Project 52 First quarter by Mark K

[mknittle]

I am going to try this again. Hopefully I will get all he way through this time
My goals are to to more shooting, Work on better composition, Learn more about studio lighting especially for Glass.
I also want to spend more time learning post processing. Subjects will vary from nuts to clowns.( NO not selfies).


OK It has been raining so I am stuck inside. So I set up my micro mini TV tray and shot these for fun. I call this guy the Jack Thug. (From Jack in the box)




I need to do something different to the lens on his glasses for one thing.

[Shadowman]

Nice efforts.

[mknittle]

Nice efforts.

Thanks John.

[Geoff F]

Yes, basically OK and you have chosen a shooting angle which isn't exactly 'square on' so it looks more natural. Probably many possible angles could also be tried as an experiment.

Your lighting difficulties with the eyes is something which is going to be problematic whatever you do; unless you use a matte material. Changing the lighting angle may help but that could also cause other problems elsewhere.

Reflection from spectacles is a frequent occurrence which is why some photographers have the glass removed from spectacles so in reality they shoot models wearing just the frames.

[mknittle]

Thanks Geoff, It didn't occur to me that I would have reflection problems from sunglasses on a antenna ball. Just goes to show play emulates reality

I did try some other angles and this one came out the best. I may play around with it later on.

[Dave Humphries]

Interesting to see you show us a photo of such a thing Mark.

One thought I'd had (in previous years) was to buy or make a little mascot (say 2" or 50mm high) which I'd take around the country and shoot with my P&S (small sensor = wide DoF) at the wide angle/macro so that the background was sharp enough to see where 'we' had been.

I got as far as determining that if shooting it in sunshine, I didn't want it to be shiny in order to avoid specular reflections of the sun (or me) - these materials look quite suitable.


Not an original idea and I never got around to starting it as I didn't have the creative ability to design and build it.

Is this part of your plan?
Does it have a name?
"Antenna Ball" doesn't really roll off the tongue

[mknittle]

Interesting to see you show us a photo of such a thing Mark.

One thought I'd had (in previous years) was to buy or make a little mascot (say 2" or 50mm high) which I'd take around the country and shoot with my P&S (small sensor = wide DoF) at the wide angle/macro so that the background was sharp enough to see where 'we' had been.

I got as far as determining that if shooting it in sunshine, I didn't want it to be shiny in order to avoid specular reflections of the sun (or me) - these materials look quite suitable.


Not an original idea and I never got around to starting it as I didn't have the creative ability to design and build it.

Is this part of your plan?
Does it have a name?
"Antenna Ball" doesn't really roll off the tongue

These are made of a dense foam rubber with a rough texture so the sun wouldn't reflect like it did with my golf ball.
Jack in the box restaurants(for lack of a better word that can be used in public) sell them for about $1 US. They always have the clown but sometimes do Movie promotion and holiday ones.

[IzzieK]

I did went to Jack In The Box once, but I didn't see this character... Good experiment. I cannot add anything more to what has already been said, so I will take Dave's idea of bring a mascot on my trips.

[bnnrcn]

Very interesting subject Mark I like the BnW more as I can see the shapes and texture better without being distracted by colors.

[mknittle]

Very interesting subject Mark I like the BnW more as I can see the shapes and texture better without being distracted by colors.

Thanks Binnur, I tried several treatments before settling on this one.

[mknittle]

It was a nice Dark rainy morning this morning. Just what I was waiting for. So I setup my foot square studio.
I started out to photograph the stamping on this stainless .44 I tried several different ways to get the letters to stand out. These are the ones that I liked best. The blue highlights are from the computer monitor. I was going to shut it off but decided that I liked the blue highlights.

The first was what I had in mind
#1

So just kept experimenting.

#2

This one kinda went in a different direction but I kinda like it even though it is technically awful.

#3

And some grungy ones.
I call the first one ACE of Spiders.

#4

[Shadowman]

It was a nice Dark rainy morning this morning. Just what I was waiting for. So I setup my foot square studio.
I started out to photograph the stamping on this stainless .44 I tried several different ways to get the letters to stand out. These are the ones that I liked best. The blue highlights are from the computer monitor. I was going to shut it off but decided that I liked the blue highlights.

Nicely done.

[mknittle]

And a Nikon of a different sort.

[mknittle]

Nicely done.

thanks John.

[mknittle]

OOpS problem editing first post

[IzzieK]

Very nice...maybe when I get a bit better and allowed to carry more than 5 lbs, I should photograph my Mossberg...LOL What lighting did you use here?

[mknittle]

Very nice...maybe when I get a bit better and allowed to carry more than 5 lbs, I should photograph my Mossberg...LOL What lighting did you use here?

I almost bought a Mossberg 12ga. but got a better deal om a barely used 18"cylinder barreled 870 Remington.

The lighting was 2 2500K CFL bulbs in 6" Home Depot clamp on utility lights for the last two (AR15) And one for the .44 pointed at a reflector( a row of white books about 15" above and right behind the little table and black background(foamboard from craft store). In some of the shots I aimed the light by hand Because I didn't have a good place to clamp it to.

[IzzieK]

If you have an extra tripod like those old ones you have collected throughout the years ones, you can use your clamp on those to direct your light to your subject. Or if you are strong enough, a tin can with pour-ready concrete and a thick piece of wood will do too...in the early days I have sticks on them tin coffee cans e.g, Maxwell House, that served the same purpose. We used to have those in the old days and Bill collects them for his little bits of stuffs to tidy up our mess in his workshop. I stole some of them from him and I got into trouble once because I mixed different screws and nuts and bolts together so I bought a good can opener at Bed, Bath and Beyond that removes the tops of can and smooths out (not sharp) the tops of the cans of some small mushroom cans to hold his stuffs.

[mknittle]

If you have an extra tripod like those old ones you have collected throughout the years ones, you can use your clamp on those to direct your light to your subject. Or if you are strong enough, a tin can with pour-ready concrete and a thick piece of wood will do too...in the early days I have sticks on them tin coffee cans e.g, Maxwell House, that served the same purpose. We used to have those in the old days and Bill collects them for his little bits of stuffs to tidy up our mess in his workshop. I stole some of them from him and I got into trouble once because I mixed different screws and nuts and bolts together so I bought a good can opener at Bed, Bath and Beyond that removes the tops of can and smooths out (not sharp) the tops of the cans of some small mushroom cans to hold his stuffs.

I am also a can collector. I drive Robin crazy pulling cans out of the trash and washing them.
Robin got me a inexpensive portrait lighting kit for Christmas so I could have used one of those tripods. It was just a little too much work for a few minutes of shooting. I probably would have done it though if I wasn't satisfied with the results.

[IzzieK]

That is what a dedicated room for a studio is for. So that you do not have to take down your set-up lights and backdrops, etc. My visitor's room is now my studio, so when wants to come to stay with us for the night, Bill will say if they don't mind sleeping in our basement, they can, because I ain't taking down my lights and removing my props...no way known!!!