digital photos, do not like just hit delete.

 

[Joebobber]

I just got an arducam for a raspberry pi that is self focusing. Its really small so Im hoping to get some different angles with it. Rather, have my wife do it. I have a neuro-muscular thing where I shake too much to do it myself.