Suggestions Needed

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dweir

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2008
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81
Location
Deltona, FL, USA.
I posted the photo in the Show Off section (don't want to upset the Mods :D). Just got a photo tent and new Fuji S700. Resized the photo in PS3 (no enhancement). No Flash, camera set to supermacro, auto. I know the nib is a little blurry and there is a reflection just above the nib (looks like a crack). I am asking for a few suggestions to get the aperture right, depth of field, and show off the CA/BLO shine. I took many pics with lighting in different angles, but am frustrated. I am a computer guy and pen turner, but shutterbug,,,, I need help.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=35640

Thanks,
Dave
 
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Hey Dave welcome to my world I have the light tent and a Nikon D-50 But the camera is smarter than I. I will keep and eye on this post hoping to get the same help. My pics do not capture the pens as well as I would like.
 
It's perfectly OK to post pen photos here, that's what this forum is all about. Tell me how you have the lights set up, aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Are you using a tripod? Are you using the self-timer to release the shutter. Is that the actual color of the background? What mode do you have your camera in, full auto, aperture priority, shutter priority, manual?
 
Before I get to your main question a little trick for you.

After you upload a picture you can view it and right-click and "save image location". Then in any other threads you can just click on the "insert image" button and past in the url. You have only uploaded it once but you are using it multiple places just fine.

200842195628_buckeyesierra1..jpg


Your lighting looks pretty good.

In general you want the background to be a mid-density background, not black, not white. Something in between.

What aperture were you using on this shot? You need to be higher f-stop, smaller aperture. f-8, f-11, f-16 would all probably work. Although f-8 may not since the pen is at such a sharp angle compared to the back of the camera. You also want to focus approximately 1/3 back from the nearest point (around the band at the top of the nib). You have it more like 3/4 (the middle of the clip to the top of the clip is sharpest).

That "crack" is probably a piece of dust. Macro mode shows all sorts of things you don't think are there by looking with you eyes. I know guys who, when buying a new airplane, would shoot every square inch in macro mode and then display them with the manufacturer on a big screen because it showed obvious flaws that weren't so obvious by eye.

To show off your shine you need a third light "above" your camera that does not get softened by the light tent. That sharp light will reflect a sharp line that will show off the shine. The other way to do it is to put a dark strip inside your light tent so it creates a sharp shadow across the surface of the pen and That will show off the shine.

Here is some homework for you. Setup just like you did for this shot but lay a ruler down leading straight away from your camera, centered on the lens, "under" the pen. Then play with your f-stop and focus point to get the front and back of the focused area to match up with the front and back of your pen. Record those settings and repeat for your next shots of pens.

If you Can't get the entire pen in focus no matter what you do, then it is time to be less creative with pen positioning and lay the pen closer to parallel with the back of your camera (perpendicular to the lens). Then 3/4" depth of field focused on your pen will be enough.

GK
 
Thanks Greg. I am still experimenting. I plan to use a different background, as black and white are not the best. I am ironing the ones that came with the light tent.

My shot was done in full-auto. I will try F-8 or higher. ISO is set for 200. I am still playing with lighting settings to show off the shine. gotta love a good CA/BLO finish :) I am going to try the shutter at 2 sec on the timer and see if that helps somewhat.

I am using a tripod and additional lighting (2 halogens at an approx 45 degree angle to the pen). I will take all suggestions and experiment some more. I prefer a basic background. The "Crack" was a reflection from the edge of the light tent, I found out.

Thanks again for the tips. I will post more, once I RTFM on my camera and have some time to "play". All suggestions are taken seriously and constructively. I love this board!

Thanks again,

Dave
 
Nice pen Dave. Here is a link I posted a few days ago which should help out with the basics of exposure, to get you out of "auto" mode. It explains the relationship between depth of field, aperture, and shutter speed.

http://blog.richnetapps.com/index.php/exposure

Also check out the IAP search function for "light tent", which will give lots of info on lighting.

Dan
 
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