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Location: Foothills of Mt. Rainier | Hi Damon,
I was just looking at the photos you took of your Carvin guitar and they are just amazing! That is some of the best photography I have ever seen anywhere of anything.
Could you share some of your secrets with a photography wannabee like old Washington Bob?
What type of camera are you using? I know it is your skills regardless of the camera but I need to start somewhere.
Thanks again for the photos. They are inspiring to say the least.
Washington Bob |
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Location: N.E. Pa | Agreed, they are super! |
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December 2006
Posts: 6996
Location: Jet City | Thanks for the kind words.
Nuthin special really on the equipment. I use a Nikon 5700 which was top of their Coolpix line a few years ago. I attach a Nikon SB-50 DX Speedlite on the top, and usually point it toward the ceiling.
This stuff is about 4 or 5 years old and can be got for about a fourth of what I paid for it new.
Aside from that, both my dad and uncle are professional photographers that do this stuff for a living, so after decades of being around studios and shoots, for both people and products, I guess some of their mojo rubbed off. :confused: |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | It's not the equipment. I have the Nikon 5600 and my pics aren't nearly as good as Damon's. Do you use the manual settings or are you letting the camera do everything for you? |
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Location: Jet City | Well to be fair Mark, the 5600 and 5700 are worlds apart. The lenses are different, and there's no flash shoe on top of your 5600. Lighting is everything and pretty much 100% of the time, if you use that built in flash, it's not going to come out nice.
Here's a 5700:
Then I have this flash on top, point it up, and bounce the light off the ceiling:
but to answer your question, it depends. Sometimes that auto setting does OK, and I save the time of tweaking thinks, but most times I'm in manual. I do a lot of macro shots too which I really like. Here's one of my fav macros, but I did it with a Nikon 995:
It only took about 100 attempts...
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Location: Jet City | holy frijoles
I see 5700s on eBay with BIN prices under $200.
Technology sucks. I think I paid $800+. You could probably get this exact setup for less than $300 now. I think the flash cost me about that much. :rolleyes: |
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December 2007
Posts: 45
Location: Foothills of Mt. Rainier | Hi Damon,
Thanks so much for your reply. I really appreciate it. Great photographs of our guitars adds quite a bit to the whole experience of owning and collecting them.
Your photos add a great deal to this forum. Thanks for sharing your process.
Washington Bob |
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December 2006
Posts: 6996
Location: Jet City | Bob if you're ever coming down the mountain and the Bellevue way, you're welcome to stop by and bring those guits along. Well dress 'em up purdy and take some snapshots.
As long as I get a chance to play on 'em some. ;) |
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December 2007
Posts: 45
Location: Foothills of Mt. Rainier | You have yourself a deal! Thankyou. |
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March 2005
Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | Nikon's model numbering system is almost as confusing as Ovations. I figured a 5700 would be like mine, but with a few more pixels. You're right, they are worlds apart. I still suspect the difference between your pics and mine isn't just the camera, though. |
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March 2007
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Location: Tychy, Poland | i told it earlier, but Damon67's photos of his Carvin gave me so huge GAS that my i've bought 1st guitar in my life in States (through e-bay) and my GAS-cure is on way in.
BTW.
It's not megapixels that make photo look good. it's 60% lens, 30% photographer, 10% megapixels |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | How about 100% Photographer...
Vic |
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March 2007
Posts: 665
Location: Tychy, Poland | ok, let's say 45% lens, 50% photographer, 5% megapixels etc.
even best skills won't compensate much when hardware sux.
btw. Vic, it's nearly 2 a.m. here, i think we're addicted. |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Here's a recent HOW TO... with some good advice. |
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November 2006
Posts: 2241
Location: Simpsonville, SC | Damon, your pics are great! As has been said, the lighting and setting are crucial, as well as taking many shots with different settings.
Get a speedlight of some sort for your camera, one that allows you to bounce the light (cheap speedlights often give cheap results, buy one made for your specific camera). The great thing about digital cams is that you can take all the photos that you need to get the picture right. Play with the settings and the lighting and click away.
Which do you prefer (besides all the beautiful gits):
Example 1
Example 2
Different flash and bounce settings can make a huge difference. (BTW: these pics where from the g8rbowl in Jan. 2008, SHOULDA BEEN THERE) |
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Damon 67...what photographic gear are you using?