Lets talk photography

[Evil D]

Just a simple question. I notice a lot of guys, when taking pics they seem to prefer one side or the other and almost all the pics they take are of that side of the knife, so who prefers what side and why?

Personally, i like the Spydie side best and i feel like the other side is the "back" of the knife and the Spydie side is the face of the knife. Maybe this is a lefty/righty thing, because for me the back of the knife has the clip on it, and i like the clipless side because it looks cleaner. Lately when i'm taking pics i've tried to mix it up and get both sides just to show the overall image of the knife. I also tend to lean more towards pics of the blade than the knife as a whole.

[Javascript]

Either side is ok, as long as whatever side you choose, please do it in focus. Instead of apologizing for a fuzzy pic, take a better pic.

I like to see both sides, open and closed.

[Evil D]

I really need a new camera. Mine doesn't seem to want to focus worth a **** anymore especially on something with any kind of glare or reflection to it. It's a shame how much i spent on this thing and how badly outdated it is now. It takes typical landscape pics great, just not very good at small close up pics like a knife. Lighting really sucks where i'm at too..i only have a desk lamp to work with. I like to go outside and use natural lighting when i can but i'm usually too lazy since it's 20 degrees out.

[Javascript]

Sorry, wasn't referring to you or anyone in particular. Just a general declaration that good pictures are better than bad pictures and we shouldn't have to suffer the bad.
I'm sure we'd all like to show off our new purchase at its best, not fuzziest. :)

[npueppke]

I usually take the picture with the clip facing up, because I'm not very good at posing knives and it is easy to lay them flat when there is no clip in the way.

[SpydieDelica4]

I really need a new camera. Mine doesn't seem to want to focus worth a **** anymore especially on something with any kind of glare or reflection to it. It's a shame how much i spent on this thing and how badly outdated it is now. It takes typical landscape pics great, just not very good at small close up pics like a knife. Lighting really sucks where i'm at too..i only have a desk lamp to work with. I like to go outside and use natural lighting when i can but i'm usually too lazy since it's 20 degrees out.

I see this a lot with new photographers or "not so keen on picture" people. What you should do then, is focus on something at the same distance. More often than not the subject doesn't have enough depth, or the contrast isnt enough. Say you were taking a picture of a blad knife with a silver blade on a black background. The blades flat and all one color, the handle blends in with the background. No depth, no dimension. To correct this you should change the background color and then focus on the handle. Also, you could try putting a penny or stickynote with writing on it near the knife, focus on that so it locks, and then move the camera over to the knife. Don't use flash on shiny parts of knives, instead up the iso and slow down the shutter (if you can). Automatic mode doesn't do well for knives because more often than not the flash makes a hotspot on the knife. Get natural light on the knife and if it comes out yellow, play with the white balance. You want even lighting over the entire knife.

[marknett]

gee , I point and click ... ... Yep , you guys must be talking bout me .. Sorry :D

[SpydieDelica4]

gee , I point and click ... ... Yep , you guys must be talking bout me .. Sorry :D

:-). Not trying to make fun of anybody, just tryin to help. Hope nobody takes offense...

[marknett]

it's all good .. :D

[SpydieDelica4]

If you guys would like, i'll do a little tutorial with my point and shoot, and take the pictures with my DSLR :-).

[unit]

I usually pose the knife a few times/ways, then look at the images on a monitor and correct them...the ones I like I use/share.

Honestly, I never give much thought to which side I am showing unless there is something in particular I want to show.

Also, I usually select one side, because I see something on the other side that looks bad (a finger print I failed to see during posing, for example).

I am a hack photographer and my videos are even worse...if I spent some time to make either better, people might start expecting me to know what I am talking about LOL.

[Spider bite]

Off topic?

[xc6w]

Since I can't pull off a nice picture, always, I tend to focus on the steel name engraved on the blade, especially exotic ones. And, either side works for me as long the image is sharp.

[Blerv]

:rolleyes:

[Phrenik]

Actually it sort of just comes naturally to me, but I have done a lot of amateur work, and the only class I took was a black and white photography class since I wanted to develop my own film, and it was fun actually. I don't prefer a side of the knife particularly [but if its a brand logo I may favor that side because its showcasing that knife with that brand], and usually stick to the rule of 3's or put another way 1 thirds [how things are spaced]. Just a general rule

[Evil D]

Off topic?

:rolleyes:

Slack. Lets cut some.

[The Deacon]

Depends. I will almost always shoot both sides of a knife where "side A" and "side B" have differences I consider important or are equally attractive. The exception is Kopas, where I'd rather not look at the clip side any more than absolutely necessary. What I post will sometimes be just the side I find most photogenic, which is normally the side without the clip, or the photo(s) that turned out best, or will be geared to the question it was taken in response to.

[Blerv]

Slack. Lets cut some.

"Cut". You almost went back On-Topic. Throw in "Spyderco" and you're there! :p

[justinl]

this might be a different category of knife photography than the standard profile side shots you're all focusing on, but if you want to take above average shots of your prized possessions (or any subject really) consider doing something different with your shot. Shoot from an odd angle, play with lighting, compose the proportions of the shot differently, use a different backdrop, have the knife doing something (like whittling something for example). A good photograph of something ordinary, makes that something out of the ordinary.

for the record please don't get me wrong, I love seeing all the shots you guys take. it feeds my gear lust.

[unit]

This thread is worthless without pictures...

I love the illusion this one creates...looks like the blade is bent!