A Machinists Dream

[Plumcrak]

I never know what is going to catch my eye out at the workshop...this night it was the metal lathes. I'm not sure why...I have looked at them and used them a hundred times...but this night was different. Maybe it is just me. (my wife has always said I was a little different)

C&C appreciated.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

[Karm Redland]

Jon, I like this subject. I wish I could tell you the best way to approach it. I would definitely play with lighting and experimenting with closeups. Wish I could be more help. I think there is something beautiful here.

karm

[Plumcrak]

Thanks Karm. This is something I will definitely play with more. These were just the first run. Maybe this weekend I will have more time to get serious with this. One thing for sure is that I need to clean the dust from the chrome handles Maybe then I could get a nice "selfie reflection"

Cheers

[PRSearls]

Nice images. I like 3, 4 and 5 the best. Good B&W treatment. Four and 5 have the strongest point of interest, IMO. I think Karm's suggestion about lighting, perhaps more dramatic and/or closeups might yield some interesting images.

Paul S

[Plumcrak]

Nice images. I like 3, 4 and 5 the best. Good B&W treatment. Four and 5 have the strongest point of interest, IMO. I think Karm's suggestion about lighting, perhaps more dramatic and/or closeups might yield some interesting images.

Paul S

Thanks Paul.

[pnodrog]

Definitely countless opportunities especially if you take a bit more care and make the lighting even more dramatic. I like the feel the warm yellow background gives in #1 but you need to avoid the window at the top right. The theory is that the light reflected by metal is not polarized but it may pay to try a polarising filter anyway. The very strong highlights are a bit of a problem but maybe negated to a limited extent with back lighting or softer ambient lighting.

An excuse to spend even more time in the workshop. Does it have a well stocked fridge?

[Manfred M]

Great shots Jon - love the shots of the old lathe and the toolholder / cutting bits. My favourite shot is the ones with the calipers, ruler and scriber. The shallow DoF works beautifully there.

I had the opportunity to spend a few minutes with my camera in a friend's machine shop about a month ago; it would have been great to have had the time to get some more shots.

[tbob]

One thing for sure is that I need to clean the dust from the chrome handles Maybe then I could get a nice "selfie reflection"

Maybe not. The dust doesn't detract at all in my estimation. May even add. These are working machines after all and the dust is a reflection of that. Like wrinkles on an older person. Adds character ( I am using that as an excuse in my case)

[Plumcrak]

Definitely countless opportunities especially if you take a bit more care and make the lighting even more dramatic. I like the feel the warm yellow background gives in #1 but you need to avoid the window at the top right. The theory is that the light reflected by metal is not polarized but it may pay to try a polarising filter anyway. The very strong highlights are a bit of a problem but maybe negated to a limited extent with back lighting or softer ambient lighting.

An excuse to spend even more time in the workshop. Does it have a well stocked fridge?

L.Paul, thanks for the comments and tips. I will give it a go this weekend. YES, the fridge is always full and now that it is colder outside the Kegerator is also there.

[Plumcrak]

Great shots Jon - love the shots of the old lathe and the toolholder / cutting bits. My favourite shot is the ones with the calipers, ruler and scriber. The shallow DoF works beautifully there.

I had the opportunity to spend a few minutes with my camera in a friend's machine shop about a month ago; it would have been great to have had the time to get some more shots.

Thanks Manfred.

[jamn4ex]

Jon I have enjoyed these pics greatly! They take me to a time in my youth. My father was a tool and die maker, I grew up with machines like That "old lathe" as another put it. I have a certain disdain for all these new cnc machines. Give me an old Bridgeport from the 40s. ahh but I degress..

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Jon,

I do agree with the suggestions that more photographer controlled lighting could significantly extend the possibilities of this location - not that I'd know where to start because I can appreciate that this is no easy subject. It is one where a photographer cannot afford to be in a hurry and needs to take his/her time with choices of zoom/focal length, subject distance and precise viewpoint (up/down and left right camera position) and the parallax effect this has on elements of the subject at different distances. Then add lighting into the mix and whether you have the freedom to move things about to achieve alternate compositions .... arghhhh

However, I have found the shots interesting enough to think how I might have tried to avoid/mitigate/cheat away some of the issues

#1 - shot close, at 18mm and f/3.5, on Rebel T5i, giving some perspective distortion and a narrow Depth of Field (DoF). I wonder if shooting from a greater distance, using a somewhat longer focal length would have helped with these, perhaps even also avoiding the window L.Paul mentions. I'd also do some PP and clone/desaturate some of the background distractions. I'd try a small clockwise rotation too.

#2 - I find myself wanting to see a little more at the bottom of frame, good subject/background (bg) separation via use of DoF though.

#3 - I think I would have shot from a fraction higher, or rotated the stock handles slightly, to 'separate' the 'touching' near and far ones. I find the bright chord of wheel in lower left corner attracts my attention and lets my eye wander out of frame.

#4 - is a tad too bright for me, perhaps you were trying to simplify the background? I'd also make some minor crop and clone adjustments, but I like the composition and context afforded by the chuck in bg.

#5 - I'd have shot 'straight on' to get a level lower edge and also excluded the drawer handle. The two bright edges in bg could be dulled a bit perhaps?

#6 - for me, this has slightly too much out of focus vs sharp - but I accept it may not have been possible to shoot from further away (with a longer focal length) to achieve a larger sharp distant subject relative to the tube through which you shot.

Hope that's helpful,

[Plumcrak]

Dave, thank you very much for the detailed C&C. I would have to agree with everything you stated (after I read your comments of course). Regarding #4, the wall behind this lathe is a white board which is why I went the direction I did. I think on the next visit I will be more prepared thanks to your comments and others as helpful as you.

Cheers

[TonyW]

I have done a very small amount of metal turning, more wood turning. This is a very interesting theme and the pictures are good. My comments are not related to the quality of the photography but to what would interest me as a craftsman ( which I can't really claim to be). To my mind, the shallow depth of field does not select the most interesting things. For example, in #1 I would be more interested in the vernier scale than the handle. I do like #6.

[Plumcrak]

I have done a very small amount of metal turning, more wood turning. This is a very interesting theme and the pictures are good. My comments are not related to the quality of the photography but to what would interest me as a craftsman ( which I can't really claim to be). To my mind, the shallow depth of field does not select the most interesting things. For example, in #1 I would be more interested in the vernier scale than the handle. I do like #6.

Patience Tony...I will get there
Thanks for the comments.

[Brownbear]

Hi Jon,

I like images #3 and #4, a lot... Perhaps the highlights are a bit bright in #3. Sorry I can't be more helpful (no experience here) except to say that I think these are really nice, showing the beauty of machinery and very unique and interesting.